Dreamsicle's dry and I have a questions.

[Mikey]

Damn! Sitting in the water sure looks a lot better than sitting in that shed. Ah, well. We're gettin there.
First question. She appear (fully loaded) to sit bow proud, the flair in the chine at the stern is below the water line and the bow sticks up. The owner of the yard suggests adding some lead to the bow to bring her bow down and the chine out of the water so that the boot top stripe can run the natural line above the chine. What think you all?
Second question. After looking at the "images" on the B-31 site I can't determine where the exhaust should sit when the boat is at rest. Some of the pix show exhausts that are barely in the water and some show exhausts barely above the water. What?
As always, my gratitude.

[Bill P]

I've Volvo diesel's and the water line is about one half inch above the bottom of the exhaust.
Bill

[Bruce]

Mikey,
I wouldn't add any weight until its loaded with all your gear and you run sea trials.

Having the chine below the water with full fuel is common.
Exhaust outlets and water vary also.

[CaptPatrick]

Mikey,

Look back at the post "Lead in your bottom"

Look back through the images, I think that you'll see that those with low exhausts are also low at the chine & vise-versa, indicating topped off fuel or low fuel, and possibly other loading factors.

The rule of thumb for longitudinal loading of a B31 is 60% aft of the forward engine space bulkhead & 40% forward of it.

On a stock installation, running between the stringers, the center of the exhaust tube exits just about even with the point of the chine. On outboard exhausts it'll be a little bit higher.

Br,

Patrick

[Doug Crowther]

Mikey,
My 6 inch exhausts are fully submerged.

Low Rider

[Craig Mac]

If I remember correctly, in some of the earliest print ads for the 31---Bertram touted that the chines were above the water which enabled the boat to spin on a dime docking or fighting a fish.

[CaptPatrick]

Craig,

That would have been true, especially pre-1972 with only 173 gallons of fuel & a pair of small block gas engines...

Br,

Patrick

[Thums Up]

I know a lot of commercial boats up here use custom blocks, they make to fit there bilge from concrete. That way if they need to lose the weight for some reason, to many fish or some emergancy you can just toss it over. I guess yo can do it with lead but just hope no one is watching.

[Dave Kosh R.I.P.]

Mickey,
Mine are outboard exhausts 6" . With my normal fuel 288 gallons of diesel ( I keep my tanks topped off always) and tons of gear with a military hull (big big stringers and more glass) they are about 65% under water. Light fuel and they are almost out of the water. Dave K

[Mikey]

Thanks Guys, I'm on it.