WHAT IS BALAST STONE?

Question

WHAT IS BALAST STONE?

Answer 1

Ballast is a material used to stabilize something. Ballast stone is just stone used as ballast, such as to stabilize a ship by adding weight to keep it from capsizing, or under railroad tracks to keep them from moving around.

Answer 2

Ballast stones are rocks placed in the bottom of sailing ships and near empty cargo ships so that they sit properly in the water. It keeps the ships from being top heavy and wallowing in heavy seas and winds.

They are not a particular type of rock, although rounded rocks are preferred to sharp angular ones.