Adding lead ballast to a Whilly Boat

[Whilly_Bert]

My Whilly Boat is quite tender because of its narrow water line and the light weight, so I try to improve this by adding ballast. (Iain Oughtred says it will help.)

So I've bought 36 kg of lead – that's nearly 50 % of the hull weight – and will place it around the center board trunk.

Has anyone made experiences with adding ballast, esp. in such a small boat?

Thank you, experts!

[shadow99]

I understand your concerns with the "tenderness" of a long narrow hull. Before adding "lead" around your c/b trunk, you may want to experiment with bags of sand first.
That way you can position the ballast were its needed, you may also find that too much ballast around the c/b area can signifantly change the way the boat handles.
I myself found on my boat when sailing solo, that the C/G on my boat was too far forward, a couple of tube-bags, filled with sand, about 40lbs worth, laid near the transom, balances everything out. If I sail with company I can remove the bags, (human ballast is more fun anyway :D )!

Good Luck,
Rick

[MJC]

Can you get any of that lead on the centerboard itself?

You're not dealing with much volume here. Two 6" x 12" pieces 0.236 inch thick - one on each side of the bottom of the centerboard and bingo, more righting moment for the money..

Or see Bob Smalser's thread with the star shaped lead casting into a "hole" in the centerboard.

[ 04-06-2005, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: MJC ]

[paladin]

try not to add so much ballast that the outside water level exceeds the midships gunnel heighth.

[Venchka]

I second the "stout canvas bags filled with sand first" idea. Try lining the canvas bags with heavy plastic bags to keep the sand dry. Bags about 100mmm x 500mm ought to work. Another thought: when you are experimenting with ballast placement, start with the ballast on the centerline forward of the centercase to offset your weight which is naturally further aft.

I have to wonder if the board in a wee boat like this is strong enough to handle much more lead than already called for in the plans which is just enough to make it sink.

Wayne
In the Swamp.

[htom]

Before you even do the bags of sand, beg some plastic gallon milk jugs & lids and fill them with water. Pint's a pound, the world around, so that's eight pounds each, you need ten gallon jugs. (Or two five-gallon buckets and lids.)

[ 04-06-2005, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: htom ]

[Venchka]

:rolleyes: He's in Germany. They don't do pints/gallons/quarter pounders over there. :D

5 or 10 liter containers would work nicely. Or even a lot of 1 liter containers.

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[htom]

Well, a liter's a kilogram, but it doesn't rhyme.

[Whilly_Bert]

Thank you all!

I've already bought the lead from a diving store on ebay; it was quite cheap and practical for small boat use. There are lead pellets in small bags à 3 kg, soft and flat, so that I can place them under the bottom shelves (oh my God, my Kraut english ...)

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32512&item=5181018703&rd=1

[shamus]

I add a lot of ballast to mine every time I get in her, but unfortunately it sits a bit high... ;)