Hobby Horsing Around
 

I recently added a Lewmar windlass (Pro 1000H) and replaced the 20lb CQR with a 33lb Racnor. Is it possible that the additional weight at the bow has increased the boat's tendency to hobby horse? It seems that way. Pokey displaces 12.6k, so I figured this amount of additional weight up front would have a negligible impact. At this point, I still have the CQR in the anchor locker, so I've actually added a little over 50lbs.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

If you've done nothing else to change weight distribution, than intuitively, the answer is yes.

The key word was "seems". Since conditions are never the same, I guess I'm trying to figure out if I'm imagining this!

Thanks.

Jbondy-

It would seem that your boat has a weight distribution problem if the addition of sixty pounds or so of weight is causing it to noticeably hobby horse. Sixty pounds on a 12,600 lbs. boat is less than one-half of a percent of the mass of the boat.

I agree, the amount of weight shouldn't be enough to make a difference. I just started storing my uninflated dinghy in the v-berth of our P303 (which is about 2,000 lbs. lighter than your Pearson). The boat is around 70 lbs, and no noticible change in handling. By chance, does your boat have any modifications that moved additional weight to the bow? Like a holding or water tank under the v-berth? If so, then maybe the few extra pounds were just enough to push it over the top, so to speak.

Has the tankage been altered over the years, either in size, addition or location ??

Just thinking here, but is it possible that a certain swell duration in addition to a mere 60# up front could cause a rhythm

It will most definately make a difference. Adding weights to the ends is the worst thing you can do for hobby horsing

I just took a look at a drawing of a 323 and it seems that all the weight you added might actually be forward of the waterline. Do you have a bowsprit or anchor platform that might push the weight even further forward? If the weight is forward of the WL then it might make a noticeable difference.

It will nod a wee bit more but I would not have thought it would be too bad.
I took away 200 ft of anchor chain from my own ship a wee while back and went for 35 ft of chain and the rest rode.
I think it made a difference, but that was a big weight off the bow, even for a 10 ton ship.