Tom Cat sitting low?

Z

Zydecomo

New member
I noticed something unusual with the way my TCat 24 is sitting in the water. She seems to sit about 2 inches lower on the starboard stern. I cant find any water in the hull. I have no water in my water tank and fuel levels are equal at 1/2 full. Port side seems normal. Any ideas on what I'm missing?
Phil
 
Hi Phil,
I don't have any help on your question, but was curious about another thing.
Did I see where you were going to mount Permatrims on your cat?
If so and you have, what is your feelings regarding their effect on the boat?

Gordon
 
Phil. From the very first we noticed the same thing on our Tomcat, but it is only about 1" at the most. Don't know how your TC is set up, but we have two batteries on the STB side, plus the cables for the steering, etc. and also the porta potty and its enclosure. We do have a battery on the port side which would balance out one on the STB. I really don't know if that is the explanation for the difference, but it could account at least be some of it.
 
How much stuff do you have under the sink cabnet and other storage areas on the starboard side of the boat....and....your water level may be getting low too... just add water.
 
Ted Osborne":6p3i7gxn said:
Phil. From the very first we noticed the same thing on our Tomcat, but it is only about 1" at the most. Don't know how your TC is set up, but we have two batteries on the STB side, plus the cables for the steering, etc. and also the porta potty and its enclosure. We do have a battery on the port side which would balance out one on the STB. I really don't know if that is the explanation for the difference, but it could account at least be some of it.
Click to expand...

The cables for the steering got me thinking about all of the wires etc. that run forward on the starboard side. Steering, throttle, power supply. The mess that comes up from under the console that the shifter is mounted on and runs behind the dash is as big around as my wrist. Altogether that probably amounts to a hefty sum.
 
One scarey thought someone mentioned was what if the thru hull for the head was leaking water into the balsa core? Hmmmm? I also wonder what if it has always been like this and I just noticed it recently? Thats even scarier! C-dory factory has not returned my call yet.
Phil
 
Next time your at the boat, try adding a little weight at a time along the port side of the cockpit. This would give you some idea of the ballast that will be necesary to level the boat, and an idea of how much weight is causing the starboard side to sit low. Its certainly not an exact science.
There is alot of stuff behind amidship on the starboard side. It may be purposefully heavy to starboard, to compensate for the water tank and holding tank.
An extra 5 or 10 gallons of gas on that side could have an affect on the trim and really not show that much on the gauges(characters of questionable behavior anyway).

Gordon
 
Gordon is on target with what I was speaking of. Most folks have access to 5 gallon plastic buckets. Just fill a couple/few of them till she levels out. Look at shifting some of the "stuff we always keep on board" to the port side. I always carried gallon jugs of water for drinking and cooking...and just used the water tank for showering and washing dishes. And, I had a 6 gallon hot water heater also under the sink that always stayed full. I had to move 6 gallon jugs to the port side just to offset what was always under the sink in the water heater. And...I was bad to use the head area as a "closet.." It is so easy to just put some "stuff" in there for a bit... and it added up real fast. I only used my head on one river trip that I had a guest on board. Saying that, my holding tanks were also empty. Wow, I wish I had cut them out and used that area for storage. The balance of the vessel has to or "might have been" designed with a 1/2 full mind set. Holding tanks 1/2 full, water tanks 1/2 full, fuel tanks 1/2 full... Now where we put our stuff....can change every day...and did on my TC24. And, it took me a while, but a light bulb went off in my head one night and after toping off both tanks (rarely did this due to simply not needing to carry this much fuel weight unless traveling), ...that I could use the waste tanks as a ballast. Just add fresh water, and pump her down if I needed...or...if I needed to add water (fresh water use), simply fill it with the raw water wash down as needed.

And yes, you are on target as far as getting your boat's thru hulls looked at....particuarly if she stays in the water as mine did. Now others on here are way smarter than me, but I think their is some type of moisture check that can be performed by marine surveyors... that can tell you for sure if you have a "dry hull."
 
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