MacGregorSailors.com

The marina where we have our requires a "plan of plumbing system displayed" for any vessels with variable ballast. Does anyone have this in a PDF or JPEG already so I could print off? Otherwise I will draw one up.

Thanks.

I'm not sure a tank with a vent and a gate valve constitutes a "system" but at least your diagram will be simple.

Would a copy from the brochure do?

Just out of curiosity: why on earth do they want to know? Over here in Europe most people don't even have a clue about water-ballasted boats. Or any other form of variable ballast, for that matter.

Variable ballast... is that like moving beers from the galley to the cockpit?!

This may be more aimed at boats that can move ballast around, where there are pipes and pumps involved. Suggest you explain this is not variable - the ballast goes in when the boat is in the water and goes out when the boat leaves the water.
The boat is not intended to move or adjust the amount of ballast during operation - all in or all out.
Another approach: the drawing should be simple, a tank with a valve at each end plus two labels to indicate where the valves are.

Yea, I can't understand why the marina would need this information. Unless it is for inspection for invasive species or something.
Our boats are not variable ballasted. That would be very dangerous to keep a varied amount of ballast in there. That describes those wakeboard boats. Like this.


If it were me, I'd say, my boat doesn't have variable ballast, why do you want to know about ballast?

As a fallback, I guess you could send them the diagram from the brochure.

RussMT wrote:Our boats are not variable ballasted.]

As far as regulations are concerned, I think they are. Ballast tank full and ballast tank empty, each with significant effect on handling of the vessel.

Cougar wrote:

RussMT wrote:Our boats are not variable ballasted.]

As far as regulations are concerned, I think they are. Ballast tank full and ballast tank empty, each with significant effect on handling of the vessel.

Hmm... depends on how you define variable. I have variable light switches (dimmers) and light switches (on/off).
In the case of ballast, wake boats vary the amount of ballast for different wake effects. Their plumbing systems are MUCH more complicated than ours.

--Russ

Or you could just move to Southern California, they don't care about your ballast here.

BOAT wrote:Or you could just move to Southern California, they don't care about your ballast here.

Problem is, so many people have already moved to SOCAL that it's so crowded and expensive. And you have to learn Spanish.

We have entire counties in California that are larger than Montana and have less people. If you like that sort of thing there are plenty of places in California for that.

I was talking about places for people who sail sailboats. There is just a little bit more water here to float your boat.

BOAT wrote:We have entire counties in California that are larger than Montana and have less people. If you like that sort of thing there are plenty of places in California for that.

Cali is slightly larger in square miles. I believe we still have less than 1mil residents in the entire state. California about 39 million.

I was talking about places for people who sail sailboats. There is just a little bit more water here to float your boat.

Yes, California does have that coast line and lots of ocean. Plenty of marine facilities for sure. Point West and possibilities are limitless.
Little known fact, Montana's Fort Peck Lake has a 1,520-mile (2,450 km) shoreline which is longer than the state of California's coastline. You certainly have milder climate, but with that comes people. I can leave my marina and in 20 minutes find a cove and not see another person for days. SoCal does have great breezes and opportunity for sailing.

Unfortunately I don't live on my boat and must return to terrestrial dwellings. The drive back from the marina I often won't see another car for 45 minutes. Just sayin' Everything is a trade off. Maybe I'll retire to Belize.

Hey Russ, I did not know they had a big lake up there. I must have been thinking of North Dakota or South Dakota or Nebraska or something. We used to go to Montana to See the Custer Forest but we stopped because Idaho sort of got in the way. The wife and kids don't like Idaho because the cops there always hassle us even in the campgrounds. We get the same thing in Oregon but only in Idaho have we been hassled in a campground just because we have California plates. We avoid the place pretty much. We used to drive east from Oregon until we see lots of lakes and that would put us in Minnesota - everything in between was sort of a blur. I guess I need to look harder.

We have been across country many times traveling in our little van motor-home and we have found there are a lot of pretty places but mostly it's all about the people. Some places have great people and some, not so great. I'm always amazed how well even the very poor people treat us in the South. We go to New York a lot, Jersey, (Hoboken) and other places. Sometimes it's a culture thing. We get excited being in a different culture. I think it was a town called Hamilton where we stopped to help a lady change her tire. Three days before the temperature dropped to 40 below! The day we saw the lady on the side of the road it was 36 degrees (warm I guess for those parts) and while I was changing her tire she told me a couple kids pulled up two hours before and said they would change her tire if she paid them 20 bucks. After twohours we were the next car she saw on the road!! No cars for TWO HOURS!! Wow, I guess some people like that sort of thing. Anyways, she was happy we came by because she did not have 20 bucks.

Even those busy people we met in New York were much nicer than that. A lady from Buffalo helped me with subway directions and in Hoboken one guy actually rode three stops past his stop just to make sure we got off on the right train stop. In Oregon it's hard to even get people to talk to you.

I gotta agree that southerners are some of the friendliest folks around. One of the friendliest human encounters of my life was with burger king employees in Baton Rouge Louisiana. I've traveled all over the world.
I spent 40 years of my life in New Jersey. Weird people. Most won't make eye contact. Probably because they are fighting for space. Everyone is so crowded. But once you get to know them, they are very friendly and helpful. For such a tiny state, it has many distinct areas. Hamilton is south and close to some urban areas. Not surprising what you found there. My wife moved to NJ from Seattle. She thought people hated her because they wouldn't make eye contact. Quite a departure from friendly Seattle.
New York city has many distinct Boroughs and personalities.

I like it here. Quiet and peaceful with friendly folks. I did miss the sea and our Hunter sailboat. Then I found this huge lake with few boats on it. Bought a runabout to play with. Still missed sailing. Mac fit the bill. Largest boat I could launch myself (there are no lifts) and plenty of sailing and room to get away from civilization.

Bottom line, we all enjoy being on the water. It's something you either love or not. The Mac community is one of the best I've come across. This forum is the reason I bought the Mac.

--Russ