The best way is to load the boat evenly... bow to stern, making sure that
you don't overload the boat. The capacity of the boat should be on a placard
visible from the helm. Too much weight fore or aft will give you serious
control problems at anything more than displacement speed. If you have an
I/O or outboard, you can make up for some weight problems by trimming the
drive.

Have fun. We'll be doing the same thing next week.

--Mike

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
...
This is our 1st time "camping" for more than overnight in our boat.

I had planned on strapping the cooler (150quart) to the swim deck with
food &
drinks -- and putting all the "gear" out of the way up in the cuddy.

Someone said it's better to put all the load towards the rear and leave
the bow
light -- that seemed odd to me; but as a relative novice to power boating;
thought I'd ask for a concensus.

Thanks
-josh

Thanks Mike - I think that's exactly what I was thinking -- evenly spread the
weight.

I do have an IO plus trim tabs -- so "issues' can be worked out.... but the
overall balance is what I was concerned about.


Glad I was thinking "correctly"

Cheers!

-josh



On Tue, 8 Jul 2008 21:27:16 -0700, "Mike" wrote:

The best way is to load the boat evenly... bow to stern, making sure that
you don't overload the boat. The capacity of the boat should be on a placard
visible from the helm. Too much weight fore or aft will give you serious
control problems at anything more than displacement speed. If you have an
I/O or outboard, you can make up for some weight problems by trimming the
drive.

Have fun. We'll be doing the same thing next week.

--Mike

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
.. .
This is our 1st time "camping" for more than overnight in our boat.

I had planned on strapping the cooler (150quart) to the swim deck with
food &
drinks -- and putting all the "gear" out of the way up in the cuddy.

Someone said it's better to put all the load towards the rear and leave
the bow
light -- that seemed odd to me; but as a relative novice to power boating;
thought I'd ask for a concensus.

Thanks
-josh

On Tue, 8 Jul 2008 21:27:16 -0700, "Mike" wrote:

The best way is to load the boat evenly... bow to stern, making sure that
you don't overload the boat. The capacity of the boat should be on a placard
visible from the helm. Too much weight fore or aft will give you serious
control problems at anything more than displacement speed. If you have an
I/O or outboard, you can make up for some weight problems by trimming the
drive.

Have fun. We'll be doing the same thing next week.

--Mike

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
.. .
This is our 1st time "camping" for more than overnight in our boat.

I had planned on strapping the cooler (150quart) to the swim deck with
food &
drinks -- and putting all the "gear" out of the way up in the cuddy.

Someone said it's better to put all the load towards the rear and leave
the bow
light -- that seemed odd to me; but as a relative novice to power boating;
thought I'd ask for a concensus.

Thanks
-josh



What Mike said!