Bayraider water ballast sump pumps

[Frisky]

Hi - after purchasing a second hand Bayraider - I have now taken her out for her first sail. After opening the water ballast system and accessing the bilge pump system, I couldn't seem to open the pump to get the water in - not wanting to force anything and break something, I wondered in anyone could walk me through the opening process and even, if possible provide some pictures
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Llafurio]

Frisky,

the water ballast tank of the BR 20, its filling and emptying, is highly proprietary on each boat as what the yard offers as standard until now does not work properly.
   
The standard BayRaider 20 comes minus any sump pumps, so your boat if it has such must have been retrofitted with them by the previous owner. Maybe you ask him what his system was.

BTW, such sump pumps are only to pump ballast water out, not pump it in.

To fill the ballast tank you open the bung underneath the main hatch (which is the big one with the red circumference).

If you are lucky, you boat has been retrofitted with an airvent, if not, you must keep the hatch well loose during filling to get the air out.

To empty the ballast tank of your boat under way, you can open the two standard selfbailers under the forward hatches, but all good that that will do you is zero point five, they won't work really. Better open the bungs in the rear wall of the ballast tank into the sump, and either pump the stuff out from there manually, or let the selfbailers in the sump do the work automatically while you go, but that works only IF you have the right size bungs and the right selfbailers, and all fitted in the right places. AND if you have a tank airvent fitted. Maybe your boat has all that, but maybe it has not.
If not, you can find and lookup older threads and postings here on the forum which describe the modifications which you may want to have in the boat to make it all work.       

Sounds somewhat ominous and complicated to you? -I agree. It would all be a lot simpler if the yard itself would finally ..... .

[Matt Newland]

Dear All,
Please have a look at the thread in the technical section entitled "sump pump" for more information on this subject.
Best wishes,
Matt