How to trim my 34ft yacht - not floating level

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picardy

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My Elan 344 does not float level and sits low at the stern. This is the case when no one is on board. There is nothing abnormal kept on her. A grey water tank is located aft (always empty) but other than that everything else is standard Elan fit.

What can I add under the forward v berth to add some weight forward?

I wondered about extra chain, water in a rubber bladder or even tractor weights but am worried about damage if she slams in a heavy sea.

Hoping to move the bow down by about 2-3 inches

Thanks in advance
 
Not sure why you would want to do that. Unless you have changed something dramatically it is probably designed likethat. Speak to the designer Rob Humphreys before you do anything.
 
When I thourgh I needed ballast it was suggested I went to a builders merchant and bourght lead flashing. Take the roll then run it over with your car and hey presto a decent chunk of ballast.

It was also suggested that I wrapped it in roofing felt to avoid it affecting the fastenings in my wooden boat.

In the end I moved the 50m chain I has carelessly stored in the rear cockpit locker to the forward chain locker and removed the 30 litres of mineral water in the starboard rear locker and we floated straight and level.
 
What state are your fuel and water tanks in when you check the trim and where are they. It could be that they are fwd of the centre of buoyancy and need filling to get the trim right. Failing that look to move weight not add it otherwise you will just be making the boat heavier for no reason. If you do move things you obviously want to make sure they are secure in the new location so as not to cause any damage if they move. Also remember that even moving something from aft to midships will help and that keeping weight near the centre of the boat and out of the ends will make it sail better.

Yoda
 
Just a thought.

Was there an option for a front water tank?

If so, and not fitted, they might all sit down at the back.
 
Simondjuk said:
Ale and wine beat lead as ballast.
Click to expand...

Yup when stowing anything on the boat O am always aware of the boats general trim. In your case heavy forward light aft. You would be surprised how quickly the weight of small gear mounts up!

If you take 20ky tool box from aft and move it forward its almost ish equivalent to adding 40 kg forward...

Another way to see if the trim is as designed approximately is to fry an egg and see if it runs aft in the pan...
 
onesea said:
Yup when stowing anything on the boat O am always aware of the boats general trim. In your case heavy forward light aft. You would be surprised how quickly the weight of small gear mounts up!

If you take 20ky tool box from aft and move it forward its almost ish equivalent to adding 40 kg forward...

Another way to see if the trim is as designed approximately is to fry an egg and see if it runs aft in the pan...
Click to expand...

I would have thought a spirit level would be a lot easier and accurate.

Find a datum that is supposed to be level like a work top or a section of cabin sole.
If it is level then your waterline is painted incorrectly.
If it is not then move stuff that you already have around.
If that doesn't work then add chain, assuming you do not already have the maximum you might ever need for your chosen sailing area.
If that doesn't work lead shot in bags is the easiest thing to use as it fits into awkward spaces, is easily removable and will not damage anything.
 
onesea said:
Another way to see if the trim is as designed approximately is to fry an egg and see if it runs aft in the pan...
Click to expand...

Ex-SolentBoy said:
I would have thought a spirit level would be a lot easier and accurate.

Find a datum that is supposed to be level like a work top or a section of cabin sole..
Click to expand...


have you two guys got some sort of anti gravity for your body weight then?

how do you fry an egg or read a spirit level if you are not on board, and your weight affecting the trim?:confused:
 
billskip said:
have you two guys got some sort of anti gravity for your body weight then?

how do you fry an egg or read a spirit level if you are not on board, and your weight affecting the trim?:confused:
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Firstly I was not going to suggest a spirit level on a boat that's just silly :D:D

The reason I mention frying an egg is because once you start watching it you know how your eggs cook you start continually monitoring for trims and lists.

Yeah your weight in the galley makes a difference, then where are your crew etc.. I do not think anyone is looking for perfection just improvement..

You start to look for small indications, frying eggs, where rain water sits etc etc..
 
onesea said:
Firstly I was not going to suggest a spirit level on a boat that's just silly :D:D

The reason I mention frying an egg is because once you start watching it you know how your eggs cook you start continually monitoring for trims and lists.

Yeah your weight in the galley makes a difference, then where are your crew etc.. I do not think anyone is looking for perfection just improvement..

You start to look for small indications, frying eggs, where rain water sits etc etc..
Click to expand...

well the op is s/he is talking 2-3 inches down at the sharp end! which may only be 1 inch or so when the blunt end comes up.:D
 
onesea said:
Firstly I was not going to suggest a spirit level on a boat that's just silly :D:D

The reason I mention frying an egg is because once you start watching it you know how your eggs cook you start continually monitoring for trims and lists.

.
Click to expand...

:D:D Does JHR know this technique?

could be a whole new ball game for him building the 78 mk 2:D:D
 
Instead of loads of extra chain why not take a couple of anchor chums. These can be stowed fairly well forward but low down without putting too much weight in the end & adding to stability. When cruising get the crew to store bags up front
I suspect that the builder/ designer has cocked up. By the time the crew plus gear get aboard the stern will drag really bad & windward performance will suffer
Does this class of boat have a selection of keels. It may be you have ,say, shallow draft & on that configuration the problem occurs. If it does not happen on a deep draft then it is a design fault
One of the larger Hanse yachts has this problem & the sales team came up with the rubbish that the water was designed to flow off the stern this way to increase wave length. When asked why they did not sort the painted waterline to match there was no reply
 
Fore and aft trim

Regardless of the painted water line the bottom of the transom should generally sit near water level. This to reduce drag.
As said moving components is far better than adding ballast. So can you move batteries forward? A hundred kilos of battery can make a lot of difference. Look around the stern for anything that could be moved. A dinghy on davits gas cyclinders are things that could have been added since build to make it stern heavy.
I have never seen a sail boat that is bow heavy but lots that are stern heavy.
good luck olewill
 
Tranona said:
Not sure why you would want to do that. Unless you have changed something dramatically it is probably designed like that. Speak to the designer Rob Humphreys before you do anything.
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+1.

Also "anything abnormal" - does that include the huge amount of carp that many boats end up carrying without thinking about it, especially in a large quarter locker?? what does it look like empty??

Far more likely someone has painted the waterline on incorrectly than Mr H has designed a boat that doesn't sit right.
 
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