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Sail SELECTION and INVENTORY FOR a race FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO HAWAII (maximizing performance, safety and enjoyment to Hawaii) |
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| What's Your Program? | |
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Three levels of
Competitive Programs: Family Boat – review and refurbish existing sails, add spinnaker if you don’t have one. Budget Race - add one or two new sails – blast reacher, spinnakers Open-wallet Race - full inventory of composite sails (consult your sailmaker) |
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| Basic considerations (remember, it’s a downwind race) | |
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Family Boat - MUST have at least one spinnaker
- cruising, asymmetric, or full-size BRING POLE - even if family boat with cruising asymmetric only It is a LONG RACE if you have no way to set the spinnaker tack to weather - A whisker pole is not strong enough; you need a strong pole sized for your boat. Budget Race – At least three good spinnakers: light, all-purpose, and heavy/shy ULDB = .6 oz, 3/4 oz all purpose, 1.5 oz shy Displacement = .6/.75 oz, 1.5 oz all-purpose, 1.5 oz shy Full-Off Race - 6 spinnakers including polyester and 1/2 oz |
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| Recommended Sails: | |
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Four sections of the race: Beat, Heavy Air Reach, Light Run, and Trades: Short Beat - only from Start to Seal Rocks area, but important for psyche Family - use your present upwind sail(s) Budget - Make sure your present upwind sails are in good condition Check weather the morning of race to pick upwind sail (bring one only) Full Race - May start with #3 and change up to #1 outside the Gate. Heavy Air Reach - first couple of days Family - DO NOT rely on partially furled headsail for this leg. It may destroy the sail. If you have no blast reacher: cut down old 150% to 130% - full forward, high-clew High clew on reaching headsails is necessary to keep the foot clear of waves. Budget Race - Jib Topsail (155% high-cut, full-forward) 130 % Blast Reacher - high cut, full forward Full Race - 4 headsails and 3 staysails - use as in Bay of Farallones Light Run - from the "ridge" to the Trades Family - hoist whatever you have as soon as you can carry it. Budget - Set reacher/shy kite if you have one, then switch to full-size all-purpose Full-Race - Asymmetric/Reacher. Polyester for close reaching when seas are flat. Switch to 1/2 or 3/4 as wind pulls aft. Trades - all the way to the finish Family - carry spinnaker into evening until you are uncomfortable. Wing out your trusty high-clewed blast reacher from the Reach. Set pole to weather independently of jib sheet: lift, foreguy, and afterguy. Budget - Full-size spinnaker in day and evening, change early to heavy air kite. Choke down your heavy air kite to stabilize it with out-grabber, net, sock Full-race - go for it! Carry your lighter sails as long as you dare. Beware - Polyester kites may explode with sudden filling in big waves. Do NOT run out of big kites. Typical Day in the Trades: Morning – light air, ½ ounce kite Afternoon – building, ¾ ounce kite Evening – check spinnaker set before dark, consider choking down Night – heavy air kite until you have more excitement than you really want in squalls; then wing out jib – high-clewed blast reacher on strong pole with 3 control lines. Squall sail trim: out-grabber, spinnaker net, spinnaker sock, chicken stays Finish - If you're racing the Pacific Cup, whatever you have up, make sure you can douse quickly - the reefs come up fast after the finish line. |
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| PRIORITIZE: | |
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Add sails as you can, but in this order.
Spinnakers are top priority. Remember, it is a downwind race with 75
% of the course running. It will be Very slow without one. 1- Two spinnakers minimum - light all-purpose, heavy all-purpose. 2- Blast reacher - good for Heavy Reach and Too-Heavy-For-Kite conditions. 3- Two more spinnakers - .6 ounce and heavy shy kite. 4- Jib top (155%) for lighter moments of Heavy Reach. |
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| RACE REQUIREMENTS: | |
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Check with your sailmaker for recommended
storm sails. They may be smaller than those required by the ORC Special Regulations
Governing Offshore Racing (www.orc.org), which must be followed at a minimum
for this race. Sailing Instructions will specify changes
Main
- a separate trysail is often required equipment.
If you do not have a separate trysail
track, make sure you can attach the sail to the mast and sheet it without
the boom.
Maximum size = 17.5% of main luff X main foot.
No headboard or battens. |
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| CHECK Existing Sails | |
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Spread out on floor, check over
with your sailmaker: Worn stitching, batten pockets, chafe spots (pulpit, spreaders, shrouds) Cloth worn out at leech from flogging - hollow, re-cut. Hardware: worn/corroded cringles, notched jib hanks, mainsail slug/slide Mark corners of sails with sail type and corner (head, tack, clew), mark bags to identify |
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| GENERAL | |
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BEWARE of CHAFE: Check boat for sharp spots
that contact sails: Pulpits, spreaders, shrouds (jibs and mains) – add protective patches Sheets, guys, and halyards: move twice a day to different place. Check every watch. Boom topping lifts on main leech - replace with centerline vang. |
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| Sail Handling Helps: | |
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Spinnaker Sock
- ATN - great for short-handed sets, jibes, dowses Must have separate sleeve for control lines; stripe and bell are nice. Spinnaker Net - Keeps spin from being eaten by forestay, eliminates wraps. Insure fasteners do not bite or chafe spinnaker. Sail Repair Kit - Basics: needles, palm, thread, adhesive-backed cloth, and hardware. |
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