WakeWorld - Lead Coating?

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- Archive through February 10, 2003 (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=54315)

- - Lead Coating? (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52793)

I've got 1500 pounds of lead bars and a baby on the way, so i have to coat my lead bars for safety reasons. i know lead by itself is not dangerous but if disturbed can be. what are some ideas on coating the lead. i've thought about elastomeric paint... any other ideas?? Alan Bogdanoff

1500 #'s<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0> I coated all of mine with several coats of primer and then carpeted some of them (The ones I use to balance the boat). Congratulations and so much for the theory that lead makes you sterile.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/wink.gif" border=0>

1500#'s and im still trowing in a 500# fat sack. the bad thing about lead is towing it. but you cant beat the space factor. i've been weighing my options with weight - gold is 1204#'s per cu. ft., lead is 708#'s per cu. ft, water is 62#'s per cu. ft. i dont think primer will totally incapsulate them. i need something rubber/plastic like or i will be sterile. thanks mia alan bogdanoff

Alan, could you fiberglass them? I think a few coats of elasto would do the trick just fine. It may chip as lead is soft though. I thought they outlawed 'lead paint'. (sorry, I couldn't resist) Pat

What about using that spray on bed liner coating for trucks. Or how about that plastic dip stuff for tools. They make it in a bunch of colors and it comes as a spray or a dip. You could also put them in freezer bags and then carpet them.

1500 pounds of lead???? wow. how far do you trailer all that???

You can get that "dip it" stuff in larger containers. It makes a rubbery coating and works aweome.

Purposely sinking a boat with a newborn on board? Hmmm.... No offense Alan, but I think your baby eating the lead might be the least of your concerns. I know it's none of my business but when it comes to boats and children, I am a safety freak. Just my humble opinion... Matt

Although he's using a lot of weight, I don't see the big deal. If my boat started to sink, I know I'd have all that lead on the bottom of the lake before I'd be able to start emptying water ballasts. I know water seeks it's own level, but the point is, unless someone can give me a logical scenario, I don't see how it would sink with a couple of capable adults in the boat who could throw the stuff out if disaster struck. Now, an unattended boat, that's another issue. Let’s hear some opinions on this one either way………maybe I'll change my mind.

You will need to move around at first to get it right. I would just be worried about the trailer.

I'd go with the gold.

I'm out here on Lake Mead and she will turn on you in no time. Sometimes you barely have time to get the bow cover on before it's too late! I've never been to Don Pedro before. If it's a big lake Alan may be concerned. If the boat were to take a drink over the front, it might be tough getting to all the lead in the storage compartments in haste. What do y'all think? Matt

Call me an environmentalist, but I'm not keen on the idea of 1500 lb of lead tossed over the side and then contaminating drinking water.

markb wrote: "If my boat started to sink, I know I'd have all that lead on the bottom of the lake" Mark, I bet you have never had a boat sink out from under you. How fast would you be able to dig 1500 pounds of lead out from the bottom of the boat and get it over the side? How early do you admit you have a problem and start moving? Bad things can happen any time, but the real trouble comes in sets. It isn't likely that a slow leak would cause any problem, it is the sudden intake of water that creates an issue. Here is a likely sceanario for an over loaded boat to sink: 1)It is a nice day, or at least it was before a few other wakeboard boats showed up and started roughing up the water where you are riding. 2) Your rider drops, and you whip around quickly because you have a concern about the other boats nearby. 3) The gal laying up in the bow seats looks a little hot, so you decide to go ahead and let the bow bury under your own wake. 4) The 3" of water you just put into the boat was pretty funny! Okay, the gal in the front didn't think so. 5) No problem yet, bilge pumps are starting to pump the water out. You shut the engine off to make it safer for your rider to board. 6) The last rider is dripping off on the swim platform, the next rider climbs out to get ready, you move to the back to grap the last rider's board and someone else moves to the back to hand the new rider his board. 7) Full ballast tanks, 1500 pounds of lead, four people in the back of the boat, and an extra 200 gallons of water in the bilge. As everyone moves to the back, the stern settles a bit, all the water in the bilge runs downhill to the stern, further pushing it down. 8) You have a serious low stern situation here when the wake from that other boat reaches you and hits across your stern. 9) With all the weight in the back, the stern doesn't rise and the wake breaks over your stern, adding more water into the boat. 10) You now have a serious problem, and you have until the next wake hits to solve it. The lead is down in the bilge, hard to get to and probably hindered by being next to a hot engine. Your best bet would be to move every one forward to balance out the boat, or better yet overboard until the bilge pumps have caught up. When small boats sink, they generally go from okay to hopeless very quickly.

actually i have 1275# of lead. its really not that much. most people have close to a ton of ballast on there boat (2000#). with the 1275 my platform is still above water. the spray on bed liner sounds like a good idea - thanks mark. as far as the new born - it would be just a ride to where we set up camp for the day, by no means is the baby going to cruise on the boat all day - unless she does way 500# when shes born. as far as lead on the bottom of the lake - i'll take safety over environment any day. there is more lead in our drinking water then will ever be on my(our)boat(s). i'm going to look in to the dip it stuff in larger containers - that sounds like the ticket. thanks amigos

I find this kind of funny. All this talk about boats sinking and water ballast "finding neutral bouyancy" (mentioned numerous times in various threads). News flash: water doesn't find neutral bouyancy until those fat sacks are submerged or surrounded by water, which would require your boat taking on a lot of water and when it gets to that point it's not going to matter, your boat is either fully submerged and going to the bottom or just barely staying on the surface (depending on the manufacturer). Granted 1500 #'s of water can be disposed of, however not in an instant. Most of this comes down to being smart and using common sense. I personally got caught in a storm with swells that would have swamped my boat. What did I do???? I emptied the front ballast, filled the rear, and maintained forward movement until I got to a protected cove. So Rod, how is 1500#'s of lead any different than 1500#'s of water? My only thinking was that all of that lead would be quite a strain on the trailer and possibly the tow vehicle. I use 700 #'s of lead and it's hard to beat it for space and versatility. Another thought for coating that lead Alan would be to use that spray texturing that looks like granite. I coated a sub box with it one time and it was very durable and easy to apply (spray can). Good luck, Steve

supreme v210 #3400 lbs. + - trailer #1200 lbs. + - full fuel #250 lbs. + - misc. ice chest #200 lbs. + - lead weight #1275 lbs. total weight approx. #6325 lbs. + - You might want to check your trailer tire max weight ratings, just a thought.

i was thinking the same thing M.I.A most of us have 20ft and up boats they do sink anyway.

Quite an ambitious DIY project.
I would never tackle such a complex task, but I'm wondering if you took any before and after photos?
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