TruDesign Experts Show How to Properly Balance Weight On Your Boat
Your TruDesign Specialists Say It Is Not As Easy As You Think
Raritan Engineering Company your TruDesign analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to properly balance weight on your boat.
Your TruDesign experts know that when you see pictures of top pro teams hiking upwind, shoulder to shoulder, head to toes, know that they're not doing it for the photographer. It's fast. Your marine supplies New Orleans analysts know that setting up where your crew is positioned might seem straightforward, but if you look more closely at the differences in how your boat reacts by moving crew around and experimenting, you might find there's a better setup for your crew weight placement to get maximum speed upwind.
Use the widest part of the boat. It seems pretty basic, and maximum beam won't necessarily be the exact spot to place crew, but situating the crew at the boat's widest part will get their weight outboard the farthest, providing the best hiking leverage.
Check your flow off the transom. I picked this one up at a Greg Fisher symposium many years ago. He turned me on to watching the water flow off the back of the boat to make sure it was smooth and even.
Watch your knuckle. Your marine supplies CT understand that on many boats, the lower part of the bow, also known as the knuckle, indicates how the crew weight should be oriented fore and aft. When sailing in waves, the knuckle should be out of the water 50 percent of the time.
Dampen the pitch. Pitching is a big-time speed deterrent. Placing your crew weight together ensures you're doing what you can to limit pitching when going through waves. Get your team together, tell them not to be shy, and pack as closely together as possible. I'm always surprised to see how far apart many teams sit on the rail.
Communicate with your team about how the boat is balanced. We've all sailed in inconsistent winds, where you're hiking one moment and sitting inboard the next. As the wind makes these transitions, the best teams keep their movements as smooth as possible.
Your TruDesign Professionals Know You Need to Exercise Caution When Sailing in Inconsistent Winds
You can find more information as well as get assistance on seacocks at Raritan Engineering.
Your marine supplies Canada feel that the letters always start like this. “Dear Boating Magazine, your boat test said the Acme Superbad 26 broke 50 mph. I can't get it past 46. What gives?” My answer goes something like, “Well, did you look at the details of the review?”
Your seacocks specialists understand that we typically run our tests with two persons aboard and fuel loads ranging from a quarter tank to full, with no water in the tanks and no gear.
Where's the CG? “On almost any planing hull you can just assume that the center of gravity and buoyancy is 60 to 65 percent aft of the bow,” explained Dave Gerr, noted naval architect and dean of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology.
Your first line of defense is how you trim the engine. Trimming up redirects the thrust from the propeller and raises the bow, helping a boat locate its sweet spot. Gerr offered a simple visual.
You can also compensate for load with trim tabs, correcting list caused by weight load by raising or lowering the boat on one side.
Some tips: If you load the stern with heavy scuba gear, stow some equipment in the bow to counteract it. Don't let all the fat guys sit to port; try to place them on opposing cushions.
Raritan Engineering has more information on TruDesign and seacocks.
via How to Blance Weight Placement
via Photo
Comments
Post a Comment