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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Hey,
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>OK, so I sold my
boat and you're likely wondering why I should be cluttering up your e-mail box
with a capri 25 list server e-mail. Well...every year around Commodore Cup time
I get the SAME conversation over and over again from my Capri friends about how
they lost the race because of weeds on their keel. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>So...below are
listed the once secret methods we used to NEVER lose a race because of
weeds. We found plenty of ways to lose races, but never lost because of
weeds. I once drilled a hole in the bottom of my boat to try and clean
weeds (which the fleet subsequently outlawed) so don't think I haven't thought
about this. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<OL>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Fill all nicks and
polish the leading edge of your keel. Insure that the leading edge is not
concave from top to bottom. Consider not using anti-fouling paint on the
leading edge. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Borrow a mooring
for a couple weeks and let the milfoil motion "sand" your leading edges down
to mirror finish. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Before the start,
the quickest way to clean weeds is to go on a beam reach
and swing that rudder 180degrees until the boat is going backwards
on the opposite tack. Not only does this clean weeds, it really
wakes the crew up and scares your fellow competitors. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>While sailing
upwind in light air, try a hard roll tack. The sudden rocking of the
boat will help pull weeds off. Lost time: zero. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>While sailing
upwind in medium air, if the boat feels slow over trim your main for
a second while you send two or three crew to the leeward rail.
This rocks the boat to leeward and causes the keel to momentarily stall,
which will wash weeds off like a garden hose. Lost time: one
boat length. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>While sailing
upwind in heavy air, simply over trim the main for a second until you see the
keel has stalled. Again, this washes the keel off immediately. Lost time: 1/2
boat length. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>While sailing
downwind in light to medium air. We only did this if we felt really slow, but
it was a popular trick during CC races where we often intentionally sailed
through weed beds for tactical advantage. Have all your crew run
from one side of the boat to the other several times to rock the boat. It
sounds funny, but it works. Really, I'm serious. Check your
knot meter before and after to see how your speed is. Lost time: zero if
you properly scull the rudder.</SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Leeward mark
roundings. Don't be afraid to over trim the main and make the boat over heel
while going around the leeward mark. Sure, it's not pretty, but you don't lose
much and it's yet another way to make sure the keel is clean. Just make sure
your crew doesn't fall off. Lost time: 1/2 boat. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Do these things on
a regular basis while racing. If you know you have weeds, it's already too
late. If your crew doesn't think you are obsessed with cleaning weeds, you're
not trying hard enough. Paranoia is your friend here. Lost friendships: a
couple. </SPAN></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>Be cognizant that
weeds floating on the surface are always worse after a 180 degree wind shift
from the day before. </SPAN></FONT></LI></OL>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>A spin will cost you
20 boat lengths. Backing up will cost more. DON'T DO IT.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=140355004-14102003>OK, I feel sooooo
much better to have gotten that off my chest. Have a great race on Saturday
and don't be afraid of those weed beds around the
island. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003>dallas </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=140355004-14102003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
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