Planning for the 2008 Pacific Cup has started with practice a week or so ago on September 19, 20 and 21. Paul's friend Dick from Seattle joined us to provide some excellent tips and ideas. The goal was to test the two new sails, a #1 and #3, practice jibing the Spinnaker, and thirdly to put together a plan for any projects that need to be completed before the race.

Friday we found the batteries depleted and couldn't start the engine. We spent most of the day running back and forth to supply stores and getting organized before tackling the jib tack project. Right off the bat Dick helps us resolve it in a very innovative way. This had been a particularly frustrating issue because with only two of us on board, the one of us (usually Paul) who was setting the sail would have to go back and forth from the cockpit to the bow sometimes two or three times to get the sail set because the tack kept falling loose, an exhausting endeavor. Dick's system works! We look forward to the tack staying put from now on during sail changes.

Late Friday afternoon, we got the engine started after a bit of charging and head out for a sail. We keep it short testing the #1 jib and looking forward to the evenings libations. Just before entering the harbor we discover the batteries are again depleted and the engine will not start. We decide to sail Plus-Sixteen into her slip. I'm nervous about this based on a previous experience. With Paul at the helm, he lands us into the slip as gracefully and smoothly as I've ever seen, with or without power ... very nice. The batteries are charging so we head to the clubhouse and enjoy an excellent meal.

Batteries chaged the engine fires right up and we head out to sail all day Saturday. The wind was out of the south at about 13-15 knots and we're threatened with rain but find ourselves dry most of the day.  We trekked back and forth between Pt. Richmond and San Francisco. We round Treasure Island before the northbound leg.

The new laminate material is much lighter so makes handling the sails a bit easier. We took the time to figure out where to best set the cars on the tracks for the best trim. We try using a cheek block on the toe rail to see if that gains us anything. We find it doesn't. Dick again proves very helpful at finding the most efficient trim. It seems that we'll pick up a 1/4 to 1/2 a knot over what we could do with the older sails and there also seems to a bit less weather helm.

Our spinnaker work focused on point of sail and jibes. In short our conclusions are:
    1) The net will always go up before a spinnaker. For the race we set the jib on the port side of the foil so we can raise the net inside on the starboard side of the foil before changing sails.

    2) We can carry the new larger Asymetric between 90 to 160 degrees off the wind without using the pole, and ideally 140 to 150 degrees off for the best performance.

    3) The pole will allow us to sail deeper with the Asymetric if needed and can be let out against the forestay with a slight course adjustment before jibing. We simply jibe as usual.

    4) The symetric can be carried from 110 to 180 degrees off the wind, and ideally 160 to 170 degrees for best performance.

    5) We're still working on the best workable method for jibing double-handed.


Sunday we spent cleaning up the boat, doing projects and planning those that will still need to be done, see projects post.

Powered by ScribeFire.