Boat trim

[redlinj]

Since I replaced the 4 cylinder 485 with a 5.7, my stern now sits lower and allows water to enter the boat thru the scuppers! I’d like to balance the boat out so that when at rest in the slip, water won’t enter! Have a anchor locker in the bow about 24 w 32 w 4 inches which is just under 2 cubic feet! Looking for some ideas on what I could place in it to kinda try and balance this out! Any ideas other than sand bags! Just curious.

 

[roscoe]

a half cubic foot of lead should do it.

 

[redlinj]

Somehow, I detect sarcasm!

 

[Nashville]

Somehow, I detect sarcasm!

He’s serious. Have a boat that had a slight port list due to battery placement and a tiny bow up attitude with full fuel (125 gallons) and water (25 gallons). Plus, unless two or three in the bow, tended to “skip/bounce” fairly hard. Trim tabs worked, but created a lot of drag. Ended up adding 350-pounds of lead ingots forward of the forward ski locker. More on the starboard side. Drivability and ride is great now. Found them online, but shipping cost was prohibitive. Bought from a secondary lead smelter nearby (battery recycler). Shaped like window weights of yesteryear, but larger. Bungied in place, dense, compact and no corrosion. Hardest part was laying in the locker and crawling forward. Tight space. There’s an access panel forward in the locker, so I didn’t have to cut anything to place where needed. Other than getting in/out, no issues. The OP should also look at taller risers so water isn’t ingested.

 

[redlinj]

Perhaps I was, after a long party evening, too quick to judge! Upon further review, it does sound more logical! My apologies to you, Roscoe!

 

[roscoe]

while most would shy away from adding extra weight to their boat. if you need it, why not use something cheap and dense.

Cheers.

 

[dingbat]

He’s serious. Have a boat that had a slight port list due to battery placement and a tiny bow up attitude with full fuel (125 gallons) and water (25 gallons). Plus, unless two or three in the bow, tended to “skip/bounce” fairly hard. Trim tabs worked, but created a lot of drag. Ended up adding 350-pounds of lead ingots forward of the forward ski locker. More on the starboard side. Drivability and ride is great now.

I can see adding weight to the front helping to keep the bow down to help keep level on plane, but it’s not going to raise the transom.

The increasing displacement only pushed the boat deeper in the water

 

[redlinj]

Did not major in physics but after the added weight of the 5.7 caused the transom to drop, water started to enter thru the scuppers and come out thru the corner floor drains if anyone was standing in the stern! Moving forward, the water drained out! Hence my theory that if weight is added as far forward as possible, things should balance out a bit. Not concerned while underway as any water will be sucked out! At rest in the slip however, or while drifting, water is level with the top of the floor drains! Maybe I’ll just cork ‘em shut! Cheap and easy! Would invest in a couple oversized transom drain plugs, if I could find them!

 

[dingbat]

Did not major in physics but after the added weight of the 5.7 caused the transom to drop, water started to enter thru the scuppers and come out thru the corner floor drains if anyone was standing in the stern! Moving forward, the water drained out! Hence my theory that if weight is added as far forward as possible, things should balance out a bit. Not concerned while underway as any water will be sucked out! At rest in the slip however, or while drifting, water is level with the top of the floor drains! Maybe I’ll just cork ‘em shut! Cheap and easy! Would invest in a couple oversized transom drain plugs, if I could find them!

Plugging cockpit drains is recipe for disaster.

These will do the trick

SeaScuppers | Sea Scuppers | Products

www.rabud.com

 

[Chris1956]

Move the batteries forward. Don't fill the fuel tank.

 

[poconojoe]

I can see adding weight to the front helping to keep the bow down to help keep level on plane, but it’s not going to raise the transom.

The increasing displacement only pushed the boat deeper in the water

I was thinking the same thing...

 

[poconojoe]

Move the batteries forward. Don't fill the fuel tank.

These are good ideas!
How many batteries do you have?
Just make sure you size the cables accordingly. The extra length more than likely will require larger gauge battery cables.

 

[redlinj]

Ok, just to make sure we’re all on the same page about this, but my scuppers are below the waterline! The SeaScuppers state they won’t work below the waterline! Sounded to good to be true! Yes thought of moving the two starter batteries forward to midship, but only as a last resort and maybe not even then! I’m a bit stubborn, but I still think added weight forward to the bow area will raise the stern high enough to drain the floor! Gonna experiment this afternoon! Will let you all know my conclusion! All this was brought about by something lodged in my auto bilge pump impeller! I do now have a backup for that! Thanks shipmates!

 

[dingbat]

The SeaScuppers state they won’t work below the waterline! Sounded to good to be true!

Where did you see they will not work below the water line?
Know several guys that use them with great success

I guess the real question is how far below the water line are you?

Pretty typical for the water line to be center of the scupper at rest.
I get no water in my cockpit even with 2 guys standing at the tansom unless the scupper valve has lost it's flexability and needs replaced

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would go to aluminum heads, aluminm intake, aluminum exhaust manifolds and add a heat exchanger, shedding about 200# from the motor

 

[redlinj]

Retrofit your old flapper style scuppers with the Rabud SeaScupper. For use with drain tubes up to 1" and 3" in diameter. Make your deck self-bailing. Clear Polycarbonate housing with long-life PVC gasket. Solid Polypropylene ball prevents water from intruding. U.V. stabilzed for harsh environments. Features mounting holes at 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock positions. NOT FOR USE BELOW THE WATERLINE.

 

[dingbat]

Retrofit your old flapper style scuppers with the Rabud SeaScupper. For use with drain tubes up to 1" and 3" in diameter. Make your deck self-bailing. Clear Polycarbonate housing with long-life PVC gasket. Solid Polypropylene ball prevents water from intruding. U.V. stabilzed for harsh environments. Features mounting holes at 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock positions. NOT FOR USE BELOW THE WATERLINE.

Your looking at the wrong part. The SS3AW has no such warning

SeaScuppers | Sea Scuppers | Products

www.rabud.com