Ballast ply tug?

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Ballast ply tug?

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13 December 2009 at 01:59 #24511
mark burrows 1
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@markburrows1
my tug has been pond tested but is to far out water line is 3″ above water level as in my picsi have two 7ah batterys fitted so far ,first time i have needed to ballast model! anyone over come this ? not sure what to try next?
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13 December 2009 at 01:59 #1930
mark burrows 1
Participant
@markburrows1
How to go about ballast
13 December 2009 at 10:18 #24512
Bob Abell 2
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@bobabell2
Hello Mark

This may be of interest?….. http://www.modelboats.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=1322

Bob
13 December 2009 at 15:55 #24518
neil hp
Participant
@neilhp
Make some open compartments in the bottom of the hull with 3mm ply, and then just add freezer bags with either wet sand( weighs heavier than dry) or lead shot( a gun smiths will sell by the 5 kilo bottle for refilling cartidges) and place them into the hull at strategic places, so that when you want to lift the boat from the water, you can take the extra weight out first withour giving yourself a hernia.

Number the bags and number the copmpartments they come from, and they will settle into the hull to give good low down removable weight.

it’s a very tried and tested and simple way to do it.

neil.
17 December 2009 at 15:35 #24575
Victor Woodward
Participant
@victorwoodward43055
hi mark i am also building a tug of 44″ inches and up to the decking stage and about to put ballest in hull and also thinking of using freaser bags but using pebels of diference sizesto get weight right before i seal the deck i will put them on both sides and front to make it level
17 December 2009 at 15:44 #24576
Victor Woodward
Participant
@victorwoodward43055
Hi neil

Is it a bad move to seal the deck in then once you have weighted it down and got the balance
17 December 2009 at 17:30 #24577
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
As a general rule of thumb it’s best never to put something inside your boat that you can neither remove or get at subsequently!

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 17/12/2009 17:31:12
17 December 2009 at 17:48 #24578
Victor Woodward
Participant
@victorwoodward43055
Thanks colin for that imfomation at the moment i have the decking so that you can remove it and get to everything but i thought if water got in, that would be that and it will sink but if it is balance right it should stay afloat,
17 December 2009 at 18:45 #24579
neil hp
Participant
@neilhp
victor…….I agree with Colin wholeheartedly about being able to remove everything from the inside of your hull easily.Even more so as I get older and back problems do not allow me to lift as much,

But I also sail on salt water, and tend to remove much of the electronics anyway because of a build up over the season of salt air in the hull.

Small boats are not too bad when it comes to leaving ballast inside and as low down, but when you are getting to the size you are building, you are going to have to fit a few kilos of ballast, and it is always advisable to make this removable.

however with regards to a removable deck….don’t quite understand this question. Normally on boat builds, a deck is set onto a “ladder frame” of side strakes and cross beams, to which a deck is glued, and then sealed from underside, around the edges where the deck meets the hull side with either a fillet of car body filler or silicon sealant.

The only access then to the inside is via the “hole” that is under the superstructure cabin……..which itself is set over a combing of raised plywood about 10 – 15 mm high. If this method is used then there should be no way water can get into the hull unless through a badly fitted or worn propellor shaft.

If you are unsure of this method have a look at back copies of “kit builds” in the model boats magazine of any Mountfleet models or Caldercraft models boats, as these two manufacturers both follow the method I have mentioned.

Neil

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 17/12/2009 18:51:26

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 17/12/2009 18:53:00
18 December 2009 at 07:13 #24585
Paul T
Participant
@pault84577
I use bars of plumbers solder as ballast, nice and heavy and easy to cut & bend to shape.

Although its not as common as it used to be you can still buy it from the old fashoned plumbers merchants.

Edited By The Fat Controller on 18/12/2009 07:19:11
18 December 2009 at 20:26 #24607
Victor Woodward
Participant
@victorwoodward43055
thanks again nei

as i am new at this i nead to study more about decking instead of the way i started with this one as i had it given to me with the decking already cut but no way of fixing it. i did it my way by puting a 1/2″wall around the inside to fix it with cross members to support the middel and that has seamed to cause me problems about sealing it. i will have to re think it and look at the back isues.

thanks.
20 December 2009 at 21:23 #24670
Bernard Allen
Participant
@bernardallen88612
Hi,

On all my models, the ballast is mainly Lead Flashing which you can obtain from the scape merchants. I cut & weigh and I also melt the lead into old sardine tins, remove the tin and file smooth.

Ceres.
21 December 2009 at 20:48 #24691
Victor Woodward
Participant
@victorwoodward43055
thanks you learn more everyday i will have to start eating sardine i like fish anyway

vic….
21 December 2009 at 23:48 #24694
mark burrows 1
Participant
@markburrows1
hi lads ,im still trying to get lead and old battery,but a friend hasbuilt wine box bladders in bow and stern, and fills with water pump,it is quite slow,but i thinking of a fast way to fill and empty on pond side?anyone tried this?i think this is simular to subs. victor this might help you,i also will seal deck to gunwalls with silicone.and 20mm lip around cabin structures.
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