Sitting in the hack, I usually have three things I’m thinking about:
- Line: where am I throwing this thing?
- Weight: how hard am I throwing this thing?
- Plan: once we get off the ice who do I want to sit next to?
My plan is my own business thank you, and based on my bonspiel results I don’t think I can help with your line, but I did find some helpful descriptions of weight to help keep your team on the same page. What do you think?
Hack weight
The weight required to deliver a stone in order that it travels to the hack at the far end. The rock will usually curl between one-third to two-thirds the amount that draw weight will curl.
Board weight
Throwing a stone with enough speed that it will come to rest in an area just behind the hacks – about 1 metre (3-4 feet) behind the house. Synonymous with barrier/bumper weight. The rock will usually curl between one-quarter to one-half the amount that draw weight will curl.
Control weight
A takeout shot that is slow enough that the sweepers have relative control over its curl; faster than board weight, but slower than normal takeout weight. If the rock did not hit anything, it would stop about 2 to 3 metres (6 to 10 feet) past the hack. Control is enough weight to remove one rock from the house but not necessarily enough to also remove the shooter.
Normal weight
Normal takeout weight is faster than control weight, but slower than peel. If the rock did not hit anything, it would stop about 3 to 5 metres (10 to 15 feet) past the hack. Normal is enough weight to remove one rock plus the shooter from the house.
Firm weight
Something more than normal weight but less than peel weight. If the rock did not hit anything, it would stop about 6 metres (20 feet) past the hack. Firm is enough weight to remove two rocks plus the shooter from the house.
Peel weight
A stone delivered with a heavy takeout weight. If the rock did not hit anything, it would stop about 10 metres (30 feet) past the hack. Normal is enough weight to remove three rocks plus the shooter from the house.