New LI owner of a 2001 AS 225 explorer Question for SEABOB!!

[jdevoid]

Found my ideal boat on Craigslist- 2001 AS 225 explorer with Yamaha 225 ox66. I looked hard and long- Boy! do Grady owners think they have gold or what? VERY happy with her!!

Question for Seabob.  My boat leans to starboard. I believe the batteries- fiberglass structure of cabin sink area- the helm on  starboard and transom entry way on port creates an imbalance in the general design of the boat.

How do I balance the boat out? Is this a common problem/characteristic of the 225 EX?

[seabob4]

J,
Don't know if you saw the thread on THT, "Grady VS Aquasport"...yeah, Grady guys do tend to think their doesn't stink...

Anyway, that being said, CONGRATS!  The 225 is an excellent boat!  However, as with virtually all boats, there are imbalances that need to be addressed.  So, do this.  Get a number of 5 gallon buckets and place them on the port side.  It helps to have a buddy give you a hand.  With the boat in the water, you at the helm, and your buddy on the dock, start filling the buckets until the list is compensated for.  Water is basically 8 lbs. per gallon, so a 5 gallon bucket will weigh about 40 lbs.  When enough weight has been added to compensate, then that is the amount of ballast you need to add to port.  Birdshot in burlap backs is a good choice (we use lead blocks at Proline).  You can toss them in the far aft port corner (through the small access door next to the transom walkthrough) and foam them in place with cans of spray foam.

Keep in mind, if you fish with some good size buddies, their weight will affect the attitude of the boat.  Do you have tabs?  They can take care of temporary imbalances while underway, but not at rest.

Bob C

[jdevoid]

Seabob,

Thanks for the quick response. I do have trim tabs, so out on the water will be no problem.

I did a minor test like the one you suggested. With my two kids, 160lbs, standing to port in the cockpit the boat looked great. Is that a lot of weight to add to the ballast? Only place to add is the transom area?

Randy

[seabob4]

Randy,
Excellent!  No, 160 lbs is not a great amount of weight.  The reason I suggest the port aft transom is that area can be accessed without cutting any holes in your inwales.  However, if you don't mind doing a little minor surgery, you can cut a rectangular hole the size of a decent sized access hatch in the port wing in the helm area and add it there, sitting on top of the foam inboard of the outboard stringer.  It's up to you.  Can even cut the hole so that a ready made tackle box can fit in there.

Bob C

[RickK]

Welcome aboard jdevoid  :!:  :!:
Nice looking boat (other thread).  
Bob, from inside the cabin sitting down on the berth facing aft isn't there a panel you can remove that exposes the port inwales (and starboard too) from the cabin going aft (abaft?)?  In my 230 there is a panel.  Seems I remember a ledge on the port side if I'm not mistaken, that the weight might be laid and foamed?  Maybe things changed from my year to his?

[seabob4]

Rick,
Excellent suggestion!  I didn't think of that, and going aft (love the usage of abaft!) will only help towards getting the ballast in the midships area.

Randy, listen to Rick.  Not only does he know his , well, he also kinda runs the place!

Bob

[RickK]

Rick,
Excellent suggestion!  I didn't think of that, and going aft (love the usage of abaft!)

Thanks Bob, it's just that I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night  

I did a minor test like the one you suggested. With my two kids, 160lbs, standing to port in the cockpit the boat looked great. Randy

Randy, you say "the boat looked great" - were you in it too? or were just the kids on the port side and you were looking at it from the outside?  Reason I ask is that if you were not in the helm seat, 160 may not be enough.

[seabob4]

Rick,
Excellent suggestion!  I didn't think of that, and going aft (love the usage of abaft!)

Thanks Bob, it's just that I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night  

I did a minor test like the one you suggested. With my two kids, 160lbs, standing to port in the cockpit the boat looked great. Randy

Randy, you say "the boat looked great" - were you in it too? or were just the kids on the port side and you were looking at it from the outside?  Reason I ask is that if you were not in the helm seat, 160 may not be enough.

Alright, what about "athrwartships"?

[stringali]

Hey there Randy!  Another Smart Aquasport guy from LI.  I too just bought my 98 AS 225 explorer off crigslist back in August! You will see a pic of mine in my signature.  I live in Smithtown and do most of my fishing out of the Kings Park Nissequogue  River.  How about you?  where are you located?  This is an excellent site, Seabob and Rick are a tremendous wealth of knowledge.  Have fun here.  I got a great deal on Craigslist.  it has an evinrude ocean pro 200 that was totally rebuilt back in 04.  It is a great boat and got a lot of use this fall on it! give me  shout!

Steve   :santa:

[RickK]

Alright, what about "athrwartships"?

Nope, you made that one up  (take the first "r" out   )

[waterman]

Hey. Randy
also from Ll south shore. New to the site also great info here.  I have a 215 explorer
saw pics of your boat in other post very nice. Where you located? Pics look like Babylon village?

[seabob4]

Nope, you made that one up  (take the first "r" out   )

Whatever...

[jdevoid]

Waterman and Stringali-  I am in Babylon.  I got my AS for a great price.  This site is awesome. It reminds me of Passatworld.com- A VolksWagon site, which saved me $400 in one repair. Seems Seabob and Rickk are assets any boat owner could only wish for.

Rickk and Seabob-   I was not in the boat when my kids were on it. Is it important that I be at the helm? And why? Shouldn't the boat be level just siiting in the water w/o anyone in it?

I found the port side cabin, looking aft, panel. Looks like its held on by three screws. Could I move the batteries more to starboard? and is two Batteries max for the 225?

Thanks for the info

[RickK]

Rickk and Seabob-   I was not in the boat when my kids were on it. Is it important that I be at the helm? And why? Shouldn't the boat be level just siiting in the water w/o anyone in it?

I found the port side cabin, looking aft, panel. Looks like its held on by three screws. Could I move the batteries more to starboard? and is two Batteries max for the 225?

Thanks for handling this question Bob  

[seabob4]

Randy,
There are a couple of things you have to look at here.  One, how does she sit at the dock, with no one aboard?  Second, how does she sit with a load, evenly disbursed?  If she sits at the  dock with no list, then it's up to you to distribute your load so as to allow her to sit level when underway at slow speeds, the tabs will take care of on-plane issues.  All boats have imbalance issues due to dynamic, i.e. changing loads (versus static loads) that need to be compensated for, either via ballast or proper positioning of temporary loads.

As far as battery placement goes, well, they can be basically placed about anywhere you want, given your imagination and a sawsall.  But lets look at realistics.  Chances are you have 2 batts just to starboard of the keel in the bilge area.  What about shifting 1 to the same distance on the port side of the keel?  Yes, it would be a pain, but it is doable.  This may help, to some degree.


BUT TRY THIS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING!  Empty your boat of everything that is not permanantly attached.  Empty your fresh water tank, ditch all your gear, tackle, safety equipment, etc., etc., etc.  Don't forget the gear in your cabin.  Now, take a look at her ass end.  Sometimes, when we stow things, we don't really think about side to side balance.  By bringing her back to the way she left the factory floor, then we can start to figure out how she has developed this list.

As I said before, we'll get to the bottom of this!

Rick, did I do alright?