Dagger board removal and ballast added?

I have a steel Adams 15 with a lifting centreboard. I would be looking to remove the 400kg board to alleviate problems with the lifting motor, the board bouncing when in swell (the pins are a pain to fit) and maintenance on all the components.
The main purpose of my boat is for cruising and half the time when going windward I leave the dagger board up with a slight reduction in pointing.
My thoughts are to replace the ballast by attaching a 400kg block of led encased in steel and welding it to the keel, also increasing the draft.
Current draft when board is up 1.2m/4ft and the boats weight 13ton.

Has anyone done anything like this before?

Looking for some ideas on alternatives and the best way to move forward.


Thanks

 

Some people get the stage where the benefit of a plate, like you, have issues with mechanisms and maintenance, and the negligible upwind reduction in performance makes a "fixed" keel more appropriate. Friends did this on a 47ft steel ketch, though in their situation, they welded a 1/2in steel plate on the keel base, and filled the centreboard slot with a lead shot/resin mix.

 

I don't think you'd need to encase the lead in steel, just bolt a strip of lead underneath either side of the centre case slot, like some trailer sailers do, and make a plywood or water filled centre board to check leeway if needed, which won't stress any part of a steel hull like the weighted one does, but still be useful, and easily replaced / repaired if broken. Keep the weighted board for resale value later on. The next owner may want it.