Boat ballast plumbing to make Fat Sac removable

[avorob]

I know this topic has been discussed several times. I'm looking for an advice / or validation of my idea to connect a Fat Sac to the existing ballast plumbing.

Most of the surfers I boat with are regular (port side) but on occasion I get goofy riders. I Have a Fat Sac that I would keep mostly connected and yet be able to disconnect and switch to the other side.

So I add a quick release and a hose extension the discharge end of the factory ballast and have addition two quick releases for the Fat Sac with needed hose lengths that can put in between. Would it work?

If yes, any advise on the quick connect (i), type and diameter of the extension hoses (ii), and making sure that it will work for emptying (iii)

Thx for the heads up

[blackhawk]

I would bite the bullet and just buy you another sac for the starboard side. It will be worth it in the long run. Switching a sac from one side to another will be a huge hassle.

[avorob]

Good point. Thank you.
Any advise on what tubing / fittings to use and where to get them

[dparry]

Agree with adding another ballast bag. Trying to move from one side to the other would require completely draining one side, and you will be happier having more weight. Wakemakers.com is where I bought all my ballast, tubes, pumps, etc. They had a standard kit for an expansion, but they also sell all necessary parts.

[Samdog]

Do you have hoses going to your bags, and would they reach each other with a fitting in between?
I use these if I want to remove my bags:

https://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-pro-x-series-fitting-w743-double.html

Allows me to connect the fill hose to the overflow hose for the bag, thus short circuiting the bag.

[avorob]

Talked to the guys from WakeMakers - they have a hose assembly kit that they sell $160. It has hoses, T-fitting, quick release connector - straight and angled and a check valve. Plus I need to get two quick release connectors that fit to Fly High fatsac.

Question:
1. Why do you need a check valve and a T-connector?
also

2. I have a 1" diameter discharge hose on the boat and a the thread on fatsac matches the one on a garden hose. Can't I remove the hose/clamp buy the discharge, connect hose to an extension hose (with some sort of connector), screw the other end in fatsac, screw another fitting/hose to the other thread on fatsac and clamp it to the boat's discharge fitting?

3. Do I even need to worry about quick connectors?

[Samdog]

I have attached a diagram to help here.

1) The check valve/Tee are plumbed in for draining. It is possible that if the bag gets crushed completely flat during draining, that airflow will be blocked and the ballast pump will create a vacuum that could crush/damage your hard tank. In this scenario, the check valve will open and allow airflow to bypass the bag.

2) In my diagram, you can disconnect bag fill and bag overflow connectors, and just connect them together to take the bag out and have hard tank ballast only. I use the fitting I linked in my previous post to do this.

3) Nope you don't need quick connects, but if you're swapping your bag from side to side often enough you will appreciate them.

Hope that helps