Ballast valve: rebuild or replace?

[TimLa]

First post - been lurking here for a while

2007 26M - some mods from PO, been on a couple trips to the San Juans, Saratoga passage, Deception pass, etc. Love this boat!
On to the point: left the ballast valve shut, when hauling out it leaked like crazy. Looks like it's been rebuilt once already - should I just replace the thing? BWY is only an hour from home....

On the down side:
I HATE porta-potties. C-Head in the spring
The sails are totally blown out, they're original. I've bookmarked Judy's page
CDI furler is a nightmare to attach - looking at a Johnson lever

I need about another 5 boat bucks to get ready for next spring.

-T

[Starscream]

This probably isn't the right valve for the M https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00594 ... YIK6Y9EEQB but I have been thinking about picking this one up to see if it fits my X. Not sure if the valve disassembles so that you can just change the outer bits, or if you have to dig the entire old valve out of the fiberglass first.

[Starscream]

Oh, and you can adjust the furler to make it easier to attach. You have to open up the drum and adjust the little turnbuckle inside to give a little more length to forestay hidden inside.

[Herschel]

This probably isn't the right valve for the M https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00594 ... YIK6Y9EEQB but I have been thinking about picking this one up to see if it fits my X. Not sure if the valve disassembles so that you can just change the outer bits, or if you have to dig the entire old valve out of the fiberglass first.

I replaced my ballast drain valve a few years ago with a replacement valve I ordered from BWY. At the time I think someone on the forum remarked that the valve is a fairly standard RV valve for holding tank drainage. As I look at the valve on my travel trailer, I can attest to their similarities. I am sure there are different sizes and types, but I don't think our valves are unique to the Macs or even to nautical applications.

[EZ]

My understanding is that the ballast valve needs to be removed to be rebuilt. If you are going through the trouble of removing it, it might make sense to replace it entirely.

Oh, and you can adjust the furler to make it easier to attach. You have to open up the drum and adjust the little turnbuckle inside to give a little more length to forestay hidden inside.

If you make that adjustment, make sure your mast rake is correct.

The way I deal with attaching the forestay pin is to slip the eye of dockline over the top of the drum. Then tie of the other end. Then, while standing on the trailer, use my foot and body weight on the dockline to leverage the forestay in place. I got this idea from someone on this forum. Don't remember who, but it works great.

[Starscream]

If you make that adjustment, make sure your mast rake is correct.

The way I deal with attaching the forestay pin is to slip the eye of dockline over the top of the drum. Then tie of the other end. Then, while standing on the trailer, use my foot and body weight on the dockline to leverage the forestay in place. I got this idea from someone on this forum. Don't remember who, but it works great.

Loosening the turnbuckle worked well for me. We used to fight so hard to get the forestay pinned, I even used the trailer winch a few times and was thinking about mounting a dedicated winch on the trailer in a a more strategic place. Then I decided to just loosen the turnbuckle and make the forestay about a quarter inch longer. Don't think that had any real effect on the rake (maybe half a degree if my late-night trigonometry is right and mast flex is neglected), nor on the performance of the boat. Nothing that I can detect, anyway, and I briefly hit 6.2 knots the other day, and was regularly in the high 5's. Not due to my sailing skills or my setup, because both were awful that day.

[TimLa]

My understanding is that the ballast valve needs to be removed to be rebuilt. If you are going through the trouble of removing it, it might make sense to replace it entirely.

Agreed, that's the plan now.

Oh, and you can adjust the furler to make it easier to attach. You have to open up the drum and adjust the little turnbuckle inside to give a little more length to forestay hidden inside.

If you make that adjustment, make sure your mast rake is correct.

The way I deal with attaching the forestay pin is to slip the eye of dockline over the top of the drum. Then tie of the other end. Then, while standing on the trailer, use my foot and body weight on the dockline to leverage the forestay in place. I got this idea from someone on this forum. Don't remember who, but it works great.

I think I'll just keep doing the current method: cargo strap hook into the jib clew, via the anchor roller, other end on one of the trailer u-bolts, winch it down, easy-peasy.