Pacific Cup “Primavera” — Get Ready Early and Have Fun Sailing
Primavera literally means “spring.” The Pacific Cup 2026 starts July 6; that’s summertime. The winning strategy is to have the boat, crew and details sorted by spring so you can focus on sailing and doing well this summer. Plus it’s supposed to be fun! Don’t forget that. Even if your goals don’t include winning, you will have more fun if you’re actually sailing the boat, not chasing electrical gremlins and arbitrary deadlines, and fighting traffic to get more somethings while everyone else is often enjoying the send-off party sponsored by your own dear yacht club.
Set a goal to have the boat, crew and safety equipment finalized and race-ready by April 1. It’s the perfect day. What kind of fool spends all those greenbacks when the wind is free? Even if you miss your goal of April 1, May 1 is the day the circuses used to hit the road, so it still makes sense. May 1 still gives you time to slip your mooring lines and slip under the bridge to sort out details.
Race preparation breaks down into several categories. If you are doublehanding, it’s easy to assign duties: It’s up to either you or your wing person. On larger boats, you can spread the load to your crew’s strengths. Typically, the foredeck ape takes charge of the sails and rigging. This is an important category aboard a sailing vessel. Chow varies from freeze-dried mush to steak and seafood, depending on what vessel you are aboard and what the plan is. Pressure cookers are popular to speed up cooking processes. Other vessels plan a daily cocktail hour and wine pairing with the main course. Best to know if your expectations match the vessel’s chef’s talents.
Navigation has changed since the days of sextants, HO 249, pilot charts and plotting sheets. Now, thanks to Elon and his cronies, weather updates and wind predictions are available 24/7, and that coupled with powerful navigational software can easily show you in retrospect where you strayed off course. Charging systems and batteries to drive all this technology require an individual who understands electrical wizardry. It may say “Plug ‘n’ Play,” but the reality seems to mean the definition of “Play” includes calibration, recalibration, rebooting and adjustment. The ability to connect, interpret and apply the technology available to your vessel is directly proportional to your chances of a podium finish.
Drive the boat! This seems obvious, but it’s probably one of the biggest keys to success.