Removing the ballast

[findern1]

Hi all

 

I posted a question yesterday regarding gas lockers...thanks for all the advise it has helped a lot.

 

Just one other query. I was thinking of removing the ballast to raise the boat in the water, I know of at least 3 narrowboat owners who have done this and they all seem happy with the results, no problems with stability reported. I would appreciate views or reports on experiences any of you have had?

 

Kind regards

[carlt]

Why would you want to?

[nbfiresprite]

Why would you want to?

 

More headroom?

[RLWP]

Let's see.

 

• Remove internal structures (cupboards and so on)
  
• Remove internal walls
  
• lifty flooring
  
• remove ballast
  
• replace floor, walls and structures
  

 

Benefits - gas locker vents raised

 

downside -

 

wrecked interior

instability

mess, time cost

 

It would be cheaper to get a welder to sort the gas locker

 

Richard

[Nine of Hearts]

If you do remove the ballast, I wouldn't get rid of it in case you should need it in the future. A good idea may be to store it on the roof.

 

Wear a wetsuit.

[Chalky]

Let's see.

 

• Remove internal structures (cupboards and so on)
  
• Remove internal walls
  
• lifty flooring
  
• remove ballast
  
• replace floor, walls and structures
  

 

Benefits - gas locker vents raised

 

downside -

 

wrecked interior

instability

mess, time cost

 

It would be cheaper to get a welder to sort the gas locker

 

Richard

 

 

Unless you had designed your floor so it can be lifted to access the ballast without having to remove the interior. I designed my floor this way when I fitted out and have lifted the floor on several occasions to move the ballast round to correct lists caused by changing the boat interior whilst fitting out.

 

Have to agree though I'd choose the welder route.

[alan_fincher]

Yesterday's tread was about a boat where the gas locker vents are under water, and (apparently) the scuppers to the fore deck have been sealed up to stop them being the same.

 

We didn't get to the bottom of why this was though, I think. For example, has the boat been overplated?

 

If "findern1" could post pictures that show how the boat is trimmed, it could help people considerably in trying to advise.

 

One thing is that with a conventional style narrow boat with a counter, it is normal to ballast so the bottom of the counter, (the "uxter plate") sits at about water level, sometimes a bit below - or even a bit above, as the back end usually naturally pulls down on the move. If the uxter plate is well under when static the boat is probably over-ballasted, (perhaps because of an overplate?), but if you remove ballast to the point where the counter is well above water, and doesn't pull down on to it, even at full speed, that will be bad for handling, and (almost certainly) stopping power.

[ditchcrawler]

So I take it you have bought this boat that lays to low in the water for some reason.

[Theo]

More headroom?

 

 

N

 

If you do remove the ballast, I wouldn't get rid of it in case you should need it in the future. A good idea may be to store it on the roof.

 

Wear a wetsuit.

 

I can feel on other lecture on GM's coming on...

 

N

[onionbargee]

Removing the ballast Is it ok to remove all the ballast from a narrowboat

 

 

 

get a brew on and think for a moment why they put it all in there in the first place, then think about the boat rolling over with you in it, and you wake up wearing the burning stove like a hat, before you drown.

[Ally]

You may wish to remove *some* of the ballast if you are over ballasted, but are you? That is the first question that needs an answer. You should not remove all ballast unless you are one of the unusual boats with an extremely thick..ie 20mm+ base plate, designed to give the weight to avoid ballasting. Ballast is there for a reason, it creates the correct centre of gravity to ensure your safety.

[Grace and Favour]

findern1: - - -Having read the opinions (in the posts above) of your fellow boaters - I would suggest you leave your ballast where it is.

 

(That's just my hunch tho' - you may wish to seek further opinion of course!)

[Pentargon]

Pentargon was over-plated this Spring with just under a tonne of 6mm. The transverse sole plates were made liftable, no big deal on a '73 Springer built like a 'proper' boat. i did this so that the concrete slab ballast would be readily accessible for'ard, midships and aft without messing up the interior.

 

She was lying too low in the water for my liking after the re-bottoming, but was totally acceptable to the surveyor who measured the weed-hatch water level and passed the kitchen outflow as high enough AND fully water-tight.

 

I felt I'd like to see the tip of the rudder above the surface at rest and have the counter skimming it, because I cruise at less than 1/2 revs.

 

I took about 1/4 tonne of ballast off entirely and shifted maybe 1/4 tonne for'ard to trim the bow so a plumb line was lining up with vertical surfaces on board.

 

My question is:

 

I now find more bow-wave under way than previously (1/2 revs with an SR2 Lister makes about 2.5kts and I'm very happy with that).

 

Should I trim the bow to a more nose up to reduce or eliminate bow-wave? or should I go with the plumb line and sail on?

[Gazboatman]

More headroom?

Ha Ha!

[Pentargon]

Ha Ha!

 

Unfortunately in my case I have reduced headroom because all the slabs kept on board are now flooring the gangway above the sole-plates. LOL

Edited November 26, 2012 by Pentargon