Always a little bow heavy

LandVF36 · Post by **LandVF36** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:42 am

Our 73 F36 came with two sets of gas tanks. A prior owner removed the aft set (below the aft deck) and replaced the saddle tanks in the eng compartment. A vacuflush head pump and tank was installed under the v-berth as some point. I have 2 40 gal water tanks under the galley / lower helm (but I've disconnect 1 to reduce forward weight.

When the boat is completely empty of all our gear in the spring, and 1/2 tanks of gas, no water, she sits about level. Any rain water that falls on the bow will slowly work its way back other than a little puddle I get up by the bow pulpit.
By mid season, when we have clothes, stocked the head with personal stuff, the bunk room filled with beach chairs and bow cushins, and a full tank of water on board, she sits a good 1" lower at the bow. As such, my puddle at the bow pulpit becomes a pond and I have standing water on the forward deck along the toe rails 5-6' back from the bow. With all the standing water on the bow, all that fancy paint I put on the decks is taking a beating. It really can't take the standing water all week while I'm gone and its starting to release in spots.

I've been thinking about putting fresh and water tanks aft, or putting fuel tanks back there again to correct the attitude, but this would require ripping up the aft deck! Also, if I put a water tank aft on one side and a black water tank on the other, I would list one way when I leave port for a few days and list the other as we drain the fresh water from one tank and fill the other from the head.
Just looking for ideas... Something that I will likely not take on until over the winter.

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:41 am

Check under your pulpit board for a drain slot in the toe rail. When we bought our 1980 F-36 this slot was plugged by sealant from the pulpit board and water stood on the bow just like you describe. If the slot is open, the water should run off the point of the bow. This standing water was a big contributor to my foredeck coring rotting out.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:27 am

Mine is the same way , aft tanks removed and the genset was replaced with a lighter one , moving the water tanks aft would do the trick . It would also give you a nice storage area where there at now .

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:16 am

I was wondering since you are bow heavy how does that affect performance and getting on plane?

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 11:59 am

I see no real difference no mater how the boat is loaded , A little increase in top end when I have a lot weight in the stern , no difference at cruse

jav · Post by **jav** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:59 pm

The F-32 can have a tendency to bow steer if the bow is overloaded...does the F-36 do this?

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:34 pm

LandV's question was about water ponding on the bow. Trojan built in a solution to this one that some may over look....the drain slot under the pulpit. Moving equipment or tanks will not change static attitude enough to run this water aft and off the boat. The drain slot has to be open.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:48 pm

jav wrote:The F-32 can have a tendency to bow steer if the bow is overloaded...does the F-36 do this?

Mine starts to at 27 knots if I am light in the stern

LandVF36 · Post by **LandVF36** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:23 pm

Danny, a drain you say? So, where does it drain to? Down in the rode locker? I've not seen any holes in the hull below the toe rail up there, but i will look around this weekend. If that was it, I would be SO HAPPY!

Has anyone tried the "bladder" type water tanks? It seems like a good idea for fresh water, and would save me from pulling up the teak aft-decking to install them.

As for planing, I don't have any troubles. Two fresh GM 454s. If I leave the trim tabs all the way up, I will plow up to about 24 mph at WOT. If I tap them down just bit, I will climb up to about 32 mph on the gps and then back off to 2800 RPM where I can maintain 20-24 depending on the water surface conditions and how many are along for the ride. But most of the time, its about spending time on the water and we idle around at 9-11 mph. On a typical weekend, there is about 8-12 hours of the slow cruise and then about 15/20 minutes of at around 2800 rpm just before returning ot the marina.

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:01 am

Bow Drain : there is usually a gap in the toe-rail right at your bow, under your pulpit, that should let any water forward run off the bow.... unless your pulpit design or something else is blocking the water flow.

Having said that - sounds like you have a fundamental weight distribution issue. Try moving some stowed stuff back a bit where you can (or don't carry as much...). I have a bunch of crap stowed on my flybridge (under the fairing) so I don't have it inside and forward. I try to stow minimal stuff under the V-Berth, and put most of my heavy crap in the salon side shelves instead. Forward storage only holds (light) spare parts, clothing, shower gear, and towels. I have an AC/DC beverage cooler that sits in the cockpit under the ladder - this helps move a few more pounds aft. You could consider storing some heavy stuff (extra anchor and line, cases of pop / other beverages, etc) in the bilge aft instead of moving your tanks.

My water tank is aft (centered) between the fuel tanks, and holding tank is under the v-berth (but I tend to keep it empty so not an issue) so a bit different than your setup, but if my fuel tanks and fresh water tank are low our bow sits a bit low too... Filling the water tank (40gal) is enough to make things happy again.

Silly question : how often do you run your forward bilge pump (manually)? Usually float switches are mounted high enough to not trigger nuisance pumpings, so you could be carrying an inch or two of water that haven't raised the float switch enough to make the pump kick in... Flipping the toggle on your panel will kick the pump in regardless. On my F32 I can get rid of an inch or two of water by doing that. On yours, don't know if that might be enough to raise the bow the half inch it needs to run the pooled water aft...

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 4:07 am

Don't think drain...think molded in gap in toe rail like capainmaniac said. It allows water ponded on the foredeck to run off the point of the bow under your pulpit. It does not drain 'into' anything. If the last person to put the pulpit down did not know what this gap is for, and make an effort to keep the sealant from filling it, it is plugged up with sealant from your pulpit board. About the only way to see what I'm talking about is to remove your pulpit board.

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:18 pm

I was at the boat today and checked. You can, on your knees, run your hand under the pulpit board and feel the front opening of the drain slot. It is large enough you should be able to stick your finger in it and feel if it is plugged up with sealant. Watch out for wasp nests under the board or in the windlass!!

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:42 pm

Even with out a pulpit I have standing water on the bow on both sides , Not a lot but some . more weight in the stern it drains back like it should

LandVF36 · Post by **LandVF36** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:11 am

I was at the boat tonight. I looked around the pulpit and found no "drain". I didn't have a camera, but I will try to take some pictures this weekend. I doubt the pulpit came with the boat. There is a fiberglass ridge that the toe rails sit on. At the bow, the rails end, and the glass below tapers down, but still 1/2" higher than the deck. The pulpit is fastend to the deck about 18" back form the bow and extends over the bow. There it is blocked up at the forward point of the bow. I've guessing the block filled the "slot" that was originally there that you guys are talking about.
If someone can take picture or two of this "slot", it might help me restore mine back to factory condition.

sehord · Post by **sehord** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 6:41 am

I have a 33 sedan, and I actually lift mine out on a boat lift when stored, so I don't have these issues, but if you cannot find a slot or drain groove, it would be very simple to add a small drain hole that could drain through your acnhor locker. My line locker has a drain to drain water already, so a simple drain hole and hose into this space would work. I can tell you if you have to figure where your going to store you items as to make this size boat sit level then it is going to be a pain.... conversely water is 8#'s per gallon, so as mentioned earlier, if you are holding some water in your forward bidlge then it could make a difference.