# Adding weight to the bow



## kcnokc (May 28, 2011)

I have a 17 ft Lowe, it has always seemed to set very low in the stern. A friend of mine said he added 100 lbs to the front of his Tracker and it helped it handle a lot better in the wind and was easier to anchor because the bow didnt catch as much wind. Do yall think thats feasible?


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## linehand (May 29, 2011)

I would redistribute the weight to make it even in the water. Battery and fuel cell to the front. Kind of like my paycheck


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## Jim (May 29, 2011)

I would try redistributing the weight also. What kind of lowe is it?


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## kcnokc (May 29, 2011)

It's a 1978 Jon boat.




You can see the stain from the water line. see what i mean? 
yes I have 2 batteries and 2 6gal fuel tanks but I hardly ever fill them completely. I really dont want to move it all to the front because I would have to modify the front deck to get it all up there and make it accessible. 
I'm thinking about putting weight up in the front to change the point of balance in the boat, move it forward. I normally anchor and catfish out of this boat.


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## nomowork (May 30, 2011)

Not on a boat, but I once took my double seated kayak out alone fishing without my GF. I told her that the front sat too high out of the water without her there so I added about 30 pounds of rocks on the front seat to stabilize it. She wasn't too mad.


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## Zum (May 30, 2011)

Is that a monster outboard?
Have any wet foam in the stern?
Does seem to be sitting kinda low,to me adding weight bow is only going to make it sit lower in the bow as well.
Be careful of weight capicity,I'd check for wet foam and then think of a way to get weight up front(redistribute).


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## flatboat (May 30, 2011)

are you having issues, does it porpoise . if not i wouldnt worry about it you kinda want it heavy in the back , it will run better if the weight is back there . i don't think i would add weight. most of the time i fish in the front so it evens mine out .


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## seif5034 (May 30, 2011)

flatboat said:


> are you having issues, does it porpoise . if not i wouldnt worry about it you kinda want it heavy in the back , it will run better if the weight is back there . i don't think i would add weight. most of the time i fish in the front so it evens mine out .




Good point. considering most fisherman stand/sit at the Bow while working the lures. that's a heafty chunk of weight distribution right there.


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## kcnokc (Jun 1, 2011)

Don't have a problem with porpoising at all. I really noticed the benifit of having more weight in the front when I had my wife sit up front going through a shallow area. I have a problem anchoring in current or wind because when I bait fish I normally have to fish off the back of the boat and anchor facing the wind or current. With the bow up in the air like that it makes the boat sway more. I may add 50 lbs at a time to see if it helps, I know ultimately I should move the batteries up front but I'm thinking about getting a pontoon boat and dont want to make a bunch of mods and then sell the boat.

Thanks for the input everyone, i appreciate it.


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## FuzzyGrub (Jun 1, 2011)

To me, it is a sin to add any non-functional weight,  but understand your motivation and short-term need. Even so, I will make another run at redistribution or a portion of.  

Take one of you 6 gal portable tanks and move it to the furthest forward, on floor, or if that is a lower deck. Latch it down. Since you are not in the bow, the above deck placement should not be in the way. This will transfer about 37lbs from the stearn to the bow, and would be the near equivelent of adding dead weight of 74lbs. This can be easily reverted back when fishing with two people, and when you sell it. You would also have to transfer tank back once primary is used up, but it sounds like your trips might not even require it. You can extend the primer bulb hose length real easy and for these solo trips, shouldn't be an issue with above floor hose. 

If on these specific fishing trips you are not using the trolling motor, consider something similiar for that battery, as well. That would be an even larger weight transfer, but if you are in rough water, might not be the best thing for the battery. If you are able to do both of those, I doub't you would need any more additional weight. Also, you have everything you need to do a test asap. 

John


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## crazymanme2 (Jun 1, 2011)

If your going to add weight, put a sand bag where ever you need it.I wouldn't put a gas tank up front because as you use fuel you are losing weight.Alot of people make that mistake of putting their fuel tank in the bow.The best place for your fuel tank is at your center of gravity,that way as you use fuel nothing changes.


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## KMixson (Jun 1, 2011)

You could try to move batteries, tackle boxes, and gear forward if you could.


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## lbursell (Jun 1, 2011)

kcnokc said:


> I really noticed the benifit of having more weight in the front when I had my wife sit up front ....




In writing this, you Sir, are a braver man than I am. I salute you.


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## flatboat (Jun 8, 2011)

you could always put pods on the back . not much in em but air , sure add flotation tho beavertail makes some 
https://www.explorebeavertail.com/catalog/BeavertailCatalog_lowrez.pdfyou


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## RPjet (Jun 8, 2011)

As fuzzygrub said you don't want to be adding weight to the boat. Redistribution of the weight is a better solution. You would not believe the difference it made on my Tracker PT185 when I moved the two trolling motor batteries from the rear to the front. Quicker planing, better line of sight and shallower running and drifting, just to name a few of the benefits. And the best part about it was it was free! Just a little bit of my time was all that was needed.

Give it a try......you have nothing to lose.

Dave


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## Tigerhunter (Jun 9, 2011)

I also vote for redistributing the weight if possible, adding weight as said before is never a good idea, slows you down, boat sits lower in the water...etc. I reduced weight in mine, mostly from the back and it made a huge difference in performance.


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## ohiobass (Jun 9, 2011)

I have a 98 Grumman 1467SP, and added a second battery to the very front storage compartment. (for the tm) and it leveled the boat, and really made a difference on stability while fishing up front. When i move around, it doesn't shift near as much as when there was no battery up front.

Boat weight only is around 460lbs, so this kinda weight distribution (29 series battery at about 70 lbs) makes a diffrence in lighter weight boats.

***Moving weight up front makes a bigger difference on V models more than flat bottom or Mod V model boats, when it comes to better stability on front deck.


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## rgpemt (Jun 9, 2011)

Definitely more the weight you have that is portable...fuel tanks, batteries, etc. The wet foam thing should not go unchecked either...Folks home think I am loosing my mind when I tell them that I pulled out close to 1200 pounds of WET SATURATED FAOM! I cannot believe the difference in the performance! I had to re-adjust the pitch pin on the outboard after the "refurb diet". 

If you move your battery(ies) make sure you use heavy enough cable...I recomend nothing smaller than #4 copper...even better is #4 Welding cable. Dont forget to "NO-Ox" the connnections to prevent corrosion.


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## kcnokc (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah thanks guys, I'll bet I do have wet foam, but if I do it will be under the floor in the middle of the boat because there is no flooring under the front or back decks. I've fished out of that boat for @ 25 yrs now,my dad used to have it before me. It seems like it was a lot faster just 5 years ago .
I was thinking it would be best to move the battery to the port side up front since most of the other storage is in front of the console on the starboard side.


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