Balancing Boat need Advice

[BIGALSURF]

Installed a heavier kicker and now boat is not sitting in the water well. Need to put some weight up front in addition to load shifting. Any smart ideas as to ballast? Don't want something that will fly up in rough water and then drop down and poke a hole in the boat. That would lead to swimming. Sand bags? Other ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[Something Good]

My last boat I put both batteries on the opposite from the kicker. My T-8 on the new 26 footer doesn't seem to have any effect. If it's weighing the back of the boat down so much that you need more weight up front maybe it's too heavy for your boat.

[Spindrifter]

I put a 3/4" steel plate(screwed it down under my cushions) in my cuddy cabin to raise the stern and it solved my problem and the boat handles alot better....

[ron m]

Can you carry the cooler(s) in the front? Maybe the container with your halibut weights too!

[edsr]

First thing is to figure out how much weight you need and where it will do the most good. Bags of readymix concrete are 80lbs, cheap and you can use them later around the house. Use them to test where and how much.

After you decide how much and where, the next decision is do you want the weight to be permanent? You can make a cheap moveable weight/s that will not hurt your boat from old inner tubes, free from your local tire repair dealer. Fill with sand not concrete and tie at each end. When not needed leave it at home.

See above for some permanent ideas.

edsr

[KillerBeee]

I have done as Edsr suggested. Inner tubes filles with sand. If the tubes break for any reason, the sand is relatively harmless.

[BIGALSURF]

what size boat were you dealing with? This sounds like a good idea also, mounted firmly so it can't fly if the boat drops. thanks.

[Spindrifter]

21' Trophy. I painted the plate with hammerite and used several stainless screws to mount it. I tested what I needed with workout weights first, then calculated the plate weight to match. PM me if you need a source for the plate and any help figuring the weight

[Tower Todd]

How about trim tabs? Just a thought.
Tower Todd

[duckboy]

I always counterbalance with my wife.

Anya Makes Damn fine Counterweight!

[fishtales]

Can you add addition fuel capacity up front? You may have to get custom tanks made.
FT

[Chrome Bumper]

Move you batteries forward.

[Tinman]

Take a hard look at your stern area and see if there are any heavy items that could be relocated forward. You are much better off lightening the stern than weighting the bow.

Here are some ideas:

* Move a battery forward. Perhaps turn it into an electronics-only battery and do some rewiring
* Move some fuel forward. You might install additional fuel capacity amidships (6 or 12 gal plastic tanks?), instead of fully filling the stern tanks
* Move miscellaneous storage items forward: downriggers, downrigger weights, tackle boxes, ice chests, toolkits. Maybe build a storage locker amidships or forward.

Send a few pics of your boat, especially the stern and amidshps area. Maybe the 'dogs can come up with something.

[Chrome Bumper]

Fill the bow with TUNA!! Or beer, if you add too much I will be willing to lighten the load.

Hey! If you go after TUNA! I will sit in the bow to hold it down for ya, I can move aft during the troll to improve the wake wash.

[Arima Billy]

I replaced my two 45 hp motors with a 130 last winter and gained 100 pounds to my stern, I put 75 pounds of lead in my anchor locker and added two saddle tanks that hold 10 gallons each on each side located by the forward seats, that took care of my problem, the lead forward in the anchor locker was in mesh bags used for diving. it is clean and only takes up a little space, AB

[BIGALSURF]

You're right, I'm going to start with housekeeping and moving the movables. Batteries would be smart but a royal pain to move as the brackets are all in the back now. Everything else is getting moved pronto. Thanks All!