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Lead Ballast in the V berth

Fortin024

Member
Hey guys,

I was wondering if I'm the only one who's got lead Ballast in the forward V berth compartment or if it was built like this. And if so, what was the reason behind it. It doesn't look original to me.
 

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Hey,
My 1980 382 has it as well. It was put there to compensate for lack of chain for boats that didnt have an all chain rode from what i've read in the forum. for people that were more coastal sailing and didnt need alot of chain. i've taken alot of mine out since i got 220' of anchor chain. Pretty sure its original. Ive considered relocating the lead pucks to the old holding tank in the aft end of the keel.
 
There were two reasons given for the addition of the 300 pounds of lead up forward. One was the the lack of a windlass and an all chain rode on most of the boats coming out of the factory. The second was that the Yanmar and 4-108 engines weighed over 200 pounds more then was expected, requiring weight up forward to balance the boat.

When we added a windlass and chain to the boat we removed the lead ingots. It was the hardest job I've ever accomplished on the boat. but with the all chain rode we sleep better at night. So it was certainly worth the effort.

Jim
 
Mine is gone, too. but luckily I did not have to do the work. I think there are past posts on how to accomplish the removal--one hopes without damaging the hull layup.
 
Thanks everyone for your answers. Would you say it's worth removing? I fear damaging the hull as stated by Terry.
 
Thanks everyone for your answers. Would you say it's worth removing? I fear damaging the hull as stated by Terry.
I suppose I could see going either way. On the one hand it is very easy to overload these boats aft. Maybe it’s worth keeping in there in case you want to, for example, mount solar panels on a rigid bimini, or keep an outboard motor on the aft rails. I do not have the lead ingots in mine and it is often a struggle to stay level with our cove stripe. Having extra people in the cockpit raises the bow a few inches and boat speed begins to struggle a bit. When I have others aboard, I stuff my tool bags and anything else heavy in the v-berth while under sail to counteract the effect.

On the other hand, 300 lbs is 300 lbs. If you don’t need it, and don't struggle with the issues I have, get rid of it.

Regarding hull damage, the layup schedule in that area of the boat (below the waterline) is on the order of 5/8” to 1” thick, probably thicker at the centerline. As you probably know, the hull was made in two halves, which are pretty hefty on their own. Then they were glassed together with likely several more layers inside and out. As long as you don’t plunge straight down into it with an angle grinder, I highly doubt you will be able to compromise the hull without noticing you’re cutting way, way, way to deep into solid fiberglass.
 
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I took the lead ingots out recently the season after changing the engine from the original heavy Yanmar to a lighter Beta, since the boat was noticeably down in the bow.

The ingots come out pretty easily with a wood chisel and a flat pry bar and a hammer. I also tried a drill to get started on the top. You just drive the chisel or bar between the pucks and the resin is pretty brittle and will shatter allowing the ingot to come free. Take them out one by one that way. It didn't take that long, most of the resin seemed to be in the top layers. A lot of them were still attached to each other in groups of five ingots and came out as a group. You can avoid hitting the hull if you are careful.

There are 60 of them, each 5 lbs. I still have them and don't know what to do with them.
 
Altho I may be wrong, I do not believe the hull halves were glassed on the outside, at least everywhere, which would have been gelcoated in the molds. When I did a bottom barrier coat job, we removed all the gelcoat and found a groove between the two hull parts from the waterline all the way down to the top of the fin. It had been filled with so me sort of putty. The yard put a few layers of glass over it.
 
Altho I may be wrong, I do not believe the hull halves were glassed on the outside, at least everywhere, which would have been gelcoated in the molds. When I did a bottom barrier coat job, we removed all the gelcoat and found a groove between the two hull parts from the waterline all the way down to the top of the fin. It had been filled with so me sort of putty. The yard put a few layers of glass over it.
Terry,
I appreciate this info. Thank you for the correction. Glad in retrospect to have used the qualifier ‘likely’. I almost wish I didn’t know that! I guess from a mold making perspective that sort of makes sense. It would be hard to fair a big external patch that ran the length of the boat.

I wonder how many layers of glass bond the halves together? Maybe someone with access to the drawing set will have some insight.
 
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