Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:18pm

I am about to put my 36ft narrowboat into the water at the moment it has no ballast is this ok can it be done once in the water or is it best to put some in now it has 10mm base 6mm sides and 4mm top there is an engine fitted.

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:52pm

Dear Timothy, Unless you need to move it a great distance under its own power I can see no reason not to ballast until it in the water. This may save you on cranage costs because you may be able to use a smaller crane and it must be easier to carry the ballast abroad if there are no ladders to climb up. You will have to fit at least some of the flooring before you can start fitting out so remember to leave some ballast out to compensate for (say) the holding tank unless its to be on the boat's centre line. Also think about the weight of the fit-out and leave some floor boards unfixed so you can lay trimming ballast on one side of the boat to counteract any final list. The areas either side of the swim that are often used for this are far more useful for "dirty" storage. Tony Brooks