Opinions on Ballast ?

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Jul 29, 2005
26
Hunter 25_73-83 san rafael ca
I sail on SF Bay... and I can have my water tank, a bladder type thing under the cockpit, either full or empty. I'm wondering what the conventional wisdom is regarding the boat's handling in either case. thanks! Kai
 
J

Jim

Fresh water tankage

Try it both ways, but I don't think it will be an issue. Then again, I don't know SF Bay, and water does weigh sixty four odd lbs. per cubic foot...... Trial and Error are the best teachers I ever had. Regards, Jim
 
Jun 2, 2004
425
- - Sandusky Harbor Marina, Lake Erie
More pitching with weight in the ends

Increasing weight in the bow or the stern will increase pitching. I doubt it's a big deal. David Lady Lillie
 
R

Randall

Help me understand

I don't get why carrying weight in the ends makes a boat pitch more. It would seem to me that having some weight in the bow would make it less lively and cause it to charge through waves, rather than ride up over them. Kai, my concern with the water bladder under the cockpit is that there is already too much weight in the stern on an H25. My boat squats badly because of the 110 lb Honda hanging off the transom. Add the fuel tanks, and a couple of people in the cockpit and she really squats down. I've never put water in the bladder because I don't want to throw her any further out of trim than she already is. I store one gallon water jugs under the starboard settee along with one group 27 battery. They are counterbalanced by two group 27s under the port settee. I plan to install my central a/c under the vee berth to help bring her down a little. It is currently installed under the cockpit, next to the empty water bladder.
 
R

Randall

Oops,

I meant to say "install my central a/c under the vee berth to bring her bow down a little. The PO installed the a/c under the cockpit, which was a truly bad idea.
 
K

KennyH

Spent a lot of research on this topic

Spent a lot of time in research on this when I owned my Cheoy Lee Clipper 33. The weight needs to be in the center of the boat if possible and as low as possible. The Cheoy Lee ballast ratio was only 30% and it handled waves poorly and went to windward poorly. I added 1000lb of lead under the main mast and the improvement was fantastic. Offshore it punched threw waves it hobbie horsed over before. Windward performance was also improved. If you do a lot of offshore or heavy weather sailing it could work if you can find space for it. Under the bunks is almost right so should make an improvement. Move batteries, water tank and AC and you will see an improvement.
 
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