lead or zinc balls in hull help

[johnmc]

I have a 1989 trophy pro 25 ft twin 200 yamaha's. I have owned it for two years now . I like the boat but I am having a problem with 1,000 of bb size balls in the bow down by the bilge pump screwing up the float switch. I clean them out and more keep coming back I have almost pulled out 2 1/2 gallons out so far. Does anyone know why someone would put them in there?
by the way what a great list this is my first post
thank you ahead of time
john[/img]

 

[JeffN]

Somebody put bags of shot in for ballast and the bags have rotted out. I bet. Try to find the source take out what you can and keep cleaning them up until they are gone.

 

[Grog]

I'm pretty sure Grady put them there. I don't know where the bags are/were but a call to Grady will steer you in the right direction.

 

[johnmc]

I wonder why they did that. my motors are on gill bracket the boat purposes alot . maybe to add weight to help with that.

 

[JeffN]

I'm pretty sure Grady put them there. I don't know where the bags are/were but a call to Grady will steer you in the right direction.

Wow if Grady put them in there you would have thought they would have done a better job. Maybe glassed the weight in or something. Sounds like they just threw some bags of shot in the bilge. Yuck! What were they thinking.

 

[BobP]

Burlap bagged perhaps? Same way lead sinkers come ?

 

[richie rich]

Right Bob...those are the free sinkers they give away woth every fishing boat :shock:

 

[whitey]

bags of ballast weight,is what they are.my old trophy pro had them,the bags split and i had a million bb's all over.that was a real brite idea from gw.

 

[richie rich]

Whitey, are you serious? I thought that was either a joke or someone tried to use weight to overcome porpoising or something....where did GW put it?

 

[whitey]

when my trophy pro was in the shop,having rot repair,extensive rot repair,the shop owner explained it to me.i doubted the shop owner,i called gw and verified it.

 

[richie rich]

Whitey, do you recall where they placed it? was it forward, under the main deck?

 

[BobP]

If you want to replicate the effect, use 50 lb bags of plays sand for 3 bucks each, double heavt plastic bag, drop in base of anchor locker.

Save the lead for casting sinkers.

 

[richie rich]

Replicate it??? I don't think so.....I want to find out where it is (if I have it) and remove it before it screws up my bilge pumps.

 

[BobP]

The boat was too low in the stern, so Grady weighed the bow area, correct?

Isn't it called ballast?

 

[richie rich]

I heard of ballast for submarines and tankers....maybe even Capt Quint had some when he took Hooper on board the Orca, but is it normally required on a production FRP 25 footer? I've never heard of it.....maybe its common amongst builders, but I'm sure the consumer isn't aware of it.

 

[BobP]

I'm not endorsing the use of it by a boat builder.

ie. don't shoot me if you don't like the words, I'm only the piano player !

 

[richie rich]

no shots fired....keep playin'....just the atmosphere in the bar seems strange...what will they think of next?

 

[JeffN]

Just a question for the OP - Was the bracket original to the boat? Was it a converted I/O or standard OB set up previously?

 

[ttles714]

pretty lousy way to build a boat...if true

That would be a pretty lousy way for any manufacturer to build a boat If this is true, Grady or any other company, Especially one who's claim to fame is that they build a better quality boat ( and get the price for it). should be ashamed...I've been holding back on a new (for me)Grady boat purchase,even a used Sailfish or Marlin is a substantial investment. mostly because of wood rot issues. The problem as I see it is not in the way a Grady is supposed to be or designed to be built, but rather in the actual application of the building of the boat. Is anyone there actually checking to see that all the wood is covered with resin and cloth ? Even treated plywood will de-laminate if water soaked. This post about lead pellets being used for ballast is appalling. Did Grady do it at the factory ?? Did an owner or dealer do it because the boat would not ride right ? How does a boat like that leave the factory or not get sent back to the factory.. I really believe that Gradys are, by design great boats. However, I believe that they have some quality control issues and things just don't get done the way they are supposed to or engineered to. I am starting to think that surveyor David Pascoe was right when he looked at the two Sailfish. In buying and paying more for a "quality" boat, issues like rot and ballast or boat balance, should not occur.

 

[johnmc]

Thank you guys for all the replies . I will have to pull all the rope out of the rope locker to look for more bb's . my boat has the factory bracket with twin 200's. maybe just the ones with a bracket have the lead balls .