The oft discussed outboard extra ballast revealed

[kendall]

I have a number of reclaimed/recycled lead pigs.
They are more or less 34" long
5.5" wide
and 2" deep.
Semi-circular in section. The lead was cast into split halves of iron pipe from lead-clad wire along the Coast Hiway. Same lead used in the ballast of the Elizabeth Muir.
Approximately 135# each.

Quick and easy molds for those interested in making their own is to weld end plates to angle iron,(they also form the legs) and use them as the molds. Advantage is that you get triangular shaped pigs, which stack together more densely so they take up less space for the same weight.

I don't have a problem with heeling, but my wife and some regular guests don't care for it, so I plan to keep the original pigs aboard, along with a few trim pieces.

Ken.

[Commander227]

I have now sailed The Princess in the 15 - 20 wind range and she is a changed girl. She is not the stiff old girl she was and is definitely over powered with the 150% in that range. I don't think I would recommend pulling out the compensator ballast to you San Francisco Bay fellas or others on big water and in big wind. I'm still deciding if I like the change and will wait to add some weight back in with another battery bank until I settle on a new sail plan.

[Commander 147]

Mike

Thank you very much for letting us know that. As you know I was contemplating going with the LFP batteries that would have only weighed about 200 lbs but I have made a decision to go back to my original plan for the Odyssey PC1800 battery for two reasons. One I will get significantly more range on a charge for a significantly lower cost and two, the weight of the PC1800 battery bank will be equal to the 500 lb added ballast pig so when I remove it I will be back to where I started with total weight. The only differance will be that the weight will be a little higher in the hull.

[Bisquit]

I removed the corrector weight today. Not too difficult although I was worried the lag eye I installed to lift it would pull out. As soon as I got the piece upright I tied a couple of safety lines around it and pulled it out of the boat. We'll see how the boat behaves without the additional ballast. I opened up the floorboard to make the removal easier.