Preparation Timeline
Year 2008 West Marine Pacific Cup
"Preparation Cheat Sheet"
Hang this where you will see it - like on your refrigerator or over the nav station!
If you have any questions on any of this drop us (Mary Lovely and Jim Quanci) a line by phone (+1-415-441-4461) or e-mail (mary.lovely@sbcglobal.net). We love to talk to Pacific Cuppers and have competed in the race several times. This is not an "official" race document that is recognized by higher powers so if you are interested in the "legal details" check out the Notice of Race for the "official" last word.
October
£ Time to enter if I really want to do the race and avoid any chance of ending up on an entrant waiting list. To enter, see the on-line application at http://www.pacificcup.org/enternow.
£ My crew and I attended Northern California West Marine PacCup preparation seminar #1 on October 21st at Berkeley YC starting at 9am. There was a GREAT party after the seminar too! Look for seminar details at http://www.pacificcup.org/node/403.
December
£ Invited people I want as crew. Christmas time is a good time to lock down who your crew is - so they can set aside the time with their family and boss. People I am inviting as crew are -
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If you need crew - checkout the crew list on the PacCup web site - http://www.pacificcup.org/race_crew_list.
£ I don't own an offshore liferaft or have the required pyrotechnics (flares and the such) and to save money am considering renting them. Contacted the rental company and put down a deposit. One bay area company that rents liferafts and pyrotechnics is Hewett Marine (555 Selby Street, San Francisco, CA 94124 Tel: 415-826-4433). Note liferaft rental companies have been known to rent out all their equipment as early as October. Maybe a past entrant is selling their liferaft and pyrotechnics? Check out the PacCup classified ads t http://www.pacificcup.org/ed_classified.
January
£ Called my travel agent and crew about making lodging reservations. There are no hotels near Kaneohe Yacht Club and what lodging there is sells out early - so don't delay booking lodging or your options will be VERY limited. Some lodging ideas to give your travel agent are B&B's in Kaneohe or Kailua (very reasonable rates), or renting a house in Kailua (where the regular folks live) or Lanikai (beautiful area but on the pricier side). You can find more about lodging at the PacCup web site at http://www.pacificcup.org/node/46. Picking the date you may arrive, and your lodging reservation should start, can be tricky and depends on how risk averse you are. It is wonderful to have a bed to go to when you arrive - though renting a place you don't use because you finished a bit late doesn't feel good either. That said, the fastest boats could arrive as early as Friday July 25th, very fast boats July 26th-27th and slowest boats by July 30th - with the Awards banquet on Friday August 1st.
£ Made a decision and arrangements for how I will get the boat home. If I want to hire a captain to bring the boat back - now is the time to book one. You may be able to find a delivery skipper in the PacCup classified ads - http://www.pacificcup.org/ed_classified. If that doesn’t work, send us an e-mail if you need the names of a few delivery captains - mary.lovely@sbcglobal.net. If you have a small boat (<40 feet) and a trailer - you can readily ship your boat home on a barge. For boat shipping details, check out detailed information that will be posted on the PacCup web site in the Fall - http://www.pacificcup.org - or contact the PCYC boat and equipment shipping committee chair Bob Nance at ROBERTNANCE@msn.com.
£ I went back to the PacCup website where I reviewed and completed all details on my boat and crew – http://www.pacificcup.org/user - in time to make it in the Race Guide. I know my crew will never let me forget it if they aren't in the Race Guide. I have avoided feeling embarrassed every time my family and crew look at the Race Guide.
£ I have a production boat so I applied for my Northern California PHRF Certificate by February 1. It can take a few months to get your rating certificate which you need to apply for from YRA, get back and mail to PCYC - all before May. You can learn more including downloading the PHRF application form at http://www.yra.org. So why wait until the last minute? If I had a one off custom boat, I would have had to get an ORR (Offshore Racing Rule aka Americap II) rating - http://www.ussailing.org/offshore/ORR/orr.asp[JQ1] .
February
£ My crew and I attended Northern California West Marine PacCup preparation seminar #2 and Safety at Sea seminar at Berkeley YC on September 23rd (prep seminar and party) and 24th (Safety at Sea Seminar that 30% of crew must have taken in the last 5 years). Look for seminar details at http://www.pacificcup.org/node/405.
£ I am from the Northwest and just attended the Pacific Northwest Safety at Sea seminar. Look for details in November[JQ2] .
£ Have figured out what to do for an emergency rudder. Before the race, I have to sign in blood that I have beat and run in 10 knots+ breeze with my emergency rudder- not easy unless I have an honest for goodness real emergency rudder. It takes time to develop and build an effective emergency rudder. You can find an article of emergency rudders on the PacCup web site - http://www.pacificcup.org/node/21.
March
£ My boat is all prepared to go to Hawaii and I just need to spend more time getting to know my crew and – if I am a serious racer - practicing sailing at night with the spinnaker up.
£ Contacted PacCup equipment shipping chair (To Be Announced Spring 2008) to arrange to have non-racing equipment - including my dinghy, dodger and delivery sales - shipped ahead to Kaneohe Yacht Club.
April
£ Prepared boat for inspection including reviewing the "International Sailing Federation Special Regulations Governing Offshore and Oceanic Racing for 2006 - 2007" in detail and going through the "Standard Inspection Card" checklist in the Appendix. Remember the PacCup is Category 1 and the Race Notice includes a few "deviations and clarifications". Though the paper Regulations are what counts – I found the unofficial regulations on-line at…
Monohull Category 1 http://sailing.org/offshore/2007/OSR2007_Mo1_270607.pdf
Multihull Category 1 http://sailing.org/offshore/2007/OSR2007_Mu1_270607.pdf
£ Scheduled boat inspection. Note you must schedule your boat inspection no later then June 1 and be inspected by June 10 - why wait until the last minute? Schedule[JQ3] your boat inspection now. For questions about the inspection or to schedule your inspection, contact the inspections chairperson XXXX.
£ Received my 2006 Northern California PHRF Certificate, signed it and mailed it to the PCYC. Note this must be in to the PCYC by May 1. Also if you plan any changes to your boat that will change your rating - you must notify the PCYC by May 1 including details on intended changes. Amended PHRF Certificates must be received by the PCYC by June 1[JQ4] .
£ If I haven't already done so in March (insuring the Race Guide has the correct information on my boat and crew), mailed PCYC Part 2 of the Entry Form. Part 2 is the piece of paper I had to sign releasing PCYC of any liability for my entry. The official due date for Part 2 is May 1.
£ Practiced man-overboard drills with my crew.
£ Performed emergency rudder test with my crew.
May
£ Had my boat inspected. I gave the inspector copies of my Certificate of Man-Overboard Drill, Life Raft Certificate, and certificate of successful emergency rudder test too. I also showed him my SSB, VHF and bilge pumps work. Note you have to be inspected by June 10[JQ5] .
£ Mailed Part 3 of the Entry Form for each of my crew (Crew Waivers). I can continue to make crew changes and send Part 3 updates up until the Skippers and Navigators meeting on July 12th.
£ Made a few changes to my boat and just received my amended PHRF Certificate and mailed to the PCYC. Last date to get amended rating certificates to PCYC is June 1st.
£ Ordered embroidered shirts for my crew. We will be styling!
June
£ Had a few deficiencies during the boat inspection that I have fixed and just sent the inspector a "certification of correction of deficiencies". Note you have until the Skippers and Navigators meeting on July 12th to correct any deficiencies and hand in the certificate of such. But why wait until the last minute?
£ Sent my crew information on the July 12th Bon Voyage Party and August 1st Awards Banquet - mailed in my reservations too.
£ Received and read the Sailing Instructions and gave a copy to my Navigator.
£ My Navigator and I attended the Saturday July 12th Skippers and Navigators meeting held at Richmond YC in Pt. Richmond. Exact times to be provided in May. If you haven't done so already, this is the last day to submit Certification of Correction of deficiencies found during inspection, Certification of Successful Emergency Rudder Test, Certification of Man Overboard Drill and Part 3 Crew Waivers[JQ6] .
£ My family and crew attended the Saturday afternoon July 12th Bon Voyage Party held at SFYC (starting right after the Skippers and Navigators meeting). More details on the Bon Voyage party to follow in the Spring.
£ Enough is enough, it's time to go sailing!
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