Encapsulated ballast

[npbrown]

Does anyone know what the ballast is on the Hans Christian 38 and how the ballast was put into the keels of these boats? I have heard that they are lead but I am not so sure. Last fall we hauled the boat and there was dripping from the keel for weeks. I finally decided to investigate and ended up drilling a few small holes which released 2 or 3 gallons of seawater from a void in the keel between the bilge and the ballast section. I injected compressed air and saw that the holes, a couple of feet apart were connected via this supposed void. I went a little further forward and drilled another hole which hit metal. I tested the shavings from the drill bit with a magnet and they are iron. I am wondering whether the lead is poured into an iron tray or is the whole ballast iron?
My plan is to dry up the keel around the area and seal with epoxy.

Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks
Nick

[clonjers]

Ehen we bought our HC34 (1978) we had the option of buying a lead keel for about $2,000.00 (I think). Ours was iron.Never had an issue like you described.

[SV_Pegasus]

The ballast in the HC33 is composed of glassed-in iron ingots - 6000 pounds worth.

[lonesome_boatman]

Hi Nick
Was the seawater rust coloured?
Later Thailand built boats used mild steel scrap, plugs actually from punched holes in structural steel. Pantanawee marine had a good supply of these plugs and various other small off-cuts for ballast during my visits. My understanding was that the scrap was placed in the keel space and then encapsulted in resin to the level of the tanks. Makes sense and I expect that Respite would have similar ballast. Voids of course would be possible depending on how carefully the scrap was placed into the keel space. But you would expect the liquid resin to fill the voids and exclude water. Due to the volume available in the keel space I think scrap mild steel is adequate and the extra cost of lead was not probably not worth it. Never heard of a HC being under ballasted. I guess the only concern with mild steel scrap ballast is if it starts to corode and expands it may cause cracking in the GRP hull layup.