
Since I have had the boat, I have a mod (from this site) where I have run a permanent breather hose from the ballast tank bung under the VBerth to the Anchor drainage line. Apart from checking its patency from time to time I have not been checking ballast levels. Further to this I get my marina to put the boat in and out for me so I have not been looking at the outflow when bringing the boat out.
This visit I noticed that although the boat appeared full, when I looked at the plimsoll line the prow was riding high. I checked the ballast tank level and found that it was not anywhere near full. I got three of us to stand at the pulpit and it filled up to the brim.
Reasons for this:
1: I have put in larger fuel tanks in the cockpit
2: I have put in solar panels that hangout the back end
3: I have too much stuff loaded on the under cockpit berth
4: I have kept my galley aft rather than forward
5: I kept only lifejackets in the Vberth lockers
It seems that weight and balance is not just for airplanes. I moved weight forward, rearranged storage until the plimsoll line was correct at the front and the back higher to compensate for the human weight to be added there.
I have my boat back again and the change is dramatic. So obvious and simple but it is important both to safety and performance. I hope I have learned something.
BB