Securing Lead Ballast

ak-guy · Mar 10, 2019

My Allweather has lead ballast in the stern mostly under the shaft seal area. The lead is in pieces of about 30-40 lbs each 10 or so. They are just sitting there, not secured but kind of contained by the shape of the hull. I am considering pouring two part polyurethane foam around them to fix them in place. An alternative would be polyester resin but the foam would allow future removal if needed.

High Wire · Mar 10, 2019

Something with a little less grip than 5200. My boat has lead ingots 5200’d together when they added a generator. It’s going to take wedges and a sawsall if I ever want to remove.

GFC · Mar 10, 2019

If they are kept in place by the shape of the hull, why do anything?

My motto: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

catalinajack · Mar 10, 2019

ak-guy said:
My Allweather has lead ballast in the stern mostly under the shaft seal area. The lead is in pieces of about 30-40 lbs each 10 or so. They are just sitting there, not secured but kind of contained by the shape of the hull. I am considering pouring two part polyurethane foam around them to fix them in place. An alternative would be polyester resin but the foam would allow future removal if needed.

My ballast is lead shot in 25# bags which can be, and is, moved. I have laid it in cubbies in the aft cabin. No way it moves at all. No need to glue it in place plus, once glued in, you have no ability to make adjustments. The idea that lead ingots will go flying in heavy seas is, well, fanciful. If your boat is being tossed around to cause that lead to move dangerously, you already have other problems more critical. IMHO.

Gotwex · Mar 10, 2019

GFC said:
If they are kept in place by the shape of the hull, why do anything? "

If a surveyor states that there is unsecured ballast in a survey to be submitted to your insurance co., you will most likely be required to address it (secure it) for your insurance co. before renewal or binding coverage.

MurrayM · Mar 10, 2019

catalinajack said:
...The idea that lead ingots will go flying in heavy seas is, well, fanciful. If your boat is being tossed around to cause that lead to move dangerously, you already have other problems more critical. IMHO.

I'd dare say an Allweather could survive conditions well beyond 95% of the boats here on TF despite its size, which is to say, it just might see conditions (free fall drops on the back sides of waves, sliding sideways down the faces of waves, etc) which could shake some ballast loose.

Fish53 · Mar 10, 2019

I have lead ingots in the bilge that are held by bronze flat bar drilled and fitted over the keel bolts with a second nut holding it all down (I have an oak keel shoe). I wouldn't want unsecured ballast or anything else wandering around in my bilge. My boat is 26' and similar to your Allweather, those are wonderful boats, none on my side of the country though.

Comodave · Mar 10, 2019

We added a bunch of lead ballast to a previous boat. Probably about 800 pounds if I remember correctly. I glassed over it so it would not shift. i planned on never moving it anyway. If I did have to move it, I do have a grinder.

Benthic2 · Mar 10, 2019

Its unlikely to move around...but the consequences if it does could be catastrophic. A one time severe roll that might normally be recoverable could get very serious if all that lead moved to the downhill side at the peak of the roll.

Perhaps you could fiberglass in a wooden framework and then bolt something over the lead and into the newly installed wood pieces ?

Al · Mar 10, 2019

GFC said:
If they are kept in place by the shape of the hull, why do anything?

My motto: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Exactly!!! I have 1500 # of 50# ingots located under the engine between the engine bed and a few laying adjacent to each side. I used Gorilla tape to hold the ones adjacent to the engine bed stringers although it is not required as just the weight has held them in place to the degree, that a screwdriver or knife blade is required to pry they up enough to physically drag them to another location or to shift for balance changes.
As one stated, the hull shape is such that the ingots lay tight that should be sufficient.
Too much ado over nothing, in my HOP

Steve · Mar 10, 2019

I added Lead ingots against the hull, I used caulk type adhesive (not 5200) on the bottoms to fix them in place. It has been about 6 years no problem at all so far.
P.S. the cheapest lead ingots I could find (delivered) were from a place in California.
They were shipped in USPS "if it fits we ship flat rate" boxes about 60 lbs per box.they were sent in two shipments I wasn't home for either so the mail lady had to unload them by herself, about 700 Lbs.
I don't think I made her "favorite customer list" that year!

AusCan · Mar 10, 2019

I'd also be concerned about anything heavy and unsecured on the boat, especially lead ingots. They could easily snap off a seacock if your boat started getting tossed around.
A polyurethane foam would probably work, but I'd make sure it is impermeable to oil and water so it doesn't turn into a mess.

Other than keel ballast, my boat has a closed chamber in the bow filled with powdered lead. There is a removable inspection cover to access it if it ever needs checking or adjusting. I haven't seen this method used on any other boat but it makes a lot of sense to me. Nothing hard to get thrown around but still easily movable. It also gives me a watertight bulkhead at the bow from the waterline down.

Any chance of doing something similar? - sealing off the area and grinding up your lead with a meat grinder?

GFC · Mar 10, 2019

See, I learned something today on TF. Thanks.

Fish53 · Mar 11, 2019

AusCan said:
I'd also be concerned about anything heavy and unsecured on the boat, especially lead ingots. They could easily snap off a seacock if your boat started getting tossed around.
A polyurethane foam would probably work, but I'd make sure it is impermeable to oil and water so it doesn't turn into a mess.

Other than keel ballast, my boat has a closed chamber in the bow filled with powdered lead. There is a removable inspection cover to access it if it ever needs checking or adjusting. I haven't seen this method used on any other boat but it makes a lot of sense to me. Nothing hard to get thrown around but still easily movable. It also gives me a watertight bulkhead at the bow from the waterline down.

Any chance of doing something similar? - sealing off the area and grinding up your lead with a meat grinder?

I definitely agree I wouldn't want anything adrift in the bilge of a boat, nor would I rely on tape or adhesive to secure lead. My belief is that you should be able to turn a boat upside down and have nothing but food and clothing fall out. I like the idea of a accessible chamber with perhaps lead shot in it that could easily be adjusted. I like options the ability to shift ballast could be handy, my system simply requires removing two 3/4 inch nuts and I can add or subtract or shift in twenty pound increments.

C lectric · Mar 12, 2019

Can you build a clamp or reverse platform above to hold the lead down? 2 x4 or 2 x 6 tied/bracketed to the stringers crossing above the lead with vertical pieces to pin the ingots into place.

Securing Lead Ballast

ak-guy

Senior Member

High Wire

Guru

GFC

Guru

catalinajack

Guru

Gotwex

Veteran Member

MurrayM

Guru

Fish53

Guru

Comodave

Moderator Emeritus

Benthic2

Guru

Al

Guru

Steve

Guru

AusCan

Guru

GFC

Guru

Fish53

Guru

C lectric

Guru

Similar threads

Latest posts