I'm thinking of adding another 100lbs of ballast on my 22Oday fixed keel. I have two lead bars that weights 50lbs each and are about 18inches long. I'm thinking of bolting them on each side of the keel. The keel draft is 1 foot and 11 inches. I'd doing this because I sail primarily on San Francisco Bay and I beleive this will add some stability to my boat in heavy winds. Does anybody know if this could cause a problem and any suggestions. Thanks
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Ray Bowles
What is the keel depth now?
Ike, The short hull length might be a greater contributor to the stability problem than the weight. I think the weight might add a small improvement but the root problem is probably the lack of depth in the keel and the fact that the ballast is so highly mounted. Your center of gravity is quite high and this affects the stability in the wrong way. I think your best bet for improvement might be in the area of sail plan and how aggressively you attack in relation to the sea size. Small boats and small cars are both rougher than their bigger brothers. Adding length, depth and weight are solutions that are not available. This is only my limited opinion but it is based on my own experences with big and small sailboats. Ray
Ike, The short hull length might be a greater contributor to the stability problem than the weight. I think the weight might add a small improvement but the root problem is probably the lack of depth in the keel and the fact that the ballast is so highly mounted. Your center of gravity is quite high and this affects the stability in the wrong way. I think your best bet for improvement might be in the area of sail plan and how aggressively you attack in relation to the sea size. Small boats and small cars are both rougher than their bigger brothers. Adding length, depth and weight are solutions that are not available. This is only my limited opinion but it is based on my own experences with big and small sailboats. Ray
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IKE
Thanks for youir reply I really appriciate it. The boat is really not unstable even with the short dept of keel becuase it has a flat bottom. The total sail area is also only 196 sq feet(main and Jib). She weights 1800lbs and the ballast is 600lbs, but here in San Francisco is almost always blowing 20 to 25knots in the afternoon if not stronger. I've compared her to a cal25 that needs a double reef at 18knots. I have taken her out on 20 to 25knots without a reef and we saw what she can really, she right herself back up as soon as the wind spills from her sail when heeled over 30degrees. What think about bolting the lead bars on each side of the keel, I'm concerned even with a sealant that the water may get in the keel. Is that a problem? I attached a picture of my boat. Thanks for your input.
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Ray Bowles
Attaching your additional keel weight..
Ike, After looking at your picture I see where you can get right up next to your keel while the boat is on the trailer. If you bolt the weights on you should probably drill completely thru the keel and use the same long SS bolts to hold both weights. I would also fill the holes with 5200 sealer, run the bolts thru, put 5200 around the bolt bases where they exit the keel, smear 5200 all over the back of the weigths and mount the weights. I would use large washers under the nuts and would use SS nuts with nylon self locking inserts. If the boat is left in the water you should find out if there will be a problem with corrosion between the two different metals...or...you could simple glue the weights on. Simply sand the bottom paint off on each side of the keel where your weights will be mounted. Glue the weights on with 5200 and run two 2x4's lengthwise down the keel directly over the weights and clamp them together at each end of the keel. any additional wedging you can do using the trailer as the brace to push the 2x4's and weights tight to the keel will help. After 3 or 4 days remove the 2x4's and go sail. If you do this right they should stay on forever without holes in your boat. Ray
Ike, After looking at your picture I see where you can get right up next to your keel while the boat is on the trailer. If you bolt the weights on you should probably drill completely thru the keel and use the same long SS bolts to hold both weights. I would also fill the holes with 5200 sealer, run the bolts thru, put 5200 around the bolt bases where they exit the keel, smear 5200 all over the back of the weigths and mount the weights. I would use large washers under the nuts and would use SS nuts with nylon self locking inserts. If the boat is left in the water you should find out if there will be a problem with corrosion between the two different metals...or...you could simple glue the weights on. Simply sand the bottom paint off on each side of the keel where your weights will be mounted. Glue the weights on with 5200 and run two 2x4's lengthwise down the keel directly over the weights and clamp them together at each end of the keel. any additional wedging you can do using the trailer as the brace to push the 2x4's and weights tight to the keel will help. After 3 or 4 days remove the 2x4's and go sail. If you do this right they should stay on forever without holes in your boat. Ray
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Ike
Fixed Keel?
I tend to agree, that pic looks like a centerboard model instead of a fixed keel. I'd be leery of drilling any holes in the boat. If you want to get real creative, pull the centerboard, get some measurements, form your lead into a smaller version of the centerboard, then glass in the lead making it the same size as the original. Keep the original, just in case it all goes bad. Then you have your extra weight. It would be up high when it has to be up high, but down low when you drop the CB.
I tend to agree, that pic looks like a centerboard model instead of a fixed keel. I'd be leery of drilling any holes in the boat. If you want to get real creative, pull the centerboard, get some measurements, form your lead into a smaller version of the centerboard, then glass in the lead making it the same size as the original. Keep the original, just in case it all goes bad. Then you have your extra weight. It would be up high when it has to be up high, but down low when you drop the CB.
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Ray Bowles
Fixed of swing keel?? it all rides on that.
Ike, The question is back to swing or fixed keel. If it is fixed, does the keel have a deep keel that dips into the keel? If so then don't drill thru it to mount the weights. Simply glue them on as discussed before. The 5200 will hold the weights if the surface is clean. If it is a swing keel then lets start this conversation over. From the picture I too thought it a swing keel with a partial fixed keel simular to the San Juan 23's We all await with great anticipation. Ray
Ike, The question is back to swing or fixed keel. If it is fixed, does the keel have a deep keel that dips into the keel? If so then don't drill thru it to mount the weights. Simply glue them on as discussed before. The 5200 will hold the weights if the surface is clean. If it is a swing keel then lets start this conversation over. From the picture I too thought it a swing keel with a partial fixed keel simular to the San Juan 23's We all await with great anticipation. Ray
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