Lead has long been used for weights on ships, boats and other marine vessels. It is ideal for several reasons, including the relative ease of working with lead to create custom shapes and sizes.
Lead is much heavier than other alloys when size is considered. For example, to get the same weight of iron, there would be a need for almost an additional 40% of the alloy compared to the same weight in lead. On ships and boats where size is limited, choosing a lead ballast makes practical sense.
Another important reason to use a lead ballast in marine types of applications is the alloy’s natural resistance to corrosion. At most, the lead will develop a gray powder on the surface that will rinse off when exposed to water. This is very different than other heavier alloys such as iron that will rust.
For safe handling, a lead ballast can easily be treated with an epoxy paint or a powder coat. This prevents accidental exposure to the lead while also keeping the ballast in the same colors as the ship or the sailing vessel.
The Importance of Ballast
The ballast is used to provide a better and more equal distribution of weight across the vessel. This is critical for sail boats where there may be significant differences in the position of the vessel in the water based on the wind and sail.
For these types of applications, the lead ballast will be low on the ship’s keel, allowing for the ballast to have the greatest effect in keeping the ship in the righted position after a turn or a change in direction. It can be positioned on the interior or the exterior of the vessel.
The ballast is typically custom designed for the keel of the boat. However, in some applications, lead shielding can also be used in addition to the lead in the ballast to provide additional weight is required for sailing vessels, particularly those used in racing events.
