says...
I have been getting interested in building this boat:
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/cormorant/

hmm, not the prettiest boat I've seen.

Of course, I have to finish the Tolman Skiff first, but a trailerable
water ballast sailboat that I can build to my needs is attractive to me
but I have some concerns

Trailerable can be a great way to go. The trade-offs are
that you can cruise much wider territory (VMG to windward
65mph) but have to deal with trailer maintenance & highway
traffic. Frankly I would not want to trailer a 32' boat,
IMHO the 'bigger is better' attitudes leads to some
expensive hassles when you try to take it on the road. My
wife and I cruised a 19-footer (which was water ballasted)
for some years. It was cozy but very practical & we spent
much less time on rigging & other petty hassles than friends
with bigger trailerables.


1. Do water ballasted boats tend to be exceptionally "tippy" before
they are filled?

No more so than the hull form dictates.

2. Could this be alleviated by including a few hundred lbs of lead
sheeting along the bottom?

Possibly but not definitely. Is the added weight no
trailering penalty for your tow vehicle? All the lead is
going to do for initial stability is to sink the hull lower
in the water, it will increase stability if you put the turn
of a hard bilge right to the waterline. Otherwise, it's not
likely to make a great improvement in stability.


Any other useful thoughts? Yes, I know you do not save money by
building boats but its become an obsession.


In that case, build the best one for your purpose.

How about this one?
http://www.dixdesign.com/26didi.htm

I've sailed one of these and they're fast & fun.

Dave Doe wrote:
I have a couple a questions...
1. How much water ballast (approx litres) does it take to equal say
200lbs of lead hanging 6' down (on say a swing keel)?

Umm, about 200# maybe?


2. How much righting moment does a water ballasted boat provide given
the ballast is below the waterline?

The same RM as an equal weight of any other material... say,
feathers, for example... providing the same center of gravity.


And a cheeky Q3? - How much does water weigh - in water?


Not cheeky at all, just makes you sound ignorant of physics.
How much does water weigh when it's inside the boat?

Fresh Breezes- Doug king