Ballast for a tender Springer

[KimFWarren]

Would be most grateful if any Springer owners could advise on the quantity / type and weight of ballast to use on a 25ft Springer with inboard engine and small keel. She sits well / nice and evenly  in the water but rolls more than th other Springer I have encountered. 

We put 150 kg of bagged gravel in the bilge nearest the bow, but have not accessed the one nearest the stern yet as she came pre fitted out. So our options are

1. Use a denser material ( pig iron?, lead ingots) in the existing mid / prow bilge 

2. Dissemble our rear mid / stern bilge and add some ballast ( stone / pig iron / lead)

3. Live with the rolling and accept that it's just a Springer quirk. 

Footnote: she does not right herself that quickly when climbing on and off, which leads me to believe it is worth trying for a bit more ballast

 

Thanks in advance 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, KimFWarren said:

Would be most grateful if any Springer owners could advise on the quantity / type and weight of ballast to use on a 25ft Springer with inboard engine and small keel. She sits well / nice and evenly  in the water but rolls more than th other Springer I have encountered. 

We put 150 kg of bagged gravel in the bilge nearest the bow, but have not accessed the one nearest the stern yet as she came pre fitted out. So our options are

1. Use a denser material ( pig iron?, lead ingots) in the existing mid / prow bilge 

2. Dissemble our rear mid / stern bilge and add some ballast ( stone / pig iron / lead)

3. Live with the rolling and accept that it's just a Springer quirk. 

Footnote: she does not right herself that quickly when climbing on and off, which leads me to believe it is worth trying for a bit more ballast

 

Thanks in advance 

I cant advise re ballasting  a Springer, but my neighbour lives aboard a slightly larger Springer (I would estimate 30ft with inboard engine). His boat isn't noticeably tender which might suggest yours needs more ballast. 

Our 56ft boat was slightly tender and had a list (I blame my wife's shoe collection.) I used a combination of common bricks (the ones I got weigh about 7lb each) and some 56lb weights off ebay. I find the 56 lb weights very efficient and can be readily moved to adjust ballast.

[Boater Sam]

1 hour ago, KimFWarren said:

 

Footnote: she does not right herself that quickly when climbing on and off, which leads me to believe it is worth trying for a bit more ballast

 

Thanks in advance 

Is it top heavy with stuff high up or on the roof? Store heavy items as low as possible, turn the bilge into a wine store.

Clear the concrete ornaments off the roof along with the flower and herb boxes.

[David Mack]

Iron/steel will give you the greatest weight for a limited volume. Mann Buck sell steel ballast in convenient brick-shaped pieces. http://boatballast.uk/

 

Just seen this on ebay too https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nice-Triangular-Ballast-Pig-Iron-Weights-Ships-Boats-Yachts-Approx-18-Kg/202644899018?hash=item2f2e93c4ca:g:8hQAAOSw3xJVYcXz

 

[Chris Williams]

I ballasted my pontoon with stones from a wall which was being demolished.   It saved them having to take them away. 

I also had a couple of 56lb weights, marked O.C.C.  Got sold with the boat, unfortunately.

[Laurie Booth]

I use some bags of coal in the front well.

[MtB]

5 hours ago, KimFWarren said:

Footnote: she does not right herself that quickly when climbing on and off,

 

Surprised no-one has picked up on this so far. 

 

This is not normal, and sounds to me as though there is a LOT of water sloshing around in the bilge. Or might perhaps be due to a lot of weight on the roof, but unlikely.

 

I think you need a good look in ALL the bilge areas no matter how much disruption this means.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, Boater Sam said:

Is it top heavy with stuff high up or on the roof? Store heavy items as low as possible, turn the bilge into a wine store.

Clear the concrete ornaments off the roof along with the flower and herb boxes.

Two things to take into account, watch the engine room vents and any other hull penetrations when adding weight. Check there is no water in the bilge that moves when she rolls

[Chris Williams]

6 hours ago, KimFWarren said:

she does not right herself that quickly when climbing on and off

Definitely something wrong, should right herself instantly.  Is there something loose in the bilges that rolls around?  Otherwise as others have said - you have water somewhere down there.  Is the fuel or water tank full width of the boat?  If so, it needs separate tanks.  I am not sure that more ballast is the answer.

If we loaded Jaguar too high she would roll with 16 tons of coal on.  But she came back quickly.

Edited April 14, 2019 by Chris Williams

[Boater Sam]

Difficult to have a lot of water in a Springer bilge without it being obvious due to the hull shape.

[Tony Brooks]

Its a 25ft boat and if Kim is comparing it to a 50ft er then the comparatively longer swims and shorter mid section will allow it to roll as she moves about. It also will not right itself until any weight on one side moves to the centreline. Although the slowness to right seems to indicate water in the bilge I am far from convinced. Probably best to drill a few holes in the floor to see in anything can be pumped out.

[Flyboy]

I've convinced myself that it's a combination of water in the bilge and load of stuff on the roof.

[MtB]

9 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Its a 25ft boat and if Kim is comparing it to a 50ft er then the comparatively longer swims and shorter mid section will allow it to roll as she moves about. It also will not right itself until any weight on one side moves to the centreline. 

 

Kim specifically says the failure to right itself includes when getting OFF the boat, so there is no weight returning to the centreline. The boat should right itself immediately when stepping off, not hesitate and delay.

 

 

[Chris Williams]

30 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Kim specifically says the failure to right itself includes when getting OFF the boat, so there is no weight returning to the centreline. The boat should right itself immediately when stepping off, not hesitate and delay.

 

 

 Quite right - my pontoon (18 foot length in the water) did just that.  No rolling, just righted herself instanter.