sea weed

[Woody]

After my first great year of sailing with my now loved Mac 25, my biggest (and almost only) problem has been sea weed collecting on the keel cable. It has come to the point that if I want to insure a good sail I have to take a quick dip first to make sure the cable is clean. I keep the keel up and sails down until I get out of the weeds, about a mile, then set up in deep water, but it stll collects. Does anyone have any ideas how to keep this from building up there? Some sort of sroud?

 

[Jim]

Pesty Sea Weed

Woody, I had a 1984 Mac 25 that I used to sail outof San Diego, California. I had the same problem. Not much you can do about it.When you are under power, stop, and reverse your engine. I found that worked. With sails up, I either had to grin and bear it, or drop the sails. Not always possible in some situations. Even solid keels have the same problems. My first sail boat was a shoal keel,and the sea weed and kelp was a problem too.Finding an alternate route if posssible with less of the darn stuff may help too.I am not aware of any shield for the keel cable.Good Luck and Fair Winds