Water ballast

[TiggerToo]

This summer, in Dingle, I was invited on board a fantastic boat. Albatros: a Bestevaer 55 aluminium beauty.

http://www.kmy.nl/yacht/bestevaer-55st-albatros.html

The owner, for whom this had been custom made, was praising his Water Ballast system to the sky. I must say it looked incredibly simple to use, as described by him. He was adamant that it was highly effective in keeping the boat upright and stiff.

I believed him.

Does anyone else have direct experience of this sort of arrangement in cruising boats?

You know... tonight there is a £136M jackpot to win, and I would like to know what specs go into that dream... ;-)

 

[Tranona]

Delve onto the back issues of PBO - around 2006/7 from memory and you will find a long treatise on the subject by Andrew simpson who was at that time building his forever boat using water ballast. He has cruised far and wide - currently in the Caribbean (and hopefully in one piece) he still writes regularly about his travels although not much recently about the boat.

I watched him build it - a really innovative and simple boat, but the idea has not really gained widespread acceptance. Water ballast seems confined to trailer sailors (to reduce towing weight) or lightweight flyers that need weight sometimes to stop them from falling over.

 

[Roberto]

I think to be properly sized to be of some utility, internal water ballast needs a biggish boat, or in any case they eat away a good lump of internal space.
A solution I am considering is external water ballast, they are big bags which are hung outside the hull, can be filled with water when underway; being in a better position, one needs lesser weight, or the same weight is more efficient; when you do not need it, simply fold it away. A replacement to 4-5 people sitting on the rail, without having to feed anyone. They are commercially available though I have not the link on hand (by memory, a downunder manufacturer).


Found the link, made in usa

http://www.maximarine.com/products/boatabag/index.html

 

[TiggerToo]

I think to be properly sized to be of some utility, internal water ballast needs a biggish boat,.....

Indeed. Albatros is 55ft. The water volumes used are (IIRC) 2000L.

 

[Lucky Duck]

There is a 40 foot (odd) long J boat which has a water ballast system primarily for short handed offshore racing

 

[boomerangben]

I've done a little bit of sailing in one Swallow boats Bayraider Expedition, a 20' trailer sailed with about 400 kg of water ballast. Makes a big difference to stiffness of the boat and only really affects performance in light airs. For that sort of boat water ballast makes a lot of sense. Having variable ballast is ideal in bigger boats if you are trying too eek every last fraction of a knot out of performance but on a boat that size there's a lot of pumping needed to make it worthwhile. I suppose ballast over a larger portion of the hull length might reduce the natural frequency in pitch c/w a lead keel but having 2te of water permanently installed is a bit of a waste of space

 

[horatio_nelson]

The Class 40 I sail on has two tanks each side, 750L of water which is equivalent to ten people on the rail. Really makes a great difference to stability and handling. Pain in the bum when you're short tacking and leads to more heel but once settled on a tack for a bit it does make a good difference to the performance.

 

[Daydream believer]

Doesn't the Macgregor have water ballast?
If you want to forget cruising comfort then the Figaro is the boat for water ballast

 

[rotrax]

A very popular Kiwi motor boat used mainly for sport fishing has a water ballast system which it is claimed makes it more stable at anchor and trolling at low speeds. IIRC it might be the Surtees range.