What constitutes ballast on a yacht?

[boomerangben]

"Ballast is any weight used to provide righting moment."

Agree. When designing a small boat where weight is a doubled edged sword, anything counts, particularly for marketing people who know that most yachties have been educated that ballast ratios are an important part of boat selection.

Having said that there are instances where ballast is used to reduce a righting moment. Some vehicle ferries do this to reduce the stability to more comfortable and safer levels.

 

[Duffer]

Water ballast doesn't count in the case of Macgregor 26 but does count in case of racing yachts where it can be pumped to windward side...

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I guess that ballast is the material you put below the centre of buoyancy just to ensure that the boat has sufficient righting moment. Thus the keel stub isnt buoyancy and neither is the tool box you have in a low down locker. Or the water in the water tank.

Out of curiosity ( I have a Starlight 35 fin) does your rudder go below the wing keel or have they cut the rudder shorter than on the fin version because the draft is less