Difficult to tell the scale as to the size of those ingots and how much they might weigh. There has been some discussion over the years about how the M15 points better with the skipper's weight forward. The idea is to keep her level, fore and aft, vs. squatting in the aft end. When that happens, the bow weathercocks away from the wind. Think lee helm. Nothing wrong with the design of the boat, it is just that it is small enough to be affected by weight in the aft end. If one skipper weighs 150 pounds, and another 250......they extra weight in the aft end will matter. To compensate, people will move the weight of coolers, water jugs, etc. forward when under sail, and will sit as far forward as possible, use tiller extensions, hiking sticks, longer tillers, etc. to enable them to do it. All this being an attempt to balance the weight fore and aft. This looks like an attempt by someone to install more permanent ballast forward. Again, nothing wrong with the boat as designed, it is simply a small boat that is affected by as little as the skipper's weight. The M17's are too, just not as much. If those are small ingots, and are permanently attached with epoxy, you might be "stuck" with them. On Oct 6, 2014, at 6:55 PM, AM wrote:
http://icenine.smugmug.com/Sailing/i-fpFGP2J/0/L/M15%20ballast-L.jpg
Dave: You are correct - I misspoke... I meant to say forward most compartment (usually screwed shut). Take a look at photo in link. These are directly against bulkhead in the bow compartment. I've read that Monty's eventually went to lead ballast - is this what replaced all the little steel punchings? Or does this look added?
The boat sails well, but of course it's my first M-15 so I would not necessarily know if it's been mucked with.
Cheers, a
Message: 1 Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 07:02:31 -0600 From: Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: M_Boats: M-15 Ballast Message-ID: <CAGjBOA67JBQNBY=cO4R0LX=z4138Lfg=pUhD6m0c+6YkRwkpaA@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Those bricks are not stock. Where are they located?
You wrote 'aft locker'. The 15 does not have a aft locker, just two port and starboard lockers.
Foam should fill 2/3rd of the under forward vberth and under the cockpit floor.
:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA :: Former M15 owner On Oct 6, 2014 6:37 AM, "AM" <middleriverstudio@gmail.com> wrote:
New-to-me M-15. Aft locker is missing most of the foam (will soon remedy with noodles) and I see lead (?) ballast bricks. Is this stock, or did someone add more lead? I know it's supposed to have a hump here, but photos I've seen looked a bit different. Anyone else have same bricks?
Thx
a