The oft discussed outboard extra ballast revealed

[Bill]

Also, I seem to have one of the few Commanders where the ballast has not been glassed in and the lift-rings are intact. Guess I got lucky.

The lift rings were left in on all the boats. If gone, a PO has removed them.

PS - Sail trim will compensate for missing ballast in terms of keeping the boat upright. Lighter is faster, but not necessarily as comfortable. If you race, ditch the loose pigs. If not, leave them there to keep the family happy. #76 has extra lead (160 lbs?) glassed in just aft of the head. It keeps the bow down, but she's not quite as fast as the other racing fleet Ariels. Not a big problem, however, racing PHRF.

[Dan Maliszewski]

I, too, have added about 90 Lbs. of lead weights down in the lowest part of the anchor chain locker, to keep the tail from dragging when we have sailing guests astern. It also keeps the nose down in a chop, but it probably adds to the hobbyhorse action, being closer to the end of the hull. A trade off, but not a huge problem. BTW, we finished fifth of seven, good enough to maintain our second place in the standings. It was a four mile race with three knots of shifty wind, not an Ariel's best day, but fine for the B division winner, a Hobie 33.

[eric (deceased)]

the eyes were not eroded so I was able to lift them both out.I believe I gave them to a boat builder for ballast.the lost weight was more than compensated for with the inclusion of all the canned goods water fuel etc

[ebb]

Hey Dan,
I've read that in small boats especially that weight concentrated in the middle will CAUSE the boat to hobbyhorse.

With 338's remake, adding all the stuff and contemplating adding more stuff - my only reasoning has been to add weight thruout the length of the hull.

Anybody experimenting with this? I'd like to know!
EG, with 3 in the cockpit, would it make sense to

move weight below

toward the bow to create more punch and less lift?


If this reasoning is correct,
do you regatta racers do this?

Wouldn't it help to keep the waterline longer
for the continuous speed you must have?
(less horsing around)

The bow of the A/C is really the only location
you have to increase waterline length. Yes?

[tha3rdman]

Old thread I know, I was looking up info on weather helm, and got side tracked. The bilge on 97 looks identical to the pictures above, A nice glassed over shallow bilge, no deep sump. She was never gutted though theres seems to be a fair ammount of "aftermarket" glass work, most notable around the deck/hull joint.

So does the above boat have a glassed in blige, like 97, maybe because the are both inboard hulls? or did someone glass in 97's blige?

[Bill]

So does the above boat have a glassed in blige, like 97, maybe because the are both inboard hulls? or did someone glass in 97's blige?

The bilge on A-76 was glassed, but not sealed. Epoxied it to keep bilge water from entering the keel area. Not sure, but believe the bilge came that way from the factory. With high hull numbers, Pearson was cutting corners and did not glass the bilge.

[eric (deceased)]

I took those lead pigs outta mine too....to allow for more beef stew. I already said that ---however as the provisions were used(I wonder where those tin cans are now) the boat would inevitably sit higher.BF'nD