Last year I installed a 5.5 KW generator in my starboard lazarette and moved my batteries to the port side. Needed to keep the Admiral happy by being able to run the AC when away from the dock at least long enough to cool the cabin down after a long hot day in SC. "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
With that extra 275 lbs or so my stern now "squats" considerably and is even more pronounced when running under power. I have stored a spare CQR anchor (about 40 lbs) forward under the V-birth. Even with the forward water tank full (also under the V-birth) and the aft water tank empty, it does not sit on its lines. The boat displaces about 20,000 lbs or a little more.
I need to get her back on her lines. I know that most people, myself included, don't like to just add dead weight, especially to the bow or stern but that seems to be the only solution. I am planning on first getting sand bags and figuring how much will be needed to get the trim right by trial and error. Once that is determined I'll either leave the sand bags in place or switch to something denser like lead shot in bags. I guess I could add some batteries in the bow but then its 40+ feet to the other batteries and I would think that might cause uneven loading/charging problems and I'm not sure I want the possibility of Hydrogen generation up there (I know I could get AGMs but I prefer to stick with lead acid for the time being). I could put a water bladder up there but we never use all our water anyway so I don't see the advantage of that right now.
I can't think of anything else dense enough to store there to do much good except beer, but then its not a good place to keep that much beer and I'd have to replace beer as I take it out. Too much work!
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
With that extra 275 lbs or so my stern now "squats" considerably and is even more pronounced when running under power. I have stored a spare CQR anchor (about 40 lbs) forward under the V-birth. Even with the forward water tank full (also under the V-birth) and the aft water tank empty, it does not sit on its lines. The boat displaces about 20,000 lbs or a little more.
I need to get her back on her lines. I know that most people, myself included, don't like to just add dead weight, especially to the bow or stern but that seems to be the only solution. I am planning on first getting sand bags and figuring how much will be needed to get the trim right by trial and error. Once that is determined I'll either leave the sand bags in place or switch to something denser like lead shot in bags. I guess I could add some batteries in the bow but then its 40+ feet to the other batteries and I would think that might cause uneven loading/charging problems and I'm not sure I want the possibility of Hydrogen generation up there (I know I could get AGMs but I prefer to stick with lead acid for the time being). I could put a water bladder up there but we never use all our water anyway so I don't see the advantage of that right now.
I can't think of anything else dense enough to store there to do much good except beer, but then its not a good place to keep that much beer and I'd have to replace beer as I take it out. Too much work!
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.