Overweight Telescope?

[TrickySpot]

Hi Guys!

A while ago I got a CGEM mount, and was using it with a Equinox 100 and Megrez 72 side by side with 2x 7.7kg weights. This worked great and everything balanced nicely. Now I've put a C11 OTA on, I'm having no luck with my off-axis guider so I want to go back to using the megrez 72 as a guide scope.

I calculate weights as follows:

C11 - 12.47kg

Megrez 72 - 2.2 kg

Camera's, cables etc - 1 kg

Tube Rings for Megrez - 2 kg

Thats about 17.67kg on the top, plus 15.4 kg on the bottom, all together 33kg.....but the mount is only rated to 18kg, does that mean even the CGEM is not suitable for an 11" OTA and guidescope...or where am I going wrong?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[hemihaggis]

you dont count the counter weights

[Cornelius Varley]

The payload is only the telescope plus eyepiece/camera etc. The counterweights are part of the mount and are not included in the payload.

Peter