Weight distribution

FL390

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29 Aug 2018
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Novice here, and don’t intend to race but thought you would be the people to ask.
I have. Bene 210, great fun and fast. Bought it to learn to sail properly on, for which it has been brilliant although on balance would prefer a heavier more stable boat. If only to deal with the chop in and around Brighton. (Although it’s often the owner rather than the boat that can not handle the conditions ?)

I get the impression previous owners made adjustments to get the boat as fast as possible. I was under the impression in a given boat the more weight the slower the boat. I was surprised to find about 35kgs of chain stuffed into the bow in the cabin separate to the anchor. The boat did spend time back and forth across the channel so perhaps the additional scope was needed as and when. Equally the boat has a 26kg outboard hanging off the back, so the chain could simply be to balance the boat.

1/ Would a well balanced boat be faster/ more desirable than a lighter boat?
2/How would weight at the bow change the boats handling?
3/ Same as 2 but specifically handling in waves and heavier seas?

Thanks
 

flaming

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24 Mar 2004
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Novice here, and don’t intend to race but thought you would be the people to ask.
I have. Bene 210, great fun and fast. Bought it to learn to sail properly on, for which it has been brilliant although on balance would prefer a heavier more stable boat. If only to deal with the chop in and around Brighton. (Although it’s often the owner rather than the boat that can not handle the conditions ?)

I get the impression previous owners made adjustments to get the boat as fast as possible. I was under the impression in a given boat the more weight the slower the boat. I was surprised to find about 35kgs of chain stuffed into the bow in the cabin separate to the anchor. The boat did spend time back and forth across the channel so perhaps the additional scope was needed as and when. Equally the boat has a 26kg outboard hanging off the back, so the chain could simply be to balance the boat.

1/ Would a well balanced boat be faster/ more desirable than a lighter boat?
2/How would weight at the bow change the boats handling?
3/ Same as 2 but specifically handling in waves and heavier seas?

Thanks
1. Depends... (Not helpful I know)
2. Weight in the ends increases pitching, which is both uncomfortable and slow.
3. This is the problem with weight in the ends, and specifically the bow on a boat like yours. In chop the pitching is increased as once started there is more momentum to keep it going, but then in bigger waves having weight in the bow encourages it to try and go through the wave rather than over it.
 

lw395

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It's generally better to have all the weight in the middle than balance a weight at the stern with a weight at the bow.
Stern heavy is often very slow.
 

Beelzebub

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Looking at the OP's name, I would hazard a guess that he's an airline pilot and as such will understand the issue of excess weight in the ends quite well :)
 
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