Static floating pontoon ballast

[pyro225]

Hi guys not necessarily the right area but I have made a static floating pontoon to get to the boat as in tidal. I have used 6 cube floats but they really need some ballast in them as they are all over the place. Can I just half fill them with water or will they crack when it freezes? What the best thing to use? Thanks

 

[ahicks]

Not following at all....
Static floating pontoon?
Tidal?
All over the place?

 

[tpenfield]

Not following at all....
Static floating pontoon?
Tidal?
All over the place?

^^^ +1 to this.

 

[ahicks]

After a couple cups of coffee this morning -
Could this be a floating dock on a body of water affected by the tide, that might be really unsteady to walk on? If that is the case, maybe some pictures of this dock (or platform) might trigger some useful suggestions regarding stability.

 

[HotTommy]

Outriggers?

 

[BigDfromTN]

After a couple cups of coffee this morning -
Could this be a floating dock on a body of water affected by the tide, that might be really unsteady to walk on? If that is the case, maybe some pictures of this dock (or platform) might trigger some useful suggestions regarding stability.

This is what I get from op. We use a dock that has narrow fingers and they can be quite wobbly. I was curious if there were some holes drilled part way down to allow partial flooding of the ballasts ( black plastic square dock floats) would stabilize them and allow them to drain when the water is out from under the dock. Ours is on a river that is lowered in winter. How would that help or hurt?

 

[pyro225]

Hi I think our terminology is slightly different here but yes you hit the nail on the head - the floats have bungs so you can fill them with something but no one seems to know what - I thought sand the thought that could load up one side and get a bit stuck then thought water but don't want to freeze and crack - ?

 

[ahicks]

Depending on how much you need, RV anti freeze might be an option. It's relatively inexpensive, but if you need a couple hundred gallons.....
I understand the concern of the ballast freezing, but it's not going to freeze until the water around it freezes. So you have the effect of the ice forming internally, as well as any effect of surrounding ice (externally) might have - especially if you are in an area exposed to wind. Is this too big a project to pull for the winter months?

 

[Grub54891]

If you need to flood them, water would work fine temporally. Flood them as needed, but pump them out as quickly as possible. Any residual water, 1" or so, needs a space to expand and an nearly empty tank would not crack if the water has room to expand.

 

[pyro225]

Not something than can easily be removed had to crane it in - could water and rv antifreeze be a permanent solution? Is rv antifreeze non toxic?

 

[HotTommy]

Here is some information. I use the stuff in my RV. It has to be safe enough to be disposed of in public sewer systems when the system is dumped.

 

[ahicks]

RV anti freeze is used to winterize a rigs water lines. Putting something toxic (like automotive anti freeze) in those a bad plan as it would pretty much contaminate the rigs lines used for drinking water. Note it will turn to slush if it gets cold enough, but it never does expand much.

It's also used to ballast tractor tires to increase weight/traction.

 

[pyro225]

Hmm just looked st the price it seems like there is no concentrate option I need about 30gallons so going to be pricey - I was thinking of a different approach - making a salt slush with 30% salt 70% water? It never get below -7 c air temp here...

 

[fish till ya bleed]

I may be a little late on this one do not exceed 9.71 ppg or the solution will precipitate and drop the sodium chloride and it will freeze.