Lead Bars Question

I always have way too much weight distributed in the rear of my boat (everyone prefers sitting back there to watch, so the front end gets hosed...I have a 03 SANTE, and wanted to get about 200 lbs for the front...Whats the best way to make this happen (lead)? If so, where can I get some, and what shape/size works best in what location up front?

thnx

Eric,
I got some of the plastic coated concrete weights that come on most home gyms (pulley type with stacking weight). You can find them at garage sales for next to nothing and they total up to about 200lbs. Otherwise you are looking at spending alot for leadhedz and/or other products like them.

Eric,
Not sure about specific locations in your area for lead. Based on local costs here is Seattle and many posts I have read… buying bars will run .45-.55 per lb.

If you are still experimenting and don’t want to drop the money on lead yet… You may want to try getting some 80lb. Bags of concrete from Home Depot. Put them in plastic bags and try them under the seats. I think they are only 5 or 6 bucks a bag.

Another option is to get some 6-8 inch diameter heavy gauge pvc drain pipe and caps from Home Depot. Make some cylinders that will fit under the seats. Visit your local tire shops to get enough used lead weighs to fill the pipes and then add sand to fill in the small spaces. You should easily be able to get 200 lbs under the seats.

Some people have also recommended counter weights used by tractors or elevators...

Not sure how much weight you need for you SAN but I run about 400lbs of lead under my bow seats.

I keep 300 lb of lead in the bow of my SAN. That's enough to offset about 400 lb of rear weight (ballast or people). More rear weight than that and you need more up front.
I used to keep more up front than that, but when the ballast tanks were empty the nose was just barely above water.

Try Home Depot for sand bags - already in plastic bags (good idea to wrap it in another bag though) and only $3 for a 55 lbs bag.

Here is a cheap and clean way to add weight to your boat. I picked up 4 Gerry Cans from Walmart. These are 7 gallon heavy plastic water cans that lay down flat and fit under the back seat of my Tige. I also have a couple in the ski locker. You can find them in the Sporting Goods dept. Next, I got (4) 5 gallon buckets of lead shrapnel from the local indoor shooting range. The bullets explode into tiny fragments when they hit the steel plating behind the target and the fragments are funneled into 5 gallon buckets. Next I poured the lead fragments into the gerry cans using a large funnel... Instant Ballast!

Clean... Safe ( no melting lead and fumes) and easy to move around in and out of the boat ( the cans have handles!)
Anyone know how much 7 gallons of lead weighs??

I work at a Crysler dealership, and I take the old lead weights home from when we balance tires.
I melt it down over a camp fire and put it into a form. Just figure out what shape will work best, and make a form.

Eric, I bought lead bullets like Kirk but I diddnt want any lead dust leaking out by my kids. So I had Ty at Flexible Alternatives (tyb@flexalt.com) make some heavy duty bags. I easily put 300 lbs under the seats in the bow.



He can make them any size you want, put a fitting in the end and you can put your own lead in it if you want.

He also made a custom locker sac for our V210! I specified the size and number of fittings etc.

Good luck!

Wakesports has 40lb bags similar to those above but with handles to move them around.

Ty will make the bags any way you want them. If I wasnt so lazy I would have pulled the bags and had the handles installed last week! I diddnt ask for the handles in the first place, thats my fault.

I did however have my locker sac shaped like a point, with a fitting on top (in front) so I could get it all the way in the hole. Then I ran my vent line up through the floor, under the front cushion, to a through hull by the driver, so I could hear it when full.

Eric-
I'd say that you need more than 200 lbs up there..... I have a 02 sante and here's the way I have it set up. I know it's right cause Shaun Murray and Travis Moye helped me with some tips on the best way to weight it.

600 lbs of lead in the bow
stock ballast full-800+ lbs
2 leadheadz on the floor for fine tuning-140lbs
2 leadheadz on top of each rear ballast tank-280 lbs
1 rubbermaid container full of concrete under observers seat. 100+ lbs
4-25 lb weights from weightlifting set under back seat

hope that helps

alex

Eric,
Here is what I have for ballast in my SANTE.

195lbs lead in nose + Anchor 10lbs
Stock Ballast 820lbs
1 leadhead behind drivers throttle panel
2 leadheadz next to drivers side rear seat(between the seat and gunnel)
1 Leadhead next to passenger side rear seat
1 Leadhead behind drivers seat that I move around for fine tuning.
2 extra batteries under observers seat about(80-90lbs)

If I have more than 3 people go out with me and everyone wants to sit and watch from the back seats\cockpit area sometimes I do not fill the rear tanks. If a couple people don't mind sitting up front I will fill the back tanks. If find If you are running more than 1500lbs ballast, full of gas and friends you have to drive faster to clean up the wake. I ride at 24mph @ 80ft.

I've got one extra battery..... it's under the very front seat in the bow. I didn't count that .... I ride about 75ft + handle and GPS says around 24mph......
I do let h2o out of the rear tanks when a lot of people are in the boat. with the set up that I posted above we usually only have 2 or 3 people including rider........

My computer has been crashed for weeks now, so I just got online...I wanted to thank you all for the feedback on weighting my boat and options I have....Thnax