Q7 Falcon : Blog
Check out our latest news and updates on sailing and racing the original Q7 Falcon
5/18/2024
Ancient Mariners Yesteryear Regatta : The Race
Let's get right to the punch line ... we came in last. I'd love to blame it on the weather, 'Falcon' , our equipment or some other element we had no control over but it was in fact down to us. However, we had a ton of fun and the San Diego weather was spectacular for the 12 NM course around San Diego Bay. Winds were tricky to read but a consistent 8-10 gusting 12-14 at times and it was a fantastic sight to see the fleet of 16 classic boats converging on the finish line of the pursuit format race. Congratulations to the crew of 'Witchcraft' for the best corrected time and 'Brushfire' for the fastest overall time. Thanks to the Ancient Mariners and San Diego Yacht Club for hosting such a fantastic event.
5/17/2024
Ancient Mariners Yesteryear Regatta @ SDYC
We were lucky enough to be invited to the 50th Yesteryear Regatta this weekend. We arrived early to SDYC and lined up beside some great company including two beautiful 10M Class Sloops, 'Branta' and 'Sally'. 'Sally' was also designed by Starling Burgess in 1927, a year after 'Falcon' so it was great to be nearby on the dock, preparing to race the following day. Q7 was given a warm welcome and enjoyed a lovely evening with some passionate classic boat enthusiasts.
5/13/2024
Getting ready for
our first Regatta
There's a lot of jokes and truisms around old boat ownership but the reality for Q7 is that she was well maintained and recently restored so much of what we do is 'window dressing'. Case in point this week as we prepared for the Ancient Mariners 'Yesteryear Regatta' at San Diego Yacht Club this weekend. The deck looked a bit patchy from the single coat it had a few weeks back so we took the opportunity to add a coat and bring her back to tip-top condition.
5/8/2024
The Gentleman's Race
The OFRA Wednesday 'gentleman's race' has been a great learning ground for the Q7 team. I tend to be pretty conservative when it comes to pushing 'Falcon' after all, she's nearly 100 years old but this week tested my comfort zone as we had white caps in the bay for the start of the race resulting in some exciting tacks and a wet crew.
As we watched 'Brushfire' and 'Super Gnat' duel it out down the channel we were reminded that 'gentleman's race' doesn't mean people aren't trying! Both crews know the Bay inside out (and top to bottom) so it was fun to watch the slow motion cat-and-mouse game even if we were watching from behind.
5/7/2024
Just out for a nice sail
Kyle and I had the opportunity to take his parents out on Falcon in what turned out to be real 'champagne sailing' conditions in San Diego Bay. Winds were 8-10 knots with minimal gusting and unusually for this time of year, out of the South West which meant a single tack from Coronado Bridge all the way back to America's Cup harbor. Gina and Ron had previously been on Victoria, the Beneteau 54 so I had to smile when Gina said "you know, I enjoyed sailing on Falcon even more than your last boat ... I felt more connection to the water, it was more exciting" - Thanks Gina! Great to have you on board.
Thanks to Mario for the video ... you were missed on Falcon but we still enjoyed sailing past you :)
5/1/2024
The Long One...
We set off as usual and by 'usual' I mean late over the start line with no idea which course we were supposed to be on! This week it turned out to be the 'Long One', a combination of 'Ocean' and 'Bay' with a long downwind leg that plays nicely in to Falcon's strengths. As a result, we had one of our best finishes, albeit with the 'Brushfire' team well ahead of us thanks to a proven combination of superior tactics and (several) lifetimes of experience sailing in San Diego.
4/29/2024
Water under the bridge
Not much to report other than a lovely sail after a week on dry land (for me). Short handed with Mario we set off for Chula Vista and enjoyed amazing conditions all the way. Wind was a steady 6-8 gusting 10 from the West. We topped out just over 8 knots with the 'blade' at the front and almost 6 knots. More importantly, it was lovely to be out in the San Diego sunshine. Falcon continues to surprise and delight with her light-air / downwind performance.
4/10/2024
Flying the Kite!
This week the Q7 team was joined by a special guest and friend of Q7 - Eric Heim of Quantum Sails. Quantum had supplied all the sails for Falcon including an asymmetric spinnaker that we hadn't quite mustered up the courage to try yet... that is until Eric joined us! The Gentleman's race in San Diego Bay is technically a non-spinnaker race so we warned some of our fellow 'racers' in advance that we were going to go rogue - it was worth it as these pictures from 'Brushfire' show - quite the beauty.
4/3/2024
Hull Speed and Big Grins on a beam reach
San Diego delivered again with 8-10 knots from the West gusting 12-15. Falcon's stern was tucked down nicely at 8.5 knots on a beam reach with the bow wave chasing us. Mario got some great video so hope you enjoy!
3/27/2024
Wing-On-Wing
Down the Ocean Course
It started so well ... For the first time, we were in the lead at the second Mark only to have a recreational boater find themselves in the middle of the fleet with no idea what to do. As it turned out, they chose the worst option which was to panic and tack back across the front of us forcing a unplanned gybe which is not the easiest thing to do in Falcon! Regardless, it probably gave us the excuse we would have needed and we had a great sail anyway. It also served as a great reminder that you can cause chaos if you don't know basic rules of the road ... time to check in if you need a refresher.
3/25/2024
Deck Maintenance III
Having finished the varnishing (or more accurately, now that Jon Mackintosh has finished the varnishing) it was time to move on to the deck. John Anderson had recommended 'Interdeck' by Interlux which has non-skid 'grit' pre-mixed. I'll report back on how well it wares but it rolled on without too many issues. Main watch out is how quickly it dries on a warm day - you need to keep the roller moving!
3/20/2024
She's still got it!
Falcon may be almost 100 years old but in light winds with the Genoa out on a pole she holds her own in good company! Crew were looking great in their 'Q7' vests and the Ocean Course was a blast. Some fantastic boats around us, several behind, Brushfire in front...again!
The Bad news : our day ended with another trip up the 'chair as the halyard jammed (again).
The Good news :
1. Mystery solved. The original bronze holder got deformed at some point creating a gap between the sheave and the holder wide enough for the halyard to slip in. A relatively easy fix ... as long as it doesn't get bent again.
2. We didn't know it had jammed until we tried to lower the Genoa so it didn't spoil the race!
3/12/2024
Welcome back Mike!
Mike was part of the 'Baja Bash' crew in 'Victoria', a Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 that I had the privilege of owning and skippering on an epic 1,500 mile trek from Puerto Los Cabos , Mexico back to San Diego in 2023. As a point of pride, we sailed all the way using 20 hours of engine just to keep the batteries charged. Despite being struck down by chronic sea-sickness Mike didn't miss a shift and was a heroic crew member all the way back. Needless to say, he enjoyed helming on 'Falcon' during a lovely afternoon sail.
3/8/2024
Just for the fun of it..
Technically we were out for a test sail to see if the new (heavier) jib halyard would prevent the line jamming between the sheave and the holder but in reality it was just a great excuse to get out on the water. Wind was 8-10 gusting 12 but forecasted to pick up towards the end of the day. As gusts touched 15+ we decided to head back as 'Falcon', like most of the Q's was really designed for light air. With a huge head sail and no reefing it's easy to overpower when the winds get up above 15 knots.
The 'flag' video is reaching in about 10 knots showing 6+ knots boat speed. The second video is close hauled as the wind started to pick up...
2/28/2024
Don't look down : Part II
A planned 'race' with some friends turned in to a main-sail only trip when the jib halyard slipped it's sheath (again) and jammed (again) requiring another trip in the 'chair. Fortunately Falcon can still manage 6 knots on a broad reach with only the main sail up so we still enjoyed a great afternoon even if we looked less than perfect with a half-raised head sail...
2/24/2024
Wow.
I had the rare opportunity to view Falcon from the water. A great reminder of what a stunning design she is - classic 1920's Universal Rule. Still elegant and beautiful 100 years later.
2/22/2024
Deck Maintenance II
Part of owning, or being the current custodian of Falcon is the responsibility to keep on top of basic maintenance. I plan to to do as much of this as I can, learning from the experts in San Diego, but to get a good base to work from I asked Jon Mackintosh from Custom Yacht Service to refresh all the deck woodwork. Jon did an amazing job!
Now to the inside...
1/31/2024
Short Handed
But...
Left : Plenty of room but not enough hands!
Center : 70 degrees and 8-10 knots in sunny SD
Right : Courtesy of Alex - the view from Brushfire (who were clearly behind us at the time...)
Still Racing
1/28/2024
Don't look down!
It's fair to say that I'm not a big fan of heights. Having said that, you have to do what you have to do and when it comes to rigging a Spinnaker on Falcon that means going up the mast (mainly because I forgot to do it when the mast was on the ground!)
The experience was uneventful, new block installed on a soft shackle in front of the headstay and we're now ready to 'fly the kite'
Thanks to Chris, Mario and Kyle for being there to support me, literally.
PS - If I look nervous, it's because I am!
1/14/2024
The Ocean Course
Fun sail with the OFRA gentleman's race. Ocean course this week with very light winds and a 4-6 ft swell. Falcon was one of only 4-5 boats that completed the course before sunset however, with no wind and a knot of current drifting us toward the sub base at Ballast Point we freely admit we started the engine to maneuver away - no-one wants to be 'that crew'
Congrats to Alex and the Brushfire crew who managed to get past us on the last mark
1/18/2024
Say "Cheese"
Another great 'race' with light winds in San Diego Bay. 'Falcon' was let down a bit by her crew (mainly me) though we used the 'pole' to hold out the Genoa for some great wing-on-wing sailing on the downwind leg of the course.
We also 'starred' on the San Diego Bay webcam with some lovely shots tacking across the bay
Crew : Peter, Kyle & Mario
Video courtesy of
1/10/2024
The Bay Course
Great afternoon in the weekly San Diego OFYA race. It was the 'Bay Course' this week. Despite a forecast for winds to pick up it was 6-8 knots most of the way with a lot of reaching. Falcon does great in light winds, particularly reaching, so while we started at the back (mainly to stay out of the way) we managed to finish ahead of 6 other boats by the end of the short 8.5NM course.
Crew : Peter, Mario and Rob
A great time was had by all with many admiring Falcon's lines
This was about the closest we got to our friends on 'Brushfire', a beautiful S&S 50 skippered by Alex Comet
Right: Time for a quick video during a relaxed downwind leg
1/7/2024
Deck Maintenance
Working our way around burn marks, chaff spots and sun damage on the deck before a top coat of varnish. Hopefully this will set a solid base for a more routine 'annual refresh'.
12/13/2023
Our Race Debut!
Invited to join the weekly 'Old Farts Racing Association' (OFRA) a.k.a. "The Gentlemen's Race" in San Diego by Chuck Driscoll.
The Falcon Crew have never raced before and it turned out to be a very relaxed introduction and a ton of fun! OFRA operates a handicap system but we decided to start at the back behind our friends on 'Brushfire' , mainly to stay out of the way! Ocean Course, winds 6-8 gusting 10, great downwind 'duel' with the J-120 'Junkyard Dog' - not that we're competitive but we did manage to stay ahead ... just.
Crew : Peter, Rob and Kyle
10/17/2023
A step in the right direction
Stepping the mast is symbolic and steeped in tradition including the placing of a coin under the mast for good luck. The origins of this tradition are a source of debate but one version says the practice goes back as far as ancient Roman times when it was believed that placing a coin under the mast would enable the crew to pass to the afterlife if the boat was ever sunk ...
In our case we found an original 1926 Silver Quarter under the mast and so felt it was only right to put it back where it belonged.
10/16/23
Say "Hello" to the Pacific!
Engine serviced, seams filled and a fresh coat of bottom paint - time to rig and step the mast then introduce 'Falcon' to the Pacific. I was warned to expect some leaking until the planks soaked and expanded to a tight fit so it was fingers crossed as she was carefully lowered.
The plan was to keep her in the slings for the first 24 hours but with the bilge running every 30 minutes or so we were able to float her and get her set up in her new home at Intrepid Boat Yard, San Diego.
Many Thanks to Chris Doolittle (Rigging), The team at Rigworks San Diego (Mast Stepping), Chuck and Tyler (Driscoll's Boat Yard)
10/13/2023
Please Mind the Gap!
'Falcon' arrived in San Diego after almost 7 years of storage' on the hard' in Rhode Island. Fortunately, prior to storage during Covid, she had undergone a full restoration by John Anderson of Maine, so the fact that we didn't see more 'gaps' was a clear testament to his incredible craftsmanship!
Under the expert guidance of John Anderson and Chuck Driscoll of Driscoll boat yards, Shelter Island, I set about filling the worst of the gaps with Interlux Seam Compound - nasty stuff but given how little water came in when we floated her it seems (sorry ...) to have worked.
10/9/2023
A load off my mind
Rich delivered 'Falcon' to Driscoll's Boat Yard in Shelter Island on the 9th October. It was great to finally see her arrive in one piece, well several pieces but all labelled and packaged as they should be!
If anyone has tried to do an Ikea cabinet, without the instructions, you'll have some idea of what was ahead of us ... fortunately the previous owner, rigger and restorer were all available as needed to guide us through the process.
10/2/2023
Collection Day
Unfortunately I couldn't be on in Rhode Island in person for 'Falcon's pick up so I nervously entrusted the loading and transport to Richard Cookinham, or "Cooky", of Cooky's Marine Transport - highly recommended by Chris Doolittle and now equally highly recommended by me!
Rich turned out to be a Rock Star and looked after 'Falcon' as if she was his own all the way from Rhode Island to San Diego. Thanks Rich!
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