Blacktip Scooter- Limited To Weighting, Buoyancy and Trim

[RayfromTX]

I have just received my new Blacktip. I'm taking it to Cozumel for an extended trip. I'd like to get it close on weighting before I go to avoid taking more adjustment weights that necessary. There are several comments about weighting this scooter sprinkled through the threads here and in a couple of videos on youtube and FB but I'm hoping to get the info grouped into one thread for future searches by other members. I also see some conflicting suggestions and strategies related to both fresh and salt water. I am personally looking for weighting for 12AH Dewalt batteries in salt water but others have other conditions and configurations.

I think I'm also interested in finding a way to store the travel caps for the batteries inside the tube with the batteries which will add 1.8 ounces internally. Some info here says that for me both plates would stay in and I would be about neutral while others say I will need a small amount of lead shot and still others suggest removing the steel plate and using lead shot in an amount lighter than the steel plate. I suspect there is some variance in the buoyancy from unit to unit and the batteries vary some too. Mine weight 50.9 ounces each with the caps removed. With both plates and the batteries in mine comes to 23.9 pounds with the compass installed. and a bit over 24 pounds with two bolt snaps attached.

 

[broncobowsher]

The compass makes for a wild card. You have the weight of it when on dry land, have no idea of how much displacement (buoyancy) it makes in the water. So your numbers will be different than anyone else, unless they have the same compass you have. This is guessing this is a larger, heavier compass and not some little lightweight otherwise you probably wouldn't have mentioned it.

 

[RayfromTX]

the compass is the sea rover by seattle sports. Probably neutral in water so I should weigh the scooter without it.

Edit to add:
the compass is ever so slightly negative in fresh water so probably neutral in salt water. I removed it and put both plates in and with the three bolt snaps I have and the battery caps stashed inside the scooter body I am right at 25 pounds so it seems I may indeed need to remove the steel plate and add some amount of lead shot in the nose.

Any suggestions?

 

[NothingClever]

Hey, @RayfromTX

Are you back from Mexico yet?

Just curious how you’re getting along with the BlackTip.

 

[RayfromTX]

I leave for Cozumel on Thursday. It will be tested soon. I did pimp my ride though with a vinyl wrap on the tube.

 

[Mo2vation]

the compass is the sea rover by seattle sports. Probably neutral in water so I should weigh the scooter without it.

Edit to add:
the compass is ever so slightly negative in fresh water so probably neutral in salt water. I removed it and put both plates in and with the three bolt snaps I have and the battery caps stashed inside the scooter body I am right at 25 pounds so it seems I may indeed need to remove the steel plate and add some amount of lead shot in the nose.

Any suggestions?

FYI : A wee bit positive in Salt water. Negligible.

- K

 

[broncobowsher]

Nice wrap

 

[NothingClever]

I did pimp my ride though with a vinyl wrap on the tube.

Looks fast, like Suzuki blue. I like it! I thought I might go truly obnoxious and sycophantic with some Deep 6 Gear orange and black since I bought mine from them but folks may think I’m trying to dress it up in Harley Davidson colors. Maybe I’ll go with Ducati Red and white.

Sorry....MotoGP season has started. Some people have trouble with alcohol, drugs, pornography and other nasty vices. My addiction to motorcycles pre-dates my SCUBA addiction.

 

[O-ring]

Looks fast, like Suzuki blue. I like it! I thought I might go truly obnoxious and sycophantic with some Deep 6 Gear orange and black since I bought mine from them but folks may think I’m trying to dress it up in Harley Davidson colors. Maybe I’ll go with Ducati Red and white.

Sorry....MotoGP season has started. Some people have trouble with alcohol, drugs, pornography and other nasty vices. My addiction to motorcycles pre-dates my SCUBA addiction.

That makes two of us. Can't wait to see what Quartararo does this season.

/hijack

 

[stuartv]

That makes two of us. Can't wait to see what Quartararo does this season.

/hijack

Three of us.

And to get back OT, my BlackTip is supposed to arrive this week. My DeWalt 12aH batteries are supposed to arrive today.

I'm getting it into some salt water this weekend (weather permitting).

So, I would also like to know if I need to do anything to have it weighted correctly.

From the above posts, I gather that, with the 12aH batteries and all provided plated installed, it should be pretty close to neutral in salt water. Yes?

At this point, I don't think I'm too concerned about single digit #s of ounces of positive or negative.

I do think that once I get a couple of dives on it, I may work on making some PVC floats to put on the tail, to see if I can get it to be neutral and in flat trim. So, perfect weighting on the first dives does not seem critical.