lead vs cast iron ballast

[hsyversen]

I'm looking at a boat to buy which has a cast iron ballast. I was wondering what the pros and cons are as to earh.. cast iron or lead. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Strathglass]

Lead is heavier than cast iron it is also more expensive. Thus a lead keel is often a higher cost option usually fitted on the performance version of a yacht. This allows it to carry a taller rig and have more sail area.
A cast iron keel needs to be well treated to avoid rust showing through.
A lead keel will dent slightly if grounded and absorb some of the shock on the hull-keel joint.
A current trend is to have a cast keel with a lead bulb to give a low centre of gravity and to allow a reduction of balast ratio.

Iain

 

[Gunfleet]

It's not heavier, it's denser.;-)

 

[Strathglass]

Yes - what you say is correct
I should have said 'a lead keel is heavier than a cast iron one the same size'
It's just as well that they have not started using more exotic materials on keels. They seem to be doing this on most other parts of performance boats.
Iain

 

[Gunfleet]

There are plenty of materials which would do the job, Iain, but I think we would be classed with Mr Hussein of Baghdad if we started to acquire them!

 

[Twister_Ken]

One of Tabarly's RTW Penduicks had a depleted uranium keel.

 

[Guest]

The initial posting does not make it clear whether he/she is talking about an iron keel, or 'loose' internal iron ballast.