Sailors all over the world dream of cruising among the ancient, volcano-carved isles of French Polynesia. But the privilege of doing so is a prize that must be earned.

Will the high-performance, high-dollar and high-tech foiling advances pioneered by the America's Cup "trickle down" to the average sailor? Can everyone realize the magic of these modern underwater wings that lift boats out of the sea and make them fly?

When Jason Seibert set the ambitious goal of competing in the Transpac aboard his Texas-based Schock 40, he knew he had a long road ahead of him and that the end result would be anything but a foregone conclusion.

Boats all over the West Coast are starting to congregate, as if hearing the siren call of the seasons, in all directions leading south. Preparations are being made, boats are being stocked, costumes are being contemplated, and people are scrambling to find crew.

I was back early with my crew that day. The wind had been up, the course was not too long, and we had finished the day of racing with hours to spare for post-race socializing. And the classic yacht sailing into the harbor was pretty enough to catch our eyes and quickly turn the conversation.