I agree. There could be several seconds difference if one boat is cleaned a week before the other and that's huge. I understand it's a lot of work to clean them on the same day, but that's what it'll take to make it fair. A week in False Creek East will add maybe 3 or 4 seconds on to the time. That's a boat length.
Anyone that got the red Gemini had a faster boat. And madcap solved the problem (thanks madcap!). The Gemini’s were cleaned 3 weeks ago, all but the red one were put back in the water. The red one was left on the dock for a couple of weeks to check out the scratched bottom. The other boats were already collecting a thin film. I didn’t realize that a few weeks was enough time, but like madcap says, in the warm weather it doesn’t take long. A thin film is enough to make a big difference. Mystery solved.
If you have ever cleaned a dragonboat that has been sitting in the False Creek waters for three weeks of solid sunshine and red tides, there is more than a "film" on the bottom. Try barnacles, and strange funny sand dollar looking creatures. Olde One can elaborate on the gunk and corruption collected on dragonboats in False Creek, as his team (Grandragons)has been doing this for ten years
With the hot weather we have had over the last three weeks, the growth on the Geminis (and the BUK's) will grow very fast.
the red Gemini in Lane 2 was about 10 seconds faster than the others in the regatta
The 3 FCRCC BuKs will be cleaned on June 18 by the Grandragons. They were last cleaned on the Thursday before the Regatta.
Red Fusion will be cleaning the boats over the next week. The BuKs will be tackled before the weekend, while the Gems will be handled on Saturday afternoon.
I don't mean to sound ungrateful Red Fusion, but cleaning them this week and this weekend is still 7 to 10 days away from racing and that's going to be unfair if other boats were cleaned 2 days before. I don't think many people realized this fact until this past regatta. Now we know better. Sorry, I'm sure the logistics are difficult, but it's a reality.