Would adding ballast to 170 help?-gctid814946

[larcher56]

Okay - call me nutz but is there any value (or even logic perhaps) in figuring out how to add some ballast to a 170? I'd like it to be just a bit more capable in rougher water, and it's a lightweight boat compared to some of it's more expensive relatives. Would this even make a difference? I have noticed that it's more capable with more people aboard, so wondered if a ballast bag/pump would help when its just me and my wife.

Note: I used to own a 4 ton cruiser, so rough water was more like "who cares"! Now it matters! LOL [attachment=38353]


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[Don77]

Welcome!

As I have owned some small boats and had the same problem, I found that if I raised the drive a bit to being the bow up and slowed down to less than planing speed it helped the ride!

Just can't run at planing speeds with a small boat! Just not enough weight or waterline length to get a smooth ride!

Will adding ballast help I can't say! But adding ballast bags and a pump is adding something else that might become a problem down the road!

Just my 2c!

Hope that helps!

Don

[6104696]

"larcher56" post=814946 wrote:
Okay - call me nutz but is there any value (or even logic perhaps) in figuring out how to add some ballast to a 170? I'd like it to be just a bit more capable in rougher water, and it's a lightweight boat compared to some of it's more expensive relatives. Would this even make a difference? I have noticed that it's more capable with more people aboard, so wondered if a ballast bag/pump would help when its just me and my wife.

Note: I used to own a 4 ton cruiser, so rough water was more like "who cares"! Now it matters! LOL

In a word, no. It will make it sit lower in the water and give you a wetter ride. Don't take my word for it. Take it out by yourself on a choppy day, then add two people (~300 pounds) and see how it feels. it will make a difference where you put them, of course. In the bow might smooth out a slight chop because you will essentially be trimming down, but it will be wetter. In the stern and you will plane out slower, probably with no improvement in ride. Plus if you add 300 pounds of ballast to the boat, you are decreasing your carrying capacity by 300 pounds......

[Jay_Myers]

I too downsized to a 170 a couple of years ago. You definitely notice a difference in the chop. I would not consider adding weight. I don't think it would make enough of a difference. Nice looking boat.

[RobMick]

Add Smart Tabs it will make a huge difference in the chop