Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

[rallyart]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I have a 21'8" foot wake boat with a significant v in the hull. It handles significant waves better than an unmodified Glastron 205, from my own experience. I have added ballast to see what affect that has on ny boats ride in wind chop and in two foot waves. The ride felt better in wind chop but only marginally so. The boat was not more controllable with added weight in larger waves and I never add it if there is a storm.
Essentially when waves are easily tossing around 3500# they are still going to toss around 4000#. You do lose some of your agility in a storm with a heavy boat so it's harder to pick where you want to be. The driver adjustable tab on my wakeboat makes a big difference in the safety and controllability during a storm and I highly recommend it. I have had my boat out in 5' waves and felt safe with my kids in the boat. (Now if the engine had failed in that storm I would not have been very comfortable)
On my 18' I/O I have a foil that allows me to run at slower speeds with the bow down more. It has been a big help in getting the best pitch angle at different speeds when in storms. You need to have some way to keep the bow down if you are travelling into the waves in a storm or swell.
My direct experience with ballast. I hope that helps.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

The problem lies in the design of your hull, not the size or weight of your boat. There are lots of 19' boats designed to run in rough water conditions.

No amount of tabs or weight can change the contours of your hull. Adding weight will do nothing except add a little buoyancy which will stop a bit of the rocking at drift and at very low speeds. Adding tabs will reduce the bow bounce but it does nothing to reduce the pounding of the hull from the planning surface back.
Time for a new boat or to find a good chiropractor.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

Adding weight will do nothing except add a little buoyancy...

I am still thinking about that part...

 

[dingbat]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I am still thinking about that part...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buoyancy

 

[shrew]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buoyancy

Literally yes, in that the buoyancy is the upward force of the water equal to the downward force of the object as a result of its weight. However, if the size and area of the object are the same, but the weight is increased, then essentially aren't you increasing density? When the density of the object exceeds the density of water, I believe you encounter an effect called sinking. Otherwise, the more weight you load on a boat, the better it would float. (Now that can't be right).

 

[Maclin]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

dingbat,

I see the technical truth of it, thanks!

And in the rest of your post you covered the part about slow moving or drifting, versus powering the hull thru the water. More weight would end to make the ride "softer" at drift or slow speeds.

I would add this for the original poster, with that much extra weight and when slow moving that boat would tend to be just wallowing about, and while that (wallowing) is a soft ride it is also not as maneuverable and thus not as safe in waves at drift or slow speeds.

 

[paradiddle1]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

wow this thread keeps on a going.... My original idea about adding ballast was a comment made by someone on this board that said my boat was just to light - especially a Glastron. I was only talking about adding 300-400 lbs. in the center locker. But some of you who use Smart-tabs in similar boats have reported improvement in choppy water. I will repeat that I know my hull design is incorrect for open water and I don't want to go out 5 miles in the gulf to go fishing. I just want to calm it down in open bays where the a 10-15 mph wind can have an effect. I know about kicking back the throttle and trimming to push the bow down and that does help. thanks for all the help. but don't stop the debate !!

 

[A/C Guy]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

We have an 18 foot fish ski and a 22 foot Axis wake board boat. The 18 foot boat is light and the ride is fairly rough compared to the Axis when empty. When the Axis is full of people and the ballasts are full, there is a HUGE improvement in the ride through the chop and when crossing the wake of other boats. Adding weight will most assuredly smooth your ride in the chop. For maximum benefit, place the ballast bags in the front third of the boat. When I fill my rear ballasts only, there is not much change in the ride quality through the chop. When I fill the front ballast, the ride improves noticeably. If I was running my 18 footer in the Gulf, I would add the ballast as your are thinking. I know it would smooth the ride. Nothing like a little extra mass to reduce the jarring impact of the chop.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

We have an 18 foot fish ski and a 22 foot Axis wake board boat. The 18 foot boat is light and the ride is fairly rough compared to the Axis when empty. When the Axis is full of people and the ballasts are full, there is a HUGE improvement in the ride through the chop and when crossing the wake of other boats. Adding weight will most assuredly smooth your ride in the chop.

For your hull, it improved it. That isn't a universal rule though...

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

It sure made a difference when I had 6 Seniors in the Chap 186 SSI & over 4' waves. SMOOTH AS the Queen Mary. Size matters. But weight per cubic foot & the bow trimed to about 25 degrees made it smooth & dry.

 

[Philster]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

Four-foot waves? Smooth?

Four-foot waves? Really?

Four-foot seas? :facepalm:

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

You forgot I am related to the Queen Mary !!

Rich

 

[nlain]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

For your hull, it improved it. That isn't a universal rule though...

I also think he has not been in the Gulf, I have just a few times, the last was in a 23' cuddy and the water was coming over the bow, we turned around and came back inside, the further out we went the worse it got, an 18 to 19 footer would have been laying on the bottom, especially if it had ballast in the forward 1/3 of the boat.

 

[paradiddle1]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

Out in the Gulf for me would be a 1/4 mile off the beach --- thats all..... I am more interested in bays like Sarasota, Charlotte Harbor etc.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

In NJ we rarely get 25 mph afternoon breezes. On the Lake Ontario / St. Lawrence junction It can normally be that.
So if you do not like 2 to 3 foot waves. Forget after lunch rides. You become a sunrise or sunset boater.

I have taken the 16' ...15" short shaft boat out in the 2' stuff to help a capsized sailboat. Would I have done that 50 years ago ? NEVER.

 

[A/C Guy]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I also think he has not been in the Gulf, I have just a few times, the last was in a 23' cuddy and the water was coming over the bow, we turned around and came back inside, the further out we went the worse it got, an 18 to 19 footer would have been laying on the bottom, especially if it had ballast in the forward 1/3 of the boat.

I was in the gulf as recently as November. We jet skied a mile off shore and we rode in a 29 foot cat as well as a 45 foot cruiser. The swells were 2 to 3 feet, wind was 10 mph. I would have felt safe in my 18 foot Crestliner on any of those 3 days. I know 3 days does not make me an expert. But I have many years of boating experience and water is water; regardless of what some of our internet commandos here think.

 

[nlain]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I was in the gulf as recently as November. We jet skied a mile off shore and we rode in a 29 foot cat as well as a 45 foot cruiser. The swells were 2 to 3 feet, wind was 10 mph. I would have felt safe in my 18 foot Crestliner on any of those 3 days. I know 3 days does not make me an expert. But I have many years of boating experience and water is water; regardless of what some of our internet commandos here think.

The day before I was out in the 23' Cuddy I was out there in my 185 with no problem, had I be out the day I was in the cuddy I would not have gone very far before turning around and coming back, that is if I had gone outside at all. I took a ride with a friend from PCB to Destin one day, nice calm ride, enjoyed the scenery, it was a beautiful morning ride. You can go out one day and have a great calm ride and the next you cannot or should not go out at all in a 18 to 19 bowrider. I am no expert either just a few days of personal experience that is slightly different from yours.

 

[Philster]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I was in the gulf as recently as November. We jet skied a mile off shore and we rode in a 29 foot cat as well as a 45 foot cruiser. The swells were 2 to 3 feet, wind was 10 mph. I would have felt safe in my 18 foot Crestliner on any of those 3 days. I know 3 days does not make me an expert. But I have many years of boating experience and water is water; regardless of what some of our internet commandos here think.

What does this mean? Who are the internet commandos? Also: Water is NOT water. That's one MAJOR stinkin' point about boating safety. If water is just water, then all boats can go everywhere in all conditions.

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

theres a HUGE variation in the ride quality in the design of the hull particularly when the the chines are stepped up into the hull or stepped out of the hull with the stepped out design's ride quality suffering GREATLY because this design tends to trap the water wereas the stepped up design allows the water to escape out the sides; mako figured this out in the late 60's and thats why their ride quality is so legendary seacraft later stole and patented the idea ....

is be willing to bet having seen several bowriders that your hull has the stepped out design and thats why its beating you teeth and back

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Ballast bags for better ruff water riding ??

I just want to throw this in here- If you did add weight to your boat please remember that this lowers your carrying capacity.