My aft is dragging

[Gary H]

At the end of my first year sailing my 22D, I am concerned about how low in the water the transom sits. The bottom of the transom is only a couple of inches above the water level with no one in the boat and the bootstripe at the bow is about 3 inches above the waterline. I imagine that the 22D is the only Cape Dory that was designed for an outboard with an inboard diesel (Yanmar 1GM) added as an afterthought. The combined weight of the engine, fuel tank, and batteries must change the boat's balance. My options seem to be:
-Fill the bow fresh water tanks (10 gallons). They are currently nearly empty. Does it make sense to add weight to the boat?
-Move the batteries. I think the change would not be significant.
-Stop worrying about it and sail.

All thoughts and advice would be appreciated.

[Russell]

The boats were designed with the water tank weight in mind, I would certainly fill them. And batteries might make a bigger impact then you think, especially if they are rather far aft.

I would probably opt for filling the tanks, as its not like thats a big project, then doing the just go ahead and sail thing. Moving batteries would make a nice winter project. And of course just looking at your general stowage plan. A lot of daysailing and weekend boats that dont keep much liveaboard gear on board, then to stow a lot in the cockpit lockers and little in the cabin lockers. Go through the cockpit lockers and look at heavish items that can be moved somewhere more central or forward (extra anchors and chain, line, sails, etc...).

[jen1722terry]

Our 31 squats a bit also, due mostly to the bigger batteries aft under the cockpit sole and davits/dinghy. We plan to add a small windlass and 90 feet of chain next year, which may help. We seen a few other CDs of various sizes with some squatting evident. Must be something Carl Alberg never worried about. FYI.

[Jeff D]

In a past life I owned a CD 22 that came equipped (by a PO) with 2 - 3 lead bricks in the chain locker. I think that the squatting problem is common to all 22's. I agree with filling the water tank as a low risk first step. I think that it was ~15 gallons which would add 120 pounds up front. Unless you remove the water tank there is no good place to move the batteries up forward.

[tartansailor]

Squatting makes for a slow boat, which should be pretty obvious. I know for a fact that on a CD 25
my cabin floor is parallel with the bottom of it's keel, as determined when it was on it's trailer.
If that is true for a CD 22, then you will know for sure the situation by the use of a level.
Dick