Well, I was sailing on Lake Mead with a friend and we were in his South
Coast 26'a and we were having a fun race against a bunch of Mac 26'Xers and
the water was like glass and the winds was almost nonexistent. We were ahead
of everyone, then this old salt who in one of the Max 26'Xs sailed past us
like we were sitting still. He passed close and his motor was out of the
water. I spoke with him later and he said he had made some slight
adjustments to his standing rigging. I am not sure, but I think he angled
the mast back, and he did some other things he would not divulge. Now the
next day, the winds were blowing 18 plus and the last time I looked back, I
could not even see the closest Mac 26'x with binoculars! We humiliated them.
I guess the 1,400 bulb / fin keel is a slight advantage over water balast.
In light winds, they can pump out ballast and pick up a little speed I
guess. Now we out sailed all the Mac 26'Xs in low winds except that one and
he always beats all the other Mac 26'Xs. Well, that's my story.

Sea Yawl,
John