Association Forum - More weight in the bow?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

More weight in the bow?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

USA
5417 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/03/2009 : 21:46:56

I've seen several threads where folks have discussed weighting down the bow. Why?, what's the advantage? Does it make the boat go faster?, does it ride more smoothly? or is it simply that the boot stripe does not lie flat at waterline?

I don't seem to have any problem with this. I have an anchor in the anchor locker, some wire and the spare anchor under the V-berth, and a good amount of hardware odds and ends in two large sealed "tupperware" boxes in the V-berth.

I've never noticed that the boat is light up front.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 21:57:21

I think most of the folks who are doing this are C-250 owners. My boat came with about 75 lbs of sand in the bow. When I put my new Tohatsu on a spring mount (more weight further aft), I replaced the sand bags with 200 lbs of lead. The extra weight helps to punch through chop (pretty prevalent here on the Puget Sound) and the boat rides more easily. I may have to add more weight in the bow now that I've added a second battery in the stern. However, I'm contemplating one of the Plastimo triangular water tanks to replace all of the lead with. The tank is 32 gallons which means 256 lbs. It's way more water than we need, but the weight is easily removable if we want to tow.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5417 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2009 : 07:03:26

Thanks David
Did not know that about the 250s

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2009 : 09:07:56

Yup--you've been reading the C-250 forum, where it's been a periodic topic. I don't remember it coming up for the C-25.

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2009 : 09:14:18

As far as the C-25s are concerned,if you are racing, crew weight and placement is a critical issue under certain points of sail given the wind and wave conditions. For instance going down wind putting crew weight foward will even out the water line and make the boat faster. weight distribution can also dampen "Hobby Horsing" going down wind in choppy conditions.

Edited by - on

buzzardsolo
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 10/07/2009 : 18:59:24

The C-250 may mave a unique reason why it's advantageous to add extra weight to the bow, but in general this is not good practice. Ideally, you want the weight of the boat/supplies/stuff to be closer to the keel fore and aft. The bow and stern should be light so that the they can ride up and over the waves, not through them.

Imagine looking at a seesaw from the side. With the weight of the riders extended all the way to the ends, the moment of inertia is increased. The seesaw will spin on its axis with much less effort if the riders move their weight in towards the axis.

This is why racing boats with outboard motors on the transom (like J29's) will remove and stow the motors down below, as well as move all the extra sails from the V-berth to the main cabin.

Edited by - on

windsong
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
318 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 09:32:53

I added 100 lbs of crushed rock to the bow of my C250, and I can attest that it is definitely a wetter ride. I did it because the weight of the heavy Tohatsu 9.8, plus the battery and crew had the bow riding so high that my mast rake measured nearly 20 inches! I haven't noticed any performance advantages since adding the weight, but she sure looks better. People were asking me, "Why is your mast tipped so far back?" It was getting embarrassing.

Edited by - windsong on 10/08/2009 09:33:35

glen
Captain

Members Avatar

359 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 10:53:48

I keep our inflatable with all its stuff (except for its outboard) under the “V” berth.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2009 : 04:00:51

We have the plastimo triangular flexi tank under the v-berth.
That counteracts the 2nd battery alongside the original, The AC unit aft of the head, the Generator on top of the fuel locker and the 5 gallon tank port side in front of the engine.

The bow still rides high when both of us are in the cockpit (normal sailing stance)

When we go out (typically 4 nights), we also carry about 80 bottles of water (port locker), cooler full of frozen stuff, dry food (stbd locker) plus a ton of 'stuff' (spare gas canisters for the seaward cooker, tool boxes, 150% jib, and the normal sailing gear.. fenders etc.)

And still we ride bow high but it's much better when we fill the plastimo water bladder.

What difference does it make?
Calmer sailing in most conditions.

Would I change anything?
Yes! replace the plastimo and the regular water tank with a larger version of the original, may have to be twins in order to get it in place. Simplifies plumbing (the plastimo tank uses large diameter filler hose which is a pain) And this would allow me to put the 2nd battery up front.

Maybe if santa is nice to me this year

Paul

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.