fwd ballast in compac to 16 offset low stern

[fred]

People of Waterworld hear me...my scuppers flood when I get 3 guests aboard...I have a Honda 5 horse which is a little heavy and that contributes to driving her stern down some but....I have been thinking about adding 40-80 lbs of concrete in the bow (left in the bags and watered down to harden). Have any of you done this...please advise...she just sits to low aft when loaded.

Seatime

[Bob23]

I think this problem was discussed before.....how 'bout 2 small removable corks? I don't think the concrete idea will work but I could be wrong. Corks are cheaper and lighter.
Bob23

[larrysimonis]

If you want to play around with weight distribution, it needs to be as low as possible, can't stress the relatively thin hull, and must not shift to the lee side if you get into trouble. If you have a small plastic tote that will fit in your frward storage compartment(you didn't specify your particular model), you could add 4'-5' sections of chain gradually and see if that helps. Cement is pretty bulky for its weight.

[fred]

Thanks...yes Bob...we did address this malady before, to some extent...the corks are in place but she still weeps and I don't like the attitude of the bow with a load on...I am going to drive it down with sand bags a tad until the stern rises a bit...someone mentioned the sandbags in the last discussion. I had forgotten the good responces from some of you...sorry lads...drain bammage from breathing too much salt spray.

Kind regards,

Seatime

[lee5267]

Is the reasoning behind keeping the water out of the cockpit because the water is cold where you are?  I have a CP-16 and notice that I get more water with guests on board or if the conditions are rough, yet I dont mind at all since I live where it is warm most of the year.  I agree with Bob and the replies from your previous thread in that if it were me wanting to rid myself of the water from the scuppers I would simply plug them as opposed to adding ballast to the bow.  If your hell bent on adding weight to the bow then I would definitely try to make it usable ballast by adding the weight with anchor chain rode, battery or something of that nature.

Good luck and let us know if you find a good solution, I'm interested in what will work best.

Lee

[skip1930]

I'm sorry I don't believe in ballasting down the bow to raise the stern will be very helpful. And no watered down C~ment bags.
Let the scuppers free flow and live with this quark of the CP-16's or place a soft rubber flapper valve like on CP-19's over the scuppers so following waves striking the outlet of the scuppers are thwarted.

skip.

[B.Hart]

  plug the scuppers with standard boat plugs inside, and you can pull them if you get in heavy seas.    BILL 

[fred]

OK fellows..I am following your advice...no ballast..iust fatter plugs...not wise to argue with city hall...

Thanks ...

[Billy]

Or you could just sell it for 25 hundred thousand million dollars like you originally were going to.......

[doug]

It is difficult to balance a 16 with 4 adults plus an outboard. I know I also went the scupper plug route. However, its greatly preferable to have the crew move their weight as far forward as practical, not only does it prevent wet feet, the 16 sails much better balanced fore and aft (they like to drag their tail given the chance). While I no longer sail a 16, I would not be to quick to drop the forward ballast idea for guests, but I'd not want it routinely up front when sailing without the load. 

[JBC]

I place an Optima battery in the forward bow shelf area, 'cause it's convenient to the electrical panel on my 16/2, making for less cluttered wiring.  The battery weighs slightly over 40lbs.  I remember reading in Robert Burgess's Handbook of Trailer Sailing that he suggested putting the battery under the companionway (where the potty was designed to go).  He thought that would be good for extra ballast down low, though I often wondered if the ComPac 16 really needs a boost there, with all that cement under the hull and a pretty short rig.

I do find the extra weight in the bow is good for single handling...seems to provide a bit of balance to the 200lbs ballast of my own back at the tiller!

[fred]

Thanks Rigger...finally someone agrees that I need to bring the bow down a tad...I single hand a lot too! If I load her down aft with 3 guests the bow needs to be leveled off a bit...I have a gell batt in the location you mentioned...it is lighter...I will go heavy when I replace it.

Seatime

[fred]

It is difficult to balance a 16 with 4 adults plus an outboard. I know I also went the scupper plug route. However, its greatly preferable to have the crew move their weight as far forward as practical, not only does it prevent wet feet, the 16 sails much better balanced fore and aft (they like to drag their tail given the chance). While I no longer sail a 16, I would not be to quick to drop the forward ballast idea for guests, but I'd not want it routinely up front when sailing without the load. 

It is difficult to balance a 16 with 4 adults plus an outboard. I know I also went the scupper plug route. However, its greatly preferable to have the crew move their weight as far forward as practical, not only does it prevent wet feet, the 16 sails much better balanced fore and aft (they like to drag their tail given the chance). While I no longer sail a 16, I would not be to quick to drop the forward ballast idea for guests, but I'd not want it routinely up front when sailing without the load. 

Thanks Doug

[DaveE]

If you have a dog, take it with you.  Mine loves that forward compartment, thats 40 pounds of weight that I don't have to lug in and of the cabin.  She is with me so much that  I named the boat after her, 'Hussie II.  Now if I could only teach her to piss in a bucket, all would be perfect.

[Pacman]

Guests are movable ballast.

Explain that the idea is to balance the boat so she will sail on her lines.

The guests will then be promoted to "Crew Status" and they can balance the boat for you without additional ballast.

They will be more involved and will have more fun and your boat will sail better.