Alternative to lead weight?

I was talking to a few people last weekend about weighting their boats and using lead to help out. A few of them mentioned that they have used 80 lbs concrete bags wrapped in a heavy trash bag as an alternative. Has anyone else done this or has any feedback. Not sure what I think about it, but it would be a cheap option compared to the lead products.

i have used sand bags that people put in the back of there truck. any hardware store has them. $4 or so for a 60lb bag. the bags are very strong and ive never had one break open.

The 80 lbs Quikcrete bags are $2.89 at Loews right now. Throw down a cheap blue tarp and wrap them in a heavy duty trash bag and it may be a cheap solution. The only thing I was thinking about was the extra weight when towing the boat and trolling around the lake to get to the ride spots.

Patrick, it may be a little more expensive, but I used to use 45 lb rubber coated weight lifting plates. You can place them underneath your existing sacs without taking up anymore room.

That is the problem with solid ballast like lead, concrete, and sand. Most people mix and match. They put about 400lbs of lead on top of the stock ballast, plus extra ballast bags. Instead of using trash bags, I would recomend using those big rubbermaid tubs. You can fill them with 2-300lbs of concrete and you might be able to fit them in your stroage compartments.

Hey Richard, I meet you out on Lewisville one weekend when I was riding with DanU. What is your login on DWB? I have been looking for weight plates for sale on Craigslist and haven't had much luck. I talked to both Discout Tire and NTB and they are not allowed to give out the spare Tire weights as i thought about filling a pvc pipe with those and sand.

Concrete may work and it is cheap but pound for pound lead is the way to go. A normal sized bread pan full of lead weighs just over #45. It is much more compact. I guess the downside is that you have to:

1. Find lead for cheap or free

2. Get the equipment to melt it, melt it. (turkey fryer or equivalent, bread pan, respirator, gloves that you can touch an effin hot pan with (I use an old pair of my fire gloves), etc..... and so on.

3. Pick up the pan w/ the molten lead (without spilling it on yourself and causing 3rd degree burns)
and dump it into the previously mentioned bread pans.

It was a pain in the arse but I was able to buy old tire weights for 20 bucks per 5 gallon bucket or about 15 cents/pound, so the initial investment wasn't too bad. I got 7 weights for about 50 bucks. I even put a stainless u-bolt into the lead as it was cooling and it made a pretty nice handle. I plan on having them rhino lined or the equivilent. It's alot of work but they came out pretty nice.

Looking back, I think I should have gone the concrete or lifting weight route.


Oh yeah, one more gif...

With the concrete bags I was thinking I could lay them down in the back lockers and put the bags over them. The back lockers on the Supra 24 are pretty big. I could also place a few up in the nose under the cushions to weight it out evenly?

As an alternative that is safer, you could put tire weights in a 4" section of PVC pipe with end caps. Make them in different lenghts for different weights.

Also, Pop Products makes bags of steel shot. Even with freight they are reasonable and safer than lead.

I second the sand bags from Lowes. They are sealed in plastic bags that are very tough. I never had one tear on me and I moved them quite a bit. I tried using concrete in PVC and while they do work they can drop and break stuff, or bounce around on double ups. Really hard on the boat. Plus they don't fill in all the spaces. The 50lbs bags at Lowes are under $3. Really quite compact and can be hidden under seats really well. Anyway, 500lbs for under $30! (plus tax) (10 bags x $3 = 500)

I did try lead, but where I was everybody sold it to recyclers and nobody was selling it cheap.

In the end I used bags and had a fat seat I could fill when my crew was small.

got to a tire shop, they'll usually give you tire weights for free.

much better alternative to sand or concrete. they both take up lots of space and are messy

In two trips to the tire store, my friend and I picked up almost 800 pounds of lead (FREE), threw it in 16 cooler bags ($10/each), and are good to go for relatively cheap. The key is getting the good bags...we've found the perfect ones and are thinking of selling them. Speaking of which, Scott, we have a full bag of left over lead for you and 3 extra empty bags.

BCH, what are "Cooler Bags"? I have 4 2-gallon plastic containers with lead tire weights, and they weigh 85 lbs each. I keep them on the dock, and they are a little hefty to lift in and out of the boat.

Patrick,

Yeah, I remember you. I post under "Richard-SSV" on DWB. I used to have a Nautique, hence the name "Nauty". I suppose I should change that now that I've had a Supra for 2 years?

Anyway, I found my plates at pawn shops and garage sales. Garage sales are the best place to get them as they will be really cheap $$$. Buy a couple of cans of plasti-dip at Lowes and put a few coats on them to keep them from rusting. I still use them underneath the bow cushions. They fit like a glove and add 200 lbs to my bow while taking up very little space.

Richard, thanks for the tip. The tire shops in the DFW area (NTB,Discount tire) are not allowed to give out the old tire weights. I may try some of the smaller shops around the Denton area to see what they say.

Too bad you aren't near NC or I could give you some sheet lead. I worked for a GC and got it out of a hospital x-ray room but never have done anything with it.

One idea I read about was filling pvc pipe with sand, capping it and stuffing them into the ski locker. I might have to try that one myself.

My personal preference is 80% water and 20% fat chicks...its easier to balance out that way

Brad, where in NC are you. I've been asking some of the shops I visit but everyone has switched to tungston (sp?). Shoot me a pm or email and I'll take some off your hands.

tire shops are kinda finnicky about giving it out. either they can't do it all, or they have several hundred pounds laying around. try to find an independent shop. a mom and pop type that would like a few twenties cash.

todd, i like 30% fat chicks. you need at least one more...

Hey Brad
If you deside to put in a remote ballast system let me know.
aniel@Make-A-Wake.com">Daniel@Make-A-Wake.com

Cooler bags are these random bags that my friend discovered that hold 50 lbs of lead just about perfectly. Heavy duty vinyl with nice carry handle for moving around. They even have a cooler type liner for water protection. Would anyone have interest in these bags? How much would people pay if they were able to get free lead?