Motoring Without Water Ballast

[boaterjen]

HI guys,

I am wondering about the safety of making way on the ocean under motor with no water ballast in.

I note that Roger says in the 5 Minute Video that above 7, you can empty the water ballast and go faster, and that's fine.

I was just wondering if swells or waves at sea could make that unsafe? I haven't tried it. I thought I'd check with you all.

Why am I interested? Because my thing will be to go to Catalina Island now ad then, and it could shorten the 4 hour trip.

Thank you

Jen

[innervations]

We regularly sail or motor (if not enough wind or on the nose) to Rottnest island which is 19 nautical miles from the ramp where I launch. On a calm day with just long swells and not much chop I run the boat WOT with no water ballast in. Sails are of course furled, rudders and centre board up. We all sit in the cockpit and no one up the bow or on the cabin top. Boat handles this quite well and speed and fuel economy are much better than with ballast tank filled. It feels really stable and safe.

[dlandersson]

I do it all the time - be sure to pull your rudders up.

HI guys,

I am wondering about the safety of making way on the ocean under motor with no water ballast in.

I note that Roger says in the 5 Minute Video that above 7, you can empty the water ballast and go faster, and that's fine.

I was just wondering if swells or waves at sea could make that unsafe? I haven't tried it. I thought I'd check with you all.

Why am I interested? Because my thing will be to go to Catalina Island now ad then, and it could shorten the 4 hour trip.

Thank you

Jen

[Johnacuda]

I have regularly motored 30+ miles to dock near work for a day or two. Always with the ballast drained. Much better performance and economy.chop, waves and wake are no different than any other light craft. Keep everything low and use common sense.

[mastreb]

Sails down= OK. Sails up=no way.

[Catigale]

Let your comfort be the guide Jen

If its choppy enough that motoring fast gets uncomfortable, drop down to hull speed and load ballast. If its nice and glassy, you can empty it,

You will need to wallow for a few minutes to let the ballast fill in waves, or make minimum way (1-2 knots) while it fills. Be careful while filling, partial ballast will slosh and make handling wierd.

On open water like MDR, sails up = ballast IN as noted.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I usually motor without ballast, and if you are heading straight into the chop, it raises the bow enough that you have a much drier ride that way. But recently motoring through Charlotte harbor at night, I could not see the waves very well and they were hitting me on the beam causing the boat to roll back and forth probably 20 degrees or so. In hindsight, I should probably have filled the ballast and raised the dodger for these kinds of conditions.

[boaterjen]

Ok. Good Tks

[Crikey]

We regularly sail or motor (if not enough wind or on the nose) to Rottnest island which is 19 nautical miles from the ramp where I launch.

Innervations means this: http://www.rottnestisland.com/

sigh!

[DaveB]

Sounds like you are in open waters, Tho Catalina Island is only approx. 25 miles from base you are in the Pacific ocean and will get 1-3 ft. swells on a average calm day.
Ballast in, makes for a softer ride and less roll. You can motor up to 8mph with rudders down and partial daggerboard or swing keel.
Mainsail up with full ballast will dampen roll big time.
My experance is on my Mac.X, M may reqiure more planing.
Takes me 8mph + to empty my Ballast on my X.
If you get the chance, flat waters and want to burn fuel ,empty ballast . Just make sure you have enough fuel on return trip.
Dave

HI guys,

I am wondering about the safety of making way on the ocean under motor with no water ballast in.

I note that Roger says in the 5 Minute Video that above 7, you can empty the water ballast and go faster, and that's fine.

I was just wondering if swells or waves at sea could make that unsafe? I haven't tried it. I thought I'd check with you all.

Why am I interested? Because my thing will be to go to Catalina Island now ad then, and it could shorten the 4 hour trip.

Thank you

Jen

[bscott]

I only motor with ballast in so I can hoist the sails without stopping if the wind is good enough to maintain 5-6 knts. on a broad/beam reach. Since comfortable crusing speed on the E-tec 60 is 2,500-3,000 rpm at 8-9 knots there is very little difference in motoring speed/gas mileage, ballasted or not.

Bob

[mastreb]

I only motor with ballast in so I can hoist the sails without stopping if the wind is good enough to maintain 5-6 knts. on a broad/beam reach. Since comfortable crusing speed on the E-tec 60 is 2,500-3,000 rpm at 8-9 knots there is very little difference in motoring speed/gas mileage, ballasted or not.

Bob

I have to say, motoring without ballast is far more comfortable and less wet at WOT than with. You need to get used to how far over the boat will lean into a curve, but it does a good job and is VERY fun. keep it to four people or two adults three kids without ballast however.

It's also much easier to get the boat on the trailer ballast out if there's no current issue, ballast in if there is.

Now that I'm slipped in the South Bay, I routinely motor ballast out to the north bay to sail. Turns an hour sail into a ten minute speed run. The South Bay is very shallow, nothing to see, and there are pile markers to hit all over the place.

Passed "Madam Wu" (a Mac X) doing a high speed run and was waved over for a chat. They said they could tell from a nautical mile away that we were a Mac. No other sailboat can throw a rooster tail.

[yukonbob]

Glass calm days..yup no ballast wot... But been caught a few times (can come from nowhere here) when the chop turns to "whats that 'glugging noise…am I taking on water?" and it can take twice as long and difficult filling the tank in waves as it half fills sloshes and loses a couple gallons, all while trying to keep pointed upwind and the front vent covered as the water can hit the roof in the V berth and that makes a mess.

[boaterjen]

Ok. Listening and doing some thinking, I'm thinking maybe calm water no blast ok for short speed run.

For trip to Catalina from Channdl Islands Harbor, safety very big factor. I will leave bslast water in, motor at about 18 mph, sea permitting, for increased stability and readiness to convert to sail. Sea conditions can change....

My calculation says there would only be about 30 min difference in ETE.

Also, I thInk I've about got it rigged n ready for outings.

J

[yukonbob]

Either way I find I only get at most an extra 2knts without ballast and I know for sure it saves gas, just not sure how much. Once I left the gate open and completely forgot about it, and ended up powering (trying to make it to safe anchorage before dark) into five and six foot stacked waves for four hours with no ballast in. The Only difference I noticed was that the boat slapped more cresting the waves and a one point half the boat came out of the water and slammed hard. When we finally arrive at our destination I heard the glug glug glug…then I knew. The boat did great and I think we under rate their ability a lot, but had I known, I would have wanted the ballast in.