Adding balast to level boat at rest.

Tom J · Dec 26, 2012

At least some ballast under the settee couldn't hurt. My Catalina 310 always listed slightly to port (common to this model), so I added lead weights to the storage area under the starboard settee and covered them with a false floor. She looks better, and probably sails a little better, too.

RAD · Dec 26, 2012

I have the same problem with my Oday and I have shifted a lot of stuff and still have an inch difference.....I've been thinking about raising the water line and will make the starboard side a little higher

Ted · Dec 26, 2012

Adding ballast to level boat

I would first try to rearrange your current layout rather than add weight. Can you move your batteries to the opposite side of the boat? You will only have to move half the total ballast necessary to get her in proper trim. So, instead of adding 200 pounds, move 100 pounds to the other side. You'll pretty much accomplish the same thing. Extra weight is slow too. You should also make sure that your mast is plumb. Some boats just won't sit on her lines no matter what you do because of the way they were designed. Having the batteries and all the tankage on one side may be contributing to your issue. If your boat is out of the water, check to see if the keel is set correctly. I've seen a few boats with their keels not set plumb. This would be a difficult problem to correct.

Joe · Dec 26, 2012

You trim your sails........ why not trim your hull. This was accomplished by managing the ballast and was the responsibility of the captain, sailing master or 1st Lt. on all sailing warships .... and is still part of basic seamanship today.

For god's sake, don't repaint your bootstripe because the boat lists to one direction. That's like combing the long side hair over your baldspot .... it only makes the condition more obvious.

I would place a long level across the cockpit and see what it reads first, because the previous owner may have altered the stripe. Once the hull is trimmed, you can check your mast and make the appropriate adjustments.

james295 · Dec 26, 2012

Did you measure from the same point on both sides of the boat to the water line to see if they are the same ?

Jackdaw · Dec 26, 2012

Where are your batteries? It might mean new cables, but shifting sides has sorted this problem in lots of boats.

Ralph Johnstone · Dec 26, 2012

And I Thought I Was the Only One ......................

Joel H. said:
And it is a fact that both my (2)batteries, my waste holding tank, and my 17gal. fuel tank, are in the starboard side in the under-settee storage compartments.

............................. with this problem. For years I suffered with a list to strbrd. I rolled to starbrd. in the V berth. I stumbled to strbrd. when washing the dishes. The head door swung to strbrd. when left ajar.

The only visible cause of this problem was the three batteries in the rear strbrd. lazarette weighing in at a total of 180 lbs. and sitting as far outboard as you can get.

Step one was to move one of the batteries to the port lazarette positioning it as far outboard as possible. The new cabling was an expensive item. The strbrd lazarette was rewired which was time consuming and a few more dollars. This accomplished some correction but was still not enough for my satisfaction.

Step two was to purchase a 61 lb. ingot of lead. This was a further $95.00. A bit pricey but very compact. I'm still looking for a sufficiently outboard location to mount the ingot for the greatest effect. Still have four months to mount it before spring sailing starts.

Just from what I've seen with temporarily placing the lead ingot, I should have dealt with this problem years ago even at twice the price. And I was running out of projects to do for the winter.

Chris Patterson · Dec 26, 2012

Sand bag it until you get it the way you want it. They're cheap, and easily adjustable. When your lines are right, weigh the bags, and put the weight back where they were permanently. Or just leave the sand bags there..

A string level across the cockpit works cheap too.

It may be the only thing you ever use a level for on a boat..

monkeybars · Dec 27, 2012

unless your a high tech racing vessel don't worry about it,just stop looking at your stripe it hurts absolutely nothing.

Ron20324 · Dec 27, 2012

Let it be, but consider that to be your new "favored tack". My boats have had such a preference, and they were sitting level!

Richard Bryer · Dec 27, 2012

We H34 owners have learned to live with this problem! ( that's why we write like this )
Lead shot always sounded like the best solution to me- I like the idea of trying sand first as I never could figure out how much lead shot to buy or exctly where to put it.

seadaddler · Dec 27, 2012

Adjust

When brand new at the dealer my new H-36 had a list because the 2-4D's and Gen were in the port locker and so the dealer added lead to balance the boat and I was never happy with adding all this weight and so I moved my batteries to starboard side and used all the old cables and so much better than having unuseful added weight.
Try some different things like carrying extra water if needed or try moving the batteries or adding extra needed gear,but I don't think the boat sail that much different unless you maybe racing.
Nick

philwsailz · Dec 27, 2012

Joel H. said:
It is obvious to me now that this is not an unusual condition.
I probably opt to shift some gear and ignore the rest. Maybe I need a bigger cooler.
Thanks for all the feedback guys.

Not sure the cooler is the proper answer. If I did that the list would just come back over the course of a day sailiing...

Chris Patterson · Dec 27, 2012

My GOD! A loaded cooler on one side of the boat? Snap out of it man, that thing'll roll over. Or need an outrigger.

Maybe even a very large boat.

(You need to think about these things before you suggest them, and jeopardize somebody's safety)..

MrBill_FLL · Dec 27, 2012

needs outriggers

Ralph Johnstone · Dec 27, 2012

MrBill_FLL said:
needs outriggers

How much is rail meat going for these days

.

jibes138 · Dec 31, 2012

Any current hitting the keel will cause a list to that side also. Was your boat in an area that was totally free of current? Current applies about 7 times more force to the hull than wind so it is a powerful force. Even a very small amount of current will have a noticeable effect.

Adding balast to level boat at rest.

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