Lighten Ship
Bucky, During racing season, I try to keep my 25.5 as light as possible without sacrificing essentials (such as bimini top, cleaning supplies, boom box, Magma grill, etc.). I could probably remove another 100~150 lbs. of "stuff" but it would be such a hassle to carry it back and forth after each race for use as a family rec boat. I do drain my water tank and carry such water as we might need in gallon jugs. Also watch what you and your crew bring on board as personal survival gear. A cooler full of ice and beverage may be necessary but each crewmember doesn't need their own personal cooler! I also try to stow gear as low in the boat as possible and keep weight out of the bow by stowing the anchor & rode toward the rear and down in the boat. I normally carry two anchors for overnighting but only keep one on board when racing. In the extreme, some racers literally strip their boat for racing but for casual club racing this is not really necessary. I remember the last Whitbread where many boats almost starved their crew by bringing bare minimum survival rations and ran out of food when light winds made one of the legs several days longer than anticipated. One boat even cut their toothbrushes in half in an obsessive effort to save even more weight! Oh well, they were racing for real money. Once you determine what you feel you need on board and eliminate excess weight, your crew is your movable ballast for trimming the boat! Happy racing, Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
