GB42 Internal Ballast

[Mac G]

Is it common to find loose lead ingots used as internal trim ballast on a GB42?


Would the factory typically use them on a new boat, or is it more likely they were added by prior owners?



Looking for opinion from actual GB42 owners please.


Thank you

 

[Flatswing]

I had 1 on my GB36CL & have 2 steel ones in my DeFever. My GB seemed bow heavy-especially if water tanks weren’t full.

 

[C lectric]

Most ballasting such as yours was a previous owners attempt to balance the boat.
Many boats have a list. Juggling equipment, tools, parts, food and so on does not always work.

I had to do that even though I moved my heavy tool boxes and any other moveable gear to one side.

Some builders will ballast boat hulls that were intended for other purposes such as a fishing boat rebuilt as a pleasure boat. THose commercial vessels were built to carry heavy loads which they in fact will never carry as pleasure vessels. Ballasting in those cases is then needed. But in those cases the ballast will be secured.


Remove it and see what happens. You may find yours is needed if the boat lists or is bow down. You may find as your boat the ballast is no longer needed, at least for now. Don't discard it as over time you may find it needed if you add/change something.

Where is yours?

 

[koliver]

Many (all?) GB 36 and 42 have deck drains only in the extreme aft corners. Consequently when the water tanks are getting low, rain or spray landing on deck puddles forward of those drains. Ballast may alleviate that issue.

 

[garbler]

It’s trim ballast added by the owner. Factory ballast is always glassed in. If you have lead pigs unsecured in the bilge it MUST be properly secured against movement. Loose trim ballast and batteries are two things that can create serious damage and injury if you are unlucky enough to broach or sustain a knock-down.

 

[mvweebles]

As an FYI - 'trim ballast' is pretty common. It's usually placed at the end of commissioning to offset the final weight imbalances, I would think under half-load would make the most sense. Not specific to Grand Banks, though obviously placement location would be common amongst all GBs.

Typically it's the builder or commissioner who adds it at the end, not a previous owner (though there's no reason a PO can't re-ballast - the ingots are fairly easy to move). It's normally 65-lb lead ingots with ears at the ends that can be easily secured. Low and outboard is the ideal placement.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

I agree on securing loose ballast. With lead ballast I like to encapsulate it to contain any lead that is chipped off. It can happen with loose ballast sometimes. Since lead is a hazmat better to contain it than just let it get loose in your boat.

 

[Xlantic]

My earlier boat, a 1979 GB Classic, did not have ballast added.

I have read about GB owners sometimes adding ballast but I am not aware of any GBs with loose ballast added by the manufacturer.

 

[garbler]

My earlier boat, a 1979 GB Classic, did not have ballast added.

I have read about GB owners sometimes adding ballast but I am not aware of any GBs with loose ballast added by the manufacturer.

Your are correct if American Marine installed trim ballast it would have been glassed in and concealed best they could. The only GB’s I’ve ever run across with factory trim were the old early 50 Europa’s which needed quite a bit of lead and screamed for stabilizers. All the trips I made to Kaoshiung I never once saw a trawler splashed and tested or trialed and never inclined. They build them, package up commissioning parts and deck load on a ship. Commissioning crews were usually hired by the dealers and were hit and miss as far as quality. My crew commissioned Hans Christians back in the late 70’s and we were always pressured to cut corners and get it done fast.

 

[rgano]

My 1972 GB42 classic had no ballast, but seemed a bit bow heavy. That might have had something to do wit the 440 feet of 5/16" BBB chain up there. I took out half of it when I moved the boat from San Diego to Florida in 1990. Think that helped. You got any extra stuff in the chain locker?