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Old 10-05-2008, 13:13   #1
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Balast in a Prout 35.

Hi there,
I have a Prout 35 circa 1975 and have found a ballasted section in each of the bows which consists of iron punchings set in resin, my question is, was this added at a later date by an owner or was this put in originaly by Prout in the building proccess? The boat seems to float on her marks (waterline) but everything runs slightly downhill towards the bows inside.
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Old 11-05-2008, 08:09   #2
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Mike, I don't own a Prout (although I do own a British -built catamaran) and I can't imagine the factory installing ballast. When you say that she sits on her lines, has the boat been repainted? If so, the previous owner likely had the waterline moved to match her new state of 'trim'.

I suspect that this was owner-installed in an attempt to counteract non-factory equipment mounted aft. Does she have additional batteries, or solar panels or davits? Obviously, you would be better off removing the ballast and trying to move batteries or something else foreward to raise the stern a little. Regardless, for safety and performance, you are better off having the bows at their correct height and carrying their design load, even if she sits a little down to the stern.

Brad
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Old 11-05-2008, 08:13   #3
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I agree with Brad. I had looked at a Prout 35 to buy and it didn't have this extra ballast you are talking about... at least I didn't see it, and I did climb through the boat and inspect every inch.
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Old 11-05-2008, 09:49   #4
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Maybe it was a Previous owners attempt to correct the bouncing bow syndrome sully referenced in another thread.
Steve.
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Old 11-05-2008, 11:06   #5
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Thanks chaps, yes I'm begining to think it should be removed now, but here's the rub, how do I get it out short of cutting away the section of the bow with the ballast in and re-moulding a new section?
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Old 11-05-2008, 11:30   #6
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I would assume it is glassed into a section that is in a "v" shape where it meets the water, but is flat inside now that there is weight in that "v"?

If so, just start cutting that flat spot out and see if you can dig out the ballast. If you are very careful, you should be able to do this without a nick on the original fiberglass of the hull.
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Old 12-05-2008, 10:56   #7
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why not seize the opportunity and lengthen the waterline at the same time as removing that ridiculous weight in the bows ? bring the bows to a vertical stem -the chances are it would give a more stable sea motion whilst increasing your cruising speed . more buoyancy forward is always a good thing for a cat , it would likely raise your bridgedeck height as well as lessen any tendancy to dig the bows in . and then look at centralising any weight you can , batteries , watertanks ,fuel tanks , tools etc. etc. to balance out the additional buoyancy .
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Thanks chaps, yes I'm begining to think it should be removed now, but here's the rub, how do I get it out short of cutting away the section of the bow with the ballast in and re-moulding a new section?
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Old 13-05-2008, 12:00   #8
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Take it out. I fit does need weight at the front end stick something useful in the bow lockers.
Certainly not a Prout fitting.
About this era the water tanks were in the keels, take care not to damage these though I assume you are well forwrd of the keels.
Don't go froggy and put a vertical stem on it. The Prout will outsail most modern cruising cats, they were brilliant designers way ahead of their time. Enjoy your boat as she was designe to be. They started building seriously in the late sixties, yours is one of the good ones. If you have the wide bunks be careful not to overlaod her so they drag in the water, if you don't they can be added easily (Event style) see the Events at Multihullworld, Emsworth. There are two there at the moment. Warm winds, smooth seas.
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Old 22-12-2008, 18:40   #9
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I also have a Prout 35 Hull # 98. All Prout 34/35s before 1977 ,I think ,had 500lbs of lead in the bows (250 lbs in each bow) to counter act the weight of the old Volvo MD2B which weighed 500 lbs . My 78 does not have the extra ballast but my friends 1974 I Think #47 does.
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Hi there,
I have a Prout 35 circa 1975 and have found a ballasted section in each of the bows which consists of iron punchings set in resin, my question is, was this added at a later date by an owner or was this put in originaly by Prout in the building proccess? The boat seems to float on her marks (waterline) but everything runs slightly downhill towards the bows inside.
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Old 22-12-2008, 19:27   #10
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Thanks chaps, yes I'm begining to think it should be removed now, but here's the rub, how do I get it out short of cutting away the section of the bow with the ballast in and re-moulding a new section?
Most people open up the crash tanks and painfully grind it or chisel it away. the older prout 34/35s did have ballast in the bows . Factory install. The boat will not act to well with near plum bows as a tendency to want to dig the bows more in minor turns, and roundups. To much wetted surface in the bows .
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Old 05-01-2009, 08:33   #11
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I've recently bought a 31ft Prout (Hull No 41). No sign of ballast but the engine has been changed and the 'trim' corrected with an extra 50ft of chain on the anchor.
Engine is now a Ruggerini 43 hp. I will of course post performance details as soon as I can. I'm interested in how well it performs too.
It has been re-propped correctly. And is now on a fresh water cooling system. Hence some of the additional weight.
I'd rather carry 5gall of diesel up front than dead weight.
Previous owner had an engine failure at exactly the wrong moment. Proved to be slime growth in the diesel tank.
I'm considering a T valve to allow direct feeding of known fresh fuel in case of blockage/debris/growths in the future.
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Old 05-01-2009, 14:23   #12
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The only Prout that i am aware of that had Ballast in the bow's was the 34 /35 Snowgoose.
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Old 29-07-2012, 15:18   #13
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Remove Ballast in a Prout 34/35 Snowgoose

OK, I also have a 34/35 Snowgoose, did some digging and I have the metal punchings encased in solid polyester. I tried a little digging and it is more work than I want to do in the small space. We removed the original VERY heavy 2 cyl diesel and now the bows are down in the front. I would much rather be carrying chain, food and useful stuff rather than 500 pound of useless metal.

So my thought is to cut off the forward part of the bows and form new vertical bows. This would provide a bit more bouyancy, compensate for the extra cruising weight and increase the waterline. Has anyone done anything like this? Glass over foam, formed to shape? Other considerations?
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Old 29-07-2012, 16:04   #14
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Re: Balast in a Prout 35.

I would take it out for several reasons, most of which have been mentioned already. Another point is the extra mass means you will hit something a great deal harder with it in there--and a scrape can become a fracture or a puncture if one does it with any amount of way on.

I like any extra ballast one might need to be of the liquid type. As the fuel and stores stowed aft diminish--this loss of equilibrium could be balanced by the drinking of an equivalent weight of beer stored in the bows.

Seriously though--water ballast is easily pumped out. If held in bladder tanks uit only loses weight--but if the water ballast is held in ballast tankage, these tanks create extra buoyancy when emptied.
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Old 30-07-2012, 05:39   #15
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Re: Balast in a Prout 35.

Sailorman, if the ballast is in the bows, you will need to extend the hulls aft , rather than forward in order to get her to sit on her lines after the ballast is removed.

Brad
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