[Paddlewise] Ballast: do you need it?

It's a pity that Robert Livingstone & Pam Martin thought it necessary to
preface their otherwise useful post with an unsound attack on the very
notion of ballast. I use ballast in my Gulfstream, and so does Derrick
Hutchison, its designer (he told me so, and he also recommends its use in
his books, so I believe him). The reason is simple - a designer can be as
precise as he or she likes in dimensioning a boat, but  a large variable
remains - it's called the paddler.  An Gulfstream is a high-volume boat, and
when empty of all but a 165 lb paddler (me) it will benefit considerably
from ballast. When full of gear, it won't - it's as simple as that.

I have also heard the argument that a paddler should increase his skill
level, not "rely" on ballast. This is like saying that if your six foot ten
brother-in-law gives you his very long paddle, you should learn to use it,
not shorten it. It surely makes more sense to both maximize your skills and
optimize your equipment.

Having got that of my chest, my ballast consists of a flat-sided plastic
gallon container (used to hold anti-freeze) positioned on the keelson in the
day-hatch and held firmly in place with two straps rigged with "D" rings and
Velcro. A few failed experiments showed that it's worth paying to have a
shoe-repair store stitch the rings and Velcro in place on the straps. The
straps are glued or epoxied in place and the container can be put in or
removed in seconds. I filled it with fine sand, which is heavier than water,
just as cheap, and without the cost and problems of lead shot. I estimate
its weight at around 15 to 20 lbs, which doesn't add much to a day's paddle
but, because of the leverage due to its on-the-keel placement, will provide
a useful ballasting effect.
Keith Rodgers
 
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