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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Question of Balance....

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rcraig
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/30/2002 : 08:45:36

In the final stages of getting this thing ready to get back in the water & began to ponder a question. Figured I'd go right to the source for the learned opinions....

I've got a '77 Std Rig-Fin Keel. Looking at the layout & placement of 'things' I'm struck w/ how much is on the port side vs. the starboard. Seems that the boat would not be balanced.

To port is: the 9.9 Merc, the 2 fuel tanks, the galley, the 2 batteries, the dinette (L-shaped), and the head
To starboard is: the water tank

Does this strike anyone else as odd ?? First thought is to move the Merc over to starboard & boarding ladder over to port in hopes of achieving harmony w/ the universe. Anyone else pondered this question, or am I being a bit to anal about things ?

Regards,
Richard C
'77 SR/FK 'as yet to be named'

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 09:34:48

Richard your thoughts are good ones...this topic has been covered often over the years. Later in the production... the motor was moved starboard... some have made the move and will undoubtedly desribe their efforts.

This is a good illustration of the evolution of a design... I heard Frank Butler talk once and among the things he said was, "We value feedback from owners about things that need changed".

This method is cheaper than a long pre-production testing program... but does leave early buyers of a design at some risk. There were other issues such as the stem integrity, etc.

Other things come into play as well...For the C250 its production coincided with an explosion of sales for the bigger boats with many of them having long waiting list. Frank Butler contends however, that each design is as important to him as each child in a family, and I think fairness will grant his claim true as the C250 has seen many changes, and those occuring during a time of very strong market for the big boats.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 09:48:44

osmepneo is an '80 wing, convered from swing.

The only change made during the three years is that my battery is on the starboard side, rather than to port.

As I have observed my boat st its dock this past summer, I was struck at how well ballanced it appeared to be to me. That said I also have to say that I have never filled the water tank, so that weight has not been present on osmepneo.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 12:23:54

Keep the water tank full or keep the crew on the stbd side. Ill bet your quick on a port tack. Stow as much gear as you can on the light side.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 12:38:07

I, too, have a SR/FK with the same motor mount configuration as you, but my battery is under the starboard settee and, as Doug mentioned, I keep my starboard water tank full. I also place heavier items to starboard. With this setup I have a very balanced boat. As for swapping the motor and swim ladder, I would instead move the batteries to the starboard settee. This is an easier job than moving the engine mount and since the batteries will be sitting farther from the centerline of the boat, they will have more impact(leverage) on correcting the list.

One question, why two fuel tanks?

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
Catalina

Edited by - dlucier on 10/30/2002 18:25:34

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5932 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 13:04:42

Richard C,

Before you move anything, launch the boat, empty it of storage, so that the boat is essentially as it came from the factory. Do not remove the motor or fuel tanks or batteries, and do not fill the water tank. Then look at it on a fairly windless day to see if it floats bolt upright, or if it lists to port or starboard at the dock.

If the boat is reasonably upright, then re-load your storage, but try to distribute the weight evenly on both sides.

Your 1977 boat will probably list to port, because, as you have observed, the motor, galley, dinette and head were all put on the port side, and their weight is counterbalanced on the starboard side mainly by the water tank, but most of us do not stay aboard our boats for long periods, and do not generally fill the water tanks.

In about 1981, Catalina started mounting the motors on the starboard side, which corrected the list to port. Moving your motor mount from port to starboard will probably correct yours, too, if it is listing to port, but before changing anything, I would empty it and make sure it really is listing to port.

If you are concerned about being too anal, just follow this forum for awhile, and we'll show you how anal we sailors can really be about seemingly insignificant matters. Keep in mind that someone has sailed your boat since 1977 without correcting the list to port, and has been perfectly content with it. If you plan to race, you should correct it, because it will cause your boat to sail slightly better on one tack than on the other. But, if you plan to cruise and daysail, you might not consider it worth the time and effort required to move the motor mount. It really depends on how you use the boat.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 15:03:38

Take Steve's advice. I was concerned about that before our boat's first launch. I have an '82 standard rig, fixed keel. It has the motor, the two batteries and the fresh water tank on the starboard side. On port, only the head holding tank, which is usually empty and the portable gas tank, which, hopefully is usually <i>NOT</i> empty <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>. It sits straight up, no list to either side.

John Mason - Ali Paroosa
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2002 : 19:38:18

Richard,

Depending on the size of your water tank, a full tank of water can weigh between 132 and 174lbs. I don't really use the water in my tanks, but I do fill it at the begining of the season and drain it at the end. This gives me two benefits. One, it provides the weight distribution I need for balance and, two, my water system gets a good flushing every year.

Another thing you may want to keep in mind if you are a cruiser is the increased tonnage that is loaded aboard. We went on a week long cruise and I was surprised by how much stuff(clothes, two coolers, clothes, dry goods, clothes, towels, clothes, kitchen items, toiletries...etc) we shoe-horned into the aft quarter berth. I was glad my motor "was" mounted to port because if it wasn't, quite possibly my boat would have looked like it was heeling in a gale while sitting at the slip. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
Catalina

Edited by - on

rcraig
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Response Posted - 11/08/2002 : 08:50:20

Thanks to all for the insight & information on this 'issue'
Sounds like best course of action will be wait 'til I get her bottom wet & see how she sets. Since this vessel will be used for cruising only (famous last words) I am not THAT concerned w/ being balanced within the last millimeter. Therefore, as was mentioned, she's made it this far without tipping over at the dock, so maybe I should leave well enough alone for now.

Fair winds to all......

Richard C

Edited by - on

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