Back

Ronix Eight.3 Telescope Tech Ballast Bags Explained

Eight.3 Telescope Tech Ballast Bags

Eight.3 is Ronix's ballast division and the brand has been making some of the best ballast bags in the industry for the past decade. Their newest line of ballast bags, the 'Telescope Tech' Series is the first submersible pump solution to hit the market and is up to 3x faster than filling a Fly High bag with a Pro X Tsunami Pump. The speedy fill/drain process means less time waiting around on your ballast bags and more time doing what you love to do... riding!

As your trusted ballast experts, WakeMAKERS is here to help make it easy for you to build a better wake. This blog post will show you how this portable bag + pump ballast solution works as well as discussing the key performance features of Eight.3's ballast system. To start it off Ronix team rider Parks Bonifay will give you a quick run through on how to both fill and drain the ballast bags in your boat using the submersible Eight.3 Telescope portable pump.

After watching that video you might be thinking to yourself "wow that is really easy". In fact, it really is as quick and simple as Parks makes it look. Take the bags out of the box, put them on your boat, and you are ready to rock.

Now that you've seen how it works, let's run through the key features and help you find the right bags for your boat.

Eight.3 Telescope Ballast Bag
Eight.3 Telescope Tech Ballast Bag

Eight.3 Telescope Ballast Bag Features

    • -High Velocity Fill Port: The Eight.3 pump easily clamps onto the high velocity fill port thanks to a spring loaded quick connect male adapter. The 1 1/2" diameter fill port has a check valve and a water tight rubber cap that creates a secure connection and avoids the hose from spraying water throughout the boat.
    • -Vent Port: The vent port includes new port caps that had two sided vent slots that make it easy to burp the ballast bag of extra air while filling. Make sure your ballast bag is full of water and not air for the most possible weight.
    • -Drain Port: The 1" port on the bottom of the bag allows you to drain from this port or integrate the bag into the Plug & Play ballast system in your boat.
    • -Heavy Duty Shell: Every Eight.3 Telescope ballast bag is built using ultra high tensile, reinforced materials, and sonic welded seams for a supreme construction. Built to perform at a high level and last for years.
    • -Telescoping Dry Chamber: Drop the submersible pump into this patented design to drain the bag without attaching any nozzles. This design eliminates the inconvenience of air locking and re-priming. Simply drop the pump, sit back, and watch it go to work.
    • -Waterproof Zipper: The telescoping chamber features a TiZip waterproof zipper.

Eight.3 Telescope Portable Pump

Eight.3 Submersible Pump Features

      • -3000GPH and 3700GPH rating models
      • -Anti-airlock protection
      • -Won't burn impeller if left on without water
      • -Rust and corrosing protection
      • -12V DC cigarette adapter
      • -On/Off switch
What Is The Best Setup For Your Boat?

Congratulations, you are now a product expert on Eight.3's Telescope Tech. Now that you have an understanding of the key features for this ballast system, we can dive into determining the best ballast configuration for your boat.

Eight.3 Rear Zone Ballast Bags

For both wakesurfing and wakeboarding, adding weight in the back of the boat is the first place to start as that is where your boat has the most available storage space. There are different sized bags in the Eight.3 Telescope line that are shaped specifically to fit in the rear locker of a v-drive boat. Available in 400, 800, and 1,100 lbs. sizes, it is important to measure out your rear lockers and look at the ballast bag dimensions to determine the best fit.

Bag Dimensions

  • -400 lbs. 42" L x 14"-18" W x 16"H
  • -800 lbs. 50" L x 18"-22" W x 20" H
  • -1,100 lbs. 50" L x 22"-26" W x 24" H

Eight.3 Seat/Floor Ballast Bags

Eight.3 offers five different styles of their Telescope Tech ballast bags that are designed to sit on the floor, on a seat, or in a ski locker. These style of bags range in size from 250 lbs. up to 800 lbs. Adding weight to the middle of your boat is helpful in creating a balanced distribution of weight throughout your boat for a crisp, clean shaped wake.


Eight.3 Bow Ballast Bags

There are three different styles of Eight.3 Telescope Tech ballast bags designed for use in the bow of your boat. Added weight up front helps lengthen out the surf wake. These bags range in size from 500 lbs. to 950 lbs. It is important to choose the bow bag based on which is the best fit for your boat rather than the desired weight. The triangle shaped bags sit on top of the bow seats while the "U" shaped bag is designed to sit below the bow seats.


Eight.3 Ballast Bag + Pump Combos

If you are just getting started adding ballast to your boat or simply want a ballast solution that is ready to go straight out of the box, one of our ballast bag + pump combos is a great option. All combos include the bag(s), compatible portable pump, and necessary fittings. Simply take it out of the box, put it on the boat, and get ready to build a bigger wake. Whether you are wakeboarding and/or wakesurfing, a bigger wake is scientifically proven to create a more enjoyable experience out on the water. 


We hope that you found this blog post insightful and maybe even learned a thing or two about Eight.3 Telescope Tech. Still got questions? Our team of ballast experts are always available to answer a product question, provide technical support, and help out however possible. We appreciate the opportunity to help you build a bigger wake.


WakeMAKERS Ballast Product Expert

Post Comments

0 Item(s)

Submit Comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.