Stack of steel (cast iron) plates

[jamestownGB46]

Any ideas on reason for a stack of cast iron steel plates that appear to be partially glassed into the starboard lazarette ?
A rough guess would be ballast. Any rationale?

jamestownGB46

 

[Northern Spy]

I had a chunk of railroad rail glassed in for trim.

 

[DavidM]

Ballast to get the boat in trim.

David

 

[Nomad Willy]

If they were far outboard they could be for roll rate reduction.