Anyone moved weight forward for balance?

[alsantini]

I was looking at my Eclipse sitting in the water and realize that she is aft heavy.  The PO installed 2 batteries in the port lazarette along with the full water tank.  The starboard lazarette has a 3 gal fuel tank, some tools and a 1 gal emergency tank.  For starters I will move the tool box into the compartment under the V berth.  I do not think I want the fuel in the cabin so that leaves one or both batteries?  There is room in the V berth compartment but then I would have to contend with unvented charging.  If you have moved "stuff", I would appreciate input.  BTW I have a 4 hp 4 stroke on the stern - not a lot of weight, but pretty impossible to move.  LOL  Thanks,  Al

[Potcake boy]

Al,

When re-locating weight keep in mind that as much as practical it should be located low and near the center of the boat. I guess the PO had need of two batteries, but unless you have heavy electrical requirements you may need only one battery. One group 27 or 31 AGM should be adequate, and there is no explosion hazard with a AGM battery. I know it would take a coons's age for your outboard to charge those two batteries, but a small solar panel around 30 watts would keep a single battery up just fine in between sailing trips.

Having cruised with many a small boat, I know there are many ways to conserve power. I have used inexpensive LED lanterns that are battery powered as anchor lights and cabin lights, just carry along some spare re-chargeable batteries. I also use a headlight which is very suitable for reading or deck work at night. If you do a lot of night sailing install LED navigation lights. I have found that I don't use a VHF all that often so a handheld is suitable and is a good back up. Portable GPS units are available that use their own power source. Likely the biggest power user if you have one, is a auto pilot. Even that's not too bad.

If you don't already have one, you should install a battery meter so you can easily monitor battery charge level. LIo batteries are super expensive, but have very high energy to weight ratio and can be charged super fast. I have been using Mastervolt AGM batteries for a few years now and have had no trouble with them. The last one was about 5 years old when I sold the boat and was operating perfectly. I did have a solar charger which kept it fully charged. The worst thing for a battery is to leave it discharged for long periods. Also keep in mind that long DC electric runs mean considerable power loss (that's why the power companies came to use AC)so keep the wiring as short as practical and of adequate gauge for the current requirements.

Ron

[Napier6]

I had similar problems Al and put some 25 lb. sandbox sand bags up in the v-berth locker.  Worked just fine.  I posted here some time ago and had some pictures I believe.

[Vipersdad]

I had similar problems Al and put some 25 lb. sandbox sand bags up in the v-berth locker.  Worked just fine.  I posted here some time ago and had some pictures I believe.

A 3,000 ml box of Black Box wine weighs approximately 7 pounds +/- including the box and bladder. (3,000 ml of water is 6.61 pounds).  Just keep loading them forward till she rides on her lines. Plus "no glass".

The Pinot Noir and Malbec aren't bad.

V.

[alsantini]

No room since the bow is usually full of Miller Lite....  LOL

[Tom L.]

Al, Need to switch to MIller...it weighs a little more!!!!!

BTW did you know that beer cans full of beer float while full coke cans will sink. 

Tom L.

[Tom L.]

Shifting crew weight is a common practice for racers. Serious racers take the outboard along with the gas can, anything else they can think of and put it low and forward in the cabin.

Back in the 70's a competitor of ours would always have his wife sit in front of the mast and wear a very distracting teeny weeny white bikini. Not fare!

Tom L.

[alsantini]

LOL Tom....  Actually I do not race, at least the Eclipse.  I have an MCScow that I race on weekends or should I say I used to race.  The racing group is basically defunct and the MC is up for sale.  I am more interested in balance.  Today I walked the docks and looked very closely at the 16 boats in our marina.  3 were perfectly level with 1 bow down??  12 boats looked to be in the same angle as mine.  Slightly down in the stern.  I moved stuff forward that really normally resides in the stern half.  Cleaning supplies, teak treatment, rags, polish, and extra PFD's, my backpack.  I still have room in the V berth compartment but it made a difference.  Still stern lower in the water based on boot stripe but better.  I am convinced that moving the water tank and/or batteries would level her out.  Under NO circumstances will I move the outboard into the V berth of the cabin once the sails are up.  LOL    Sail On, Al

[Craig Weis]

If you don't pack too much stuff into the boat this is not even a question.

craig

[Vipersdad]

This won't help you with your boat but my 19 is on her lines with a 3.5hp Tohatsu on the transom and one battery in the starboard lazarette with a gallon of gas stored in the rear cockpit compartment.  I also have a 10 lb. anchor in the port lazarette with some assorted lines.  When I redid my bottom I raised the boot stripe 1 1/2 inches and added a gold stripe above the red bottom paint.  The only other weight to speak of is a storage cooler with 12 to 18 bottles of water and granola bars, etc., on the cabin floor up against the v-berth bulkhead.  It can be scary redoing the bottom hoping for it to stay balanced and ride nicely on the waterline.  This worked out for me.

Good luck.


V.

[Pacman]

Stern squat can really kill the sailing performance of a C-16.

My C-16 sails much better when balanced fore/aft.

To accomplish that I installed a longer tiller from a Catalina 22 with a tiller extension which places the heaviest weight on board (my body) closer to the companionway.  This really helps when sailing solo, especially when sailing upwind.

This single change made a significant difference in overall speed and pointing ability.

To see for yourself, use your GPS to measure speed on a broad reach.  Then relocate your ballast (stuff) and yourself fore and aft while watching the GPS.

Faster is better.

[brackish]

Old thread but for my 23:

Got rid of the 104 lb. motor and replaced with a 59 lb. motor.  The lighter motor is also easier to pull up with the mount which puts it a few inches closer to the stern.  That makes a big difference, you've heard of force moment arms being described in inch pounds or foot pounds. I used to leave the heavy motor down because it was too much effort to lift underway which created both drag and about 400 in./lbs.

When I made a new tiller I made it about 4" longer and installed a tiller extension so I could slide forward in the cockpit a little.  The downside is I'm farther away from the main sheet but that pesky thing may be moved to mid boom soon. 

The new motor is not electric start so down to one house battery in the ole starboard lazarette.   

Used to keep that heavy YETI in the cockpit, but finally made the drawer to mount it permanently under the companionway steps low and center.

Keep my heavy tools and any cook stuff under the settee close to the mast support bulkhead.

My inflatable which is fairly heavy and rarely used fits tightly under the forward most V-berth compartment.

Concluded my smaller gas tank (3 gallon) is appropriate for 95% of what I do, so the six gallon got moved to the skiff.

The only real consession I've made to permanently installed weight aft is my magma grill.  It is just too much trouble to install it at each use so I just leave it there.