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I just finished adding 300 pounds of sand ballast and several cubic feet of foam floatation. I'm currently working on adding masthead floatation to both my main and mizzen mast. A #SeaPearl21 is a canoe shaped hull with leeboards 21'LOA, 19'LWL, 6'6"Beam, 6"DraftBoardsUp, 19' tall mast.

Anyone else sailing a narrow hull wishing to share any advice.

I bought my Sea Pearl 21 to sail in the cypress swamps, bayous and coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A narrow & shallow hull was my desire. Safety is always on my mind and I want to pick up any knowledge possible on the subject.

Thanks to the SCA for sponsoring this forum.

Regards,

Jude "BushcraftCanoeist"
SW Louisiana - Mermentau River Basin

Not to be critical, but by adding 50% of the displacement in "additional" ballast and flotation you have changed the nature of the boat. And adding flotation ("weight") aloft can change it further. It might now be prone to take on more water in a blow than it would have unballasted - and be counterproductive.

We sail an unballasted Mud Hen 17 (650 lbs, 155 ft^2 gaff), and if conditions warrant we just reduce sail. If it gets to the point we're past the second set of reef points and scavanging the gaff sail is still too much it's time to beach it and lay low. Keeping the boat light means it corks along. And, being light, I can pull it up on shore to sit out bad spells.