The Weight of things

[Maximerc]

Has any one ever weighed their boat " before and after" a reflooring ( complete rebuild) project?<br /><br />I want to see how much weight is lost or gained by getting the wet soggy stuff outta the boat and try to rebuild everything strong but light. Any thoughts .. experiances ?

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: The Weight of things

try it and let us know.....

 

[JasonJ]

Re: The Weight of things

I didn't when I did mine, but before I tore everything down, I could not put my motor in the full down running position while on the trailer, no matter how much I lowered the jack on the front of the trailer. Now, fully rigged, on the trailer I can put the motor all the way down, not even lower the front jack, and the skeg is a full two inches off of the ground. To put it another way, when I hauled the wet foam and rotted wood and junk in my truck, the back was noticebly low. To put it even another way, the waterline was about 6 inches higher on the hull than it is now when at rest in the water.

 

[doman]

Re: The Weight of things

i think i got it at least 500 punds lighter after floor rebuild ...foam is gone so is the wood ..replaced it with plascore which is about half the weight of wood ..so i would assume around 500 punds ....<br /><br /><br />Dom

 

[Catchem]

Re: The Weight of things

Same thing for me.Around 500 lbs between rotten water soaked wood and styrofoam.Big difference in fuel economy to boot.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: The Weight of things

Awsome well I hope to run to the scales before I start the big project. just want to get another two or three weekends out of the boat then I will post everything as I go along.

 

[MercMark]

Re: The Weight of things

What effect on performance would lighter weight have. Is there a point where you've gone too light and hadling gets a little hairy at speed?

 

[Maximerc]

Re: The Weight of things

The problem I am seeing is balance ... I hope to remove the waterlogged transom and floor / stringers and help my balance . The hull is like a bass boat hull and it is already fast .. I am sure if I succeed in losing another 200 pounds it will be a lot faster out of the hole

 

[JasonJ]

Re: The Weight of things

Balance was an issue with my rig because not only did I get rid of saturated nasty waterlogged structure, I also got rid of the heavy windshield, a lot of heavy fiberglass up front, and the back to back seats. I was moving weight aft by converting to a center console, so I deliberatly built the console on the heavy side to try to push weight forward, and later adding a casting deck, battery, bow mount trolling motor further helped to achieve a balanced running attitude while at cruising speed. Initially, with just me, and not as much weight up front it did not run well unless I had a person sitting up front. Now it is fine. Yeah, trim tabs would fix it too, but I have more fun with the casting deck/seat/motor combo. Of course, I shifted some weight aft again by adding a 5.5 kicker, and bumping my fuel tank, which rides against the transom, to 19 gallons. It added weight, but it also helps to balance the weight of the kicker.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: The Weight of things

Jason I have seen your Project , looks sooo awsome. I have thought about maybe building a under deck fuel tank that would run front to back will have to see how much room I have under deck the remote tank now is 17 gallons and sets pretty far back. I really get the feeling that I have a lot of water weight.. I cant believe that this boat was this poorly balanced from the factory. I would have returned it !! Jason have you noticed a diffrence in how the boat rides since you changed its "floormat" ?<br /><br />BTW its a 18 ft Baja sunsport 150 Merc

 

[JasonJ]

Re: The Weight of things

It is more solid than before, that I know, but in all honesty I never ran it before the project. I could tell waterline difference based on old scum lines. I had bought it, tarped it for the winter, and tore into it early the following spring. The new format is very appealing to me because I like to stand while I drive. There can be a lot of logs and large debris just below the surface during spring runoff, and a sitting position just does not allow me to see the debris. Standing and driving a conventional runabout is uncomfortable for me, so I spent a lot of time mocking out the perfect standing position while underway (if I ever sell it, the buyer would need to be around 5'9"). I can sit and drive, but that was of secondary concern to me. The only reason I even set up a seat verses a leaning post was for any passengers. I did configure the backrest to pivot forward so the seat can face backwards, and I can drill and pin it so the backrest can act as a leaning post (that was part of my original design, I just have not gotten around to drilling the holes and buying the pins). I have my fuel tank all the way at the back. I may reinstall it in the console this winter, just to move some more weight forward, the boat would benefit from a bit more weight forward. I have plenty of room in my console.

 

[DJ]

Re: The Weight of things

Maximerc,<br /><br />The link below was my last project boat. I took it from a full bass style rig to more of a pike/walleye rig. I would have made it a center console (done those before) however, I wanted something that would sell easily in this market.<br /><br />I estimate I took about 300 pounds out of it (lost one console, made decks shorter, smaller live wells).<br /><br />The Rude 90 was a max HP for this boat so I needed as much weight forward as possible. I moved the battery about four feet forward and the fuel tank came forward about two feet and turned perpendicular to the keel instead of parallel.<br /><br /><br /> http://mypeoplepc.com/members/djohns19/djohns19/

 

[Maximerc]

Re: The Weight of things

DJ <br /> I havew thought about moving the battery forward.. not sure if I can with the design of the boat though I could put in in the bow. Just always hate voltage drop to the starter. I have access to some great high current wire. Very flexable and lots of strands. I am going to make that call when I get the boat apart and see what is wet / saturated. I would bet that moving a battery from the very back to the very front would make a huge diffrence.. It seems so odd that this thing is this far out of balance. It wants to hop above 40 and I have tried the plate on the engine and a tab I built simular to ones talked about here. Before I went that route I was concerned why the boat hopped and I still am .. BTW I don't see a hook in the bottom. and the boat is on a ezload bunk trailer , the weight is spread out very well . This boat has two compartments in the rear on both sides of the well , I am thinking that they are filled with foam but at this time its just a guess .. and I predict that the foam is saturated. I did a little work to the side cushions and the wood was soaking wet .. I have owned the boat two years and it has been in the garage all the time.. never been in the rain and that wood .. was soaked !!

 

[DJ]

Re: The Weight of things

Maximerc,<br /><br />If your boat is porpoising, it's stern heavy.<br /><br />You may have a totally different boat once it's dried out and rebuilt.<br /><br />I would wait on battery placement and fuel tank replacement until you can determnine how it does, once redone. I made some "adjustments" to my placement of those items after the shakedown cruise. Leave yourself room to do so.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: The Weight of things

thats what I am hoping for ~ ! Thanks for the imput and hope !

 

[BillP]

Re: The Weight of things

I saw a web site for a 20' Mako project that the soaking wet foam weighed about 350lbs.

 

[Realgun]

Re: The Weight of things

I took my boat with me to pickup the kids from school as I had no time to park it. Everything inside is gone except the stringers. It weighs 1460 lbs now with trailer. I will rebuild and paint it when I do this I will weigh just the trailer and then again with everything in the boat to let you all know what it weighs. It a 1988 1700 Capri Bowrider with an 85 Hp force motor and the original Escort trailer.