Correcting starboard list

[furball]

My 28TE has a starboard list. I attached a couple of pictures that show the water line marks and battery placement. I'm trying to figure out the best way to correct the list. Thinking of adding a 3rd 4D battery for house power, just don't know where to put it. I'm wondering if anyone has any other ideas on how to move weight to the port side. I'm guessing the battery placement is pretty standard. The only place on the port side I can think of is under the port deck hatch, but I have to give up half or more of the hatch compartment to do that, and I really hate to give up that space. I thought of adding lead weight just annoys me.



Thanks,
John

[Donya]

Hi John,
I had the same problem. We started moving anything that was heavy to the port side, beer wine, ect..... Also carry the dinghy motor on the port side.

[muscrat]

Do you keep the fresh water tank full?

[furball]

Yes, that is with a full water tank. I also keep most stored items in the center and port deck storage and in the port berth, keep the waste tank empty. There are the prerequisite items in the head storage but most storage is currently on the port side. my guess is 200-300lbs to flatten her out, I plan to test that as soon as I get her back in the water.
John

[jcollins]

My lists to starboard also. I have the batteries on the starboard side. I assumed that weight plus my holding tank and head caused it. I also keep my portable generator behind the captains helm. That adds to it as well.
If you can keep the dogs on the port side, you'll have it made.

[Cape Codder]

Here's a cheap way out:
Fill 5, 5 gallon pails of water(any water) and place them close to the edge of the gunnel on the floor.
When using the boat, empty the water and stack the pails on the dock or in a row boat or whatever.
That's 200+ lbs.

[furball]

The dogs weigh enough but I can't keep them where I want them. I don't really care about the scum line, it's the fact that I have to lower one tab quite a bit to level it out at cruise speed. That seems to effect handling at speed quit a bit and probably fuel economy. I don't want anything heavy sliding around the deck. Looks like adding another battery on the port side or lead are my best bets. I was hoping someone had come up with a novel solution. Wonder what else I could move
Thanks
John

[RicM]

It is irritating, my last boat had one, only about 2 " because the previous owner had added a second battery. People would ask what was "wrong" with my boat, and it was a bitch to sell. I would add temporary weight to find out how much you need to move and how far. What side is the fresh water tank? I never run with a full tank of fresh water. It's just wasteful, 40 Gal X 8.3 lbs per =333 lbs, and I wouldn't drink the water on a bet. 20 Gal is fine for a quick rinse after swimming and occasional dish washing when not in a slip. We have a dockside water hookup when visiting elsewhere for the night anyway, we never stay "on the hook". Battery move is probably most likely. If you can do that and add 100LB lead that's not too bad. 100LB doesn't cost that much to haul around and if it counteracts the need for trim correction it's probably a wash in terms of fuel use.

It looks like the top photo is looking aft (looks completely different than our 03 engine box). Where is fuel tank? Is that centered? How much fuel do you keep in her regularly? I run 3/4 to 1/4, never fill all the way unless a big trip off shore (8lbs/gal = 1200 LB).

[JoeH]

My 28TE has a starboard list. I attached a couple of pictures that show the water line marks and battery placement. I'm trying to figure out the best way to correct the list. Thinking of adding a 3rd 4D battery for house power, just don't know where to put it. I'm wondering if anyone has any other ideas on how to move weight to the port side. I'm guessing the battery placement is pretty standard. The only place on the port side I can think of is under the port deck hatch, but I have to give up half or more of the hatch compartment to do that, and I really hate to give up that space. I thought of adding lead weight just annoys me.



Thanks,
John

[furball]

The water tank is port side, 36 gallons, I keep it full. Waste tank (empty) and water heater on starboard side. I have filled the fuel tank several times since we bought her in Oct. Always topped it off in order to check accuracy of Flow-scan. Just realized, fill has been the inconsistant part because the boat list keeps a significant amount of air space on the port side of the fuel tank when the starboard vent starts spitting fuel. Ric, once I get the calibration checked, 3/4 -1/4 seems like a good rule.
Joe, as far as batteries, I haven't checked the battery under the starboard deck since the survey in Sept, 07. I was at the boat today and noticed 3" of water inside the center battery box , around the battery. I could just squeeze a small hand pump tube in between the top of the battery and case and pump it out. Next trip, I've got to get a hose into the starboard box just to check it. We checked connections and voltage during the survey by lifting on end of the box and checking voltage off the leads, not the posts. AGM 4d batteries, so I don't need to service it, But I'm seriously thinking of moving it to the port side and just giving up the under deck storage Going to start from scratch, everything out and see how much I can correct it by loading and go from there.
John

[RicM]

I don't have one, but from what I understand, Flo Scan is more accurate than any filling routine. Diesel FloScan has 2 sensors, one measuring flow into system and one measuring flow out (diesel is pressurized and pumped into injection system, unused fuel returned to fuel pump). If it's working it pretty much cannot be wrong. Fuel filling can be effected by fuel dock, fuel pump, load in boat, even wind direction etc. It's dangerous to "top off" fuel tank as usually extra fuel ends up in the water due to ancient venting customs of marine tanks (designed when diesel was $.12/gal and if the sheen disappeared by the next morning all was A-OK). I keep a fuel log for the season and now after 230 hours I have a pretty accurate fuel burn rate figure for overall and cruising speed that I use for rule of thumb that is surprisingly accurate.

On the list issue, I would move the battery and anything else I could find to port and if at that point I had to add 100LB of lead to the farthest port edge it would fit I would not worry about it. The added energy to push 100 lb would be offset by less use of trim tabs.

I'm not knocking your boat, but the Albin 28 hull was originally designed around the engine being considerably more aft than the flush deck version. In the engine box version the #1 battery is dead on the center line and forward of the engine. My #2 battery is next to it on the port side, but so close to center it probably doesn't matter much. The flush deck design and Newport Edition was a reaction to market forces and comparison to cruising/picnic boats like the Back Cove 29. The original 28TE was designed after a North Sea work boat/ New England bass boat like the Fortiers and was considered an improvement over traditional motorbox inboards. When you follow the market in design rather than lead it, as Albin did in the past, less than desirable results can occur. Given another couple of years of production they probably would have worked out the weight distribution issues on the flush decks. Instead they have left it to the owners.

[jcollins]

In the engine box version the #1 battery is dead on the center line and forward of the engine. My #2 battery is next to it on the port side, but so close to center it probably doesn't matter much.

All 3 of my batteries are on the starboard side plus the impossible-to-get-to water hearter. Nothing in front of the engine except bilge water.

[Saltdog]

Mine lists a little to starboard as well and my batteries are in the middle. I wonder what causes that?

[furball]

I worked on it this weekend. Moved EVERYTHING to the port side, topped off the water tank, emptied waste tank, loaded all new items to port except life-jackets and bumpers. I'm about an inch out now but I still have to fill the water heater(starboard) and find a new place on the port side for my spare anchor. With limited storage space to begin with, I hate not using all I have. It's an interesting puzzle. I think my best solution is to get as close as I can while supplying an then make up the 200lb difference in fishing tackle trim problem solved.
I wonder if folks with the transom door on the starboard side have a starboard list?
John

[RicM]

You mean you haven't bought 200 pounds of lead sinkers yet? Carrying sinkers around seem less wasteful than just adding ballast don't you think? The result is the same but the psychology is better. This is an interesting problem because of the change in the center of gravity caused by the engine being moved forward. Is your boat a "Newport" or "Gatsby" with the L seating? Remember it's not just how much weight, but distance from the center of gravity, and height above the center as well.....