Ballast

[ei2ca]

Own a 1930 timber broads cruiser, mahogany on oak(though a lot of replacement planks are larch). Based on River Shannon, Ireland, which has a few very large lakes. I need to put in some ballast (there is none!), for lake use. Any suggestions and advice given there is not a lot of room in the bilges, fresh water enviroment, light ribs etc.
Thanks,
Paul....'Vicki May'

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Have you considered sandbags? Easy to get, easy to remove, and no "hard spots" bearing down on your planks or ribs.

 

[andrewbodenham]

Why do you want to add ballast? None of the many Broads boats I've sailed have had any internal ballast. I'm interested in this because my own 20' halfdecker carries none and I've sometimes wondered if she should.
Does your boat have the original sailplan? If so it may well be too big for anything other than sheltered inland conditions. How does she sail? A lot of Broads yachts seem to suffer from weather-helm and go a lot better with a reef in. But you probably want all the available sail area for the rivers.
Do tell us more about your boat, please!

 

[oldfrank]

I'm assuming this is a motor cruiser. A lot of Broads boats were built for hire fleets operating in the Shannon. It's still very unusual to find even a broads motor boat with internal ballast. OF

 

[ei2ca]

Some clarification needed, (sorry, my fault). Vicki May is a motor cruiser (no sail), draws only about 2 foot six mainly along a long centre keel, very shallow everywhere else. We have cruised her now on the Shannon and her lakes for eight years so its not a BIG problem, but feel that some ballast might dampen the rolling on the lakes. The sand bags sound like a good solution, I suppose just lay them along the top of the keel rather than on the ribs?

Paul...'Vicki May'

 

[nmiller]

As you are trying to reduce rolling put the bags of ballast as far out to the sides as is possible, not on the center line. That increases the moment of inertia and lengthens the roll period.

 

[oldharry]

[ QUOTE ]
As you are trying to reduce rolling put the bags of ballast as far out to the sides as is possible, not on the center line. That increases the moment of inertia and lengthens the roll period.

[/ QUOTE ]

... but the inertia may also increase the rolling movement. You might end up with a slower deeper roll, it depends on the hull shape. Worth experimenting with sandbags before you fix anything permanent.

 

[andrewbodenham]

Oops! Sorry, Vickimay, I assumed your boat was a sailing cruiser!

Experiment with cheap moveable ballast as suggested - I'd use bags of pea shingle from the buiders merchants; less messy than sand if it escapes and free draining if it meets bilgewater. Though I'm sure you dust your bilges out rather than pumping!

 

[fisherman]

The bags used by merchants biodegrade, so put the sandbags into stronger, preferably woven bags.

 

[Loggo]

Don't the builders merchant bags biodegrade in sunlight ? Should be ok down below where the sun never shines

 

[DownWest]

Peagravel somewhat denser than sand, might be 30% more.
A