Q7 Falcon : Blog
Check out the latest news and updates on the original 'Falcon'
4/19/25
Guinea Cup Race 4
In my Beneteau 54 I would wait weeks for a forecast that showed winds in the teens and gusts of 16 knots or more. However, Q boats were designed with lighter conditions in mind, in fact, none of the original Q's had reefs and races would be cancelled if winds went above 15 knots.
So... Guinea Cup Race 4, for once all the models agreed ... steady winds in the low teens with gusts 16-18. To add to the fun, it was only me and Mario, so we were definitely short-handed in every sense! We went out fully expecting to come back early but as we mooched around the 'box' ,with only the main, we realized we were hitting hull speed with little drama. Off we went with the Jib tied down and everything nice and tight. We completed the whole race with just the main and a little backstay adjustment, averaging just under 7 knots over the 11 NM course. Despite being surrounded by white-caps 'Falcon' handled it beautifully. Another great day on the water!
4/15/25
Happy Birthday Kyle!
We had a birthday on Q7 and were lucky enough to be able to catch some wind at 9.30am in the morning! Lovely mellow sail with friends from home and abroad.
Mario wasn't able to join us but he kept an eye on the Bay webcams and managed to catch us coming out of America's Cup Harbor, sails already up!
12 J/105's, Beneteau Firsts and the Beautiful 10M 'Sally' at the start
Pulling away from the pack after a late start
Our friends from Driscoll's Boat Yard on 'Juiced' (which we managed to keep behind us!)
12 J/105's, Beneteau Firsts and the Beautiful 10M 'Sally' at the start
4/12/25
Opening Day 2025
Q7 is lucky enough to be a member of San Diego Yacht Club and Saturday was the traditional 'Opening Day' Race. We lined up with over 40 other boats in what was supposed to be a pursuit race. I say 'supposed' because winds were light, we got caught in traffic and ended up 2 minutes late which put us in the middle of a group of 12 J/105's and Beneteau Firsts.
Falcon held her own which was great to see, pulling away from the pack toward the first upwind mark. The glory was short lived but we'll take any small victories we can get at Q7!
Final position was 13 out of 17 in our class, 32 out of 45 overall so not horrendous and certainly not last! As a small consolation, nailing the start would only have moved us up 1 place.
Thanks to the team @ San Diego Yacht Club for putting on a great event.
4/9/25
Which Forecast?
We try to take a screenshot of forecasted weather from our favorite apps when we check the forecast before each trip. Most apps show multiple models so the question becomes which one to use? My take is to look for congruence. To the extent they all show a similar trend you can pretty much rely on it being close to reality.
On Wednesday, all models were showing light winds for San Diego bay and yet we could feel a healthy blow in America's Cup Harbor where Falcon is currently docked - on went the Jib. An hour later, drifting in 1 knot of current with boat speed... yes you guessed it, 1 knot, we decided to switch sails to the 130% Genoa. Good move and a good reminder to stay flexible when you sail.
A typical San Diego forecast. All models use the same source data but each has its own algorithms to analyze for forecasting.
With no noise from the engine it was a very relaxing 'sail'
Mario and me enjoying San Diego's America's Cup Harbor without being interrupted by the noise of the engine
So far, discharge profile from the 10KwH Solid State Battery appears to be pretty linear. 2x trips, 13NM, 3 hours motoring, 50% charge
With no noise from the engine it was a very relaxing 'sail'
3/30/25
Test Sail II - All Electric
After a week in the UK visiting family (and of course, Spirit Yachts to see the new Q7!) we got out again to do a second test run with the electric motor. I have to say, it's pretty impressive and spot on for what we typically do on Q7 i.e. lots of sailing, not much motoring. Having said that, the range from our single 10KwH battery is pretty impressive and more than enough for a fantastic day out or a cruise to the local anchorage.
3/21/25
Test Sail With The New Prop
We were keen to see what difference the new prop made and whether the pitch and diameter reductions were optimal for the new electric motor.
As a reminder, the old prop was a FlexoFold 2-blade 15"/11 Pitch. New prop is a Gori 2-blade 14"/9.5" pitch.
Summary from test sail : certainly 'good enough' for 'Falcon' and what we do on a daily basis. Will probably require some further optimization for the new Q7.
Basic Stats : 90 mins motoring, 6.5 NM, wind 6-8 knots gusting 10-12. An efficient cruising speed is around 5 knots with a top speed of 6.5 knots @ 1350 rpm. We used about 2.5 KwH power or ~25% of the battery capacity. For a typical sail, that translates to about 8-10 trips on a single charge.
AND - It's SPOOKY quiet!
Route from Shelter Island to SDYC and Back
Tickover with the new motor : 500 rpm drawing 10-15 Amps = 10-15 hours @ 2.5-3.5 knots
Top Speed with the new motor : 1300-1350 rpm drawing 150-175 Amps = 1-2 hours @ 6-6.5 knots
Route from Shelter Island to SDYC and Back
3/21/25
First Haul Out Since Launch
First haul out since launching in to the Pacific almost 18 months ago. Given we didn't spend a lot of time prepping below the waterline she's in pretty good shape. Also a great reminder to make sure we change the direction she's tied every few weeks as she was tied on an exposed side tie the last 6 months and it's clear which side was the 'sunny side'...
Definitely need to plan a full sand-prime-paint before the summer which will set her up for another great season of sailing!
Thanks as always to Tyler, Chuck and the team at Driscoll's Boat Yard in San Diego.
3/21/25
New Prop - EV Power
Falcon came out of the water to have the old 'diesel' prop replaced with a more suitable prop for the new Elco Motor. This was the first time since she was hauled out since she was launched on the West Coast back in November 2023 so a great opportunity to check out the state of her hull - some work to do but nothing you wouldn't expect after almost18 months of weekly sailing.
A 90 minute test 'sail' confirmed the switch to electric is both practical and desirable. At around 5 Knots boat speed we're sitting around 1000rpm and drawing 50-60 Amps which gives us over 3.5 hours motoring from our 10KwH Solid State battery. Slow down just a little to 850rpm and 4-5 knots and that extends out to almost 6 hours motoring. More than enough for a few weeks of day sailing or even a longer trip under power.
3/13/25
Annual Brush Up
Like many classic boat owners I actually like to be as hands on as I can when it comes to maintenance and upkeep. One of the things I need to keep on top of is varnishing so this week was taping, sanding and first coat under the watchful eye of 'Jon the pro' who actually knows what he's doing!
3/8/25
Guinea Cup Race 2
Yesterday saw a break in the recent blustery weather for Race 2 of the Ancient Mariners Sailing Society 2025 Guinea Cup Series. The forecast showed wind building to gusts in the mid-teens and for once it was spot on. Early concerns about choosing the Jib vs Genoa disappeared as we hit the home leg on a close haul with the shrouds in the water.
A great day out despite multiple races running concurrently in the bay. Q7 performed well though we all felt we could have done better, particularly on the downwind section where a higher angle and gybes would probably have given a better VMG than our chosen path wing-on-wing.
Thanks as always to AMSS www.amss.us for hosting a great day out and congrats to the Chimaera team for placing first ... again :)
(Pic Left: Unfortunately this was the closest we got to Don who did a nice job single-handing on his Alerion 38 'Zealot')
3/7/25
It's that time of year
It's been almost a year since we did any serious 'cosmetic' maintenance on Falcon. I say 'cosmetic' because of course, keeping the wood looking good is more than cosmetic, it's essential. The next couple of weeks will be focused on sanding out any sun spots and varnishing all the woodwork. After that, we'll refinish the deck and then take a deep breath before we haul out for topsides and bottom paint.
The community in San Diego has been fantastic supporting our efforts to keep Falcon in tip-top condition and as the photo on the right shows, even in her current state she doesn't look too bad.
More to come hopefully with some hints and tips from the professionals around Shelter Island
In the meantime, tomorrow is the second race of the Ancient Mariners 'Guinea Cup' Series so looking forward to seeing some other classics on the water.
2/19/25
Reflections from a short sail : The Golden Rules...
A good friend and well known race strategist always used to remind me that when docking, maneuvering or leaving a slip "Slow is Pro". After a few (thankfully minor) issues, many of which were captured in my blogs below, I'd like to propose a couple of additional rules to add to his wise words of advice:
1. "Slow is Pro" - whether it's docking, maneuvering or leaving the slip, the "pros" give themselves time to think.
2. "Don't get complacent" - mistakes happen when you take things for granted, skip the check-lists you used to rely on or fail to focus when you should be paying attention.
3. "Be Gentle" - I think this one particularly applies to classic boats but is not a bad general rule to consider for any sail boats. There's an old adage that goes something like "electric winches don't have feelings". To me this means taking every opportunity to develop a feel for your boat and trust your instincts when things don't feel right.
In our case, when a sail is harder to hoist than usual, it means something somewhere is tangled, caught or twisted. It sounds obvious but Falcon has forced me back to an analogue world and it's not a bad thing! 90% of our mainsail trimming is done by hand and if we time the tack right we don't need winches. On this particular trip the halyard had jumped the sheave and jammed the headsail mid-hoist. In a world of electric winches this could have resulted in an expensive repair bill. In Falcon, we knew immediately we had an issue and the worst we had to deal with was a shorter than planned sail and a(nother) trip up the mast!
2/17/25
Champagne Sailing
Monday was a chance to get out for a nice, simple, relaxed sail with friends. In San Diego we have the good fortune of sailing pretty much 365 days a year and as someone who was brought up in London (UK) I like to take a step back and appreciate just how lucky we are to see the sun at this time of year.
Monday was one of those days ... mid-70's with light winds forecasted so we hoisted the Genoa and set off for a sail.
Best Nautical Mile 8.2 knots
Best Speed over 5Km 7.5 knots
Top BoatSpeed 9 knots
The video (right) is less about me inspecting the sails, more an illustration of just what a fantastic day we had. Thanks to Garret and Mario for making it memorable.
2/8/25
The Guinea Cup Race 1
The Ancient Mariners Sailing Society is a fraternity of people interested in the preservation of classic vessels and in fact, Falcon's first formal event with the Q7 team was the 2024 AMSS 'Yesteryear' Regatta hosted at SDYC. Q7 is a proud member of the AMSS and the Q7 crew were out for the first race in the 2025 Guinea Cup series. After our 'Yesteryear' experience where we struggled (see blog post below) it's fair to say that expectations were low.
After a very relaxed (a.k.a. late) start we set out to chase down the other three crews that were actually paying attention. Winds were light which suited Falcon with some nice gusts that got the rails in the water and the shrouds wet. After a couple hours of champagne sailing we crossed the finish line 2nd overall - pending time corrections. Great work from the Q7 regulars (Mario, Rob, Peter) and welcome to Garret, our newbie on the team.
1/30/25
What's that sound?
Yesterday marked a major milestone, both for Falcon and The Falcon Study as we did our first test sail with the new Elco EP-20 inboard motor.
We decided to use the existing Gori 2-blade folding prop just to check alignment and get an initial comparison to the previous Beta25 diesel. As expected, results suggest we need to replace this with a smaller pitch as the motor drew peak amps at about 1100 RPM vs the optimal 1500 RPM.
The motor settled at 500 RPM when engaged providing a leisurely 3.5 knots. 5 knots came at about 750-800 RPM drawing 55 Amps or 3500 watts suggesting a range of at least 3 hours from the 10KwH Solid State Battery - not bad and more than enough to get us off the dock and back.
[PS apologies for the mess inside!]
1/19/25 (II)
Essential instruments
What instruments do you rely on the most? Falcon is very much 'old school' sailing - we do have a depth gauge but I don't think I've ever used it. We have an old chart plotter but honesty, I don't even know if it works. Wind meter? I missed it for a while but have got used to watching the water. For the last 2 months we haven't even had an engine!
Having said all of that, after moving on from the mooring cleat incident (see below), I was reminded how much I do use the windex. Shortly after leaving the dock we noticed it was stuck on anything other than a starboard tack, close haul to beam reach. It seems a particularly protective Osprey that nests nearby had decided it didn't like being pointed at and the Osprey won! Fortunately, as the wind started to die and we made our way back to the dock under sail we were able to drift to the adjacent dock to land safely. It was only a short walk home. Looking forward to getting the electric motor installed!
1/19/25
Oops...
A former boss and successful Fortune 100 CEO I had the privilege of working with was often asked some version of "what keeps you up at night?". His answer was always the same ... "complacency". Well... I could blame the gusts and lack of an engine but complacency snuck up and bit me in the butt this week. As we maneuvered Falcon in preparation to sail off the dock a gust of wind pushed the bow towards the dock with just a bit too much momentum. Instead of throwing a fender between Falcon and the dock (like I always tell people to do!) I thought I could throw some weight behind it and nudge the bow away. The result? a long overhang that rode up the dock and right over a metal mooring cleat.
Needless to say I wasn't happy - our first 'ding' and no-one to blame but myself. A tough way to start what turned out to be an otherwise lovely sail.
Lesson Learned? - DON'T GET COMPLACENT.
1/3/25
Finally approved!
A series of Santa Ana weather patterns have made sailing with no auxiliary power tricky. While we don't need much wind to get off the dock it's a bit nerve wracking when you hit a lull as we did in the channel .. 10 minutes of standing still against a 1 knot current as the tide went out was thankfully followed by over an hour of 8-10 gusting 12-14 which made for a fun sail.
After a few tacks 'jousting' with a beautiful Saffier 37 (not sure if the skipper knew we were trying but we like to think he was as well!) we headed back to dock under sail before our luck changed again.
Breaking News! After months of rejections we finally found an insurer to write a policy with an electric motor. The Elco EP-20 weighs in at only 72 lbs with a 10 KwH Solid State Lithium battery adding another 100 lbs - still less than the diesel it replaced. Stand by for news on range and cruising speed.
12/15/24
Who needs an engine?
The weather cooperated again on Sunday so Q7 was out on the water, able to sail off and back on to the dock in Americas Cup Harbor, San Diego.
The search for a new engine has been interesting, or maybe 'shocking' would be more accurate. How can a tiny 25Hp Diesel possibly cost $13,000 (!) My real goal is to get an Elco electric motor so we can avoid the noise, vibration and smell but finding an insurer to provide cover continues to be a challenge.
On a brighter note, the table shows a very typical sail for Falcon in winds around 6-8 gusting 10. While hull speed is not the ultimate measure it pretty much plays out for Falcon and is a great illustration of why her designers created the iconic overhangs under the 'Universal Rules' . Hull Speed on the level is just over 7 knots based on a 30' water line length. However, when powered up on a close reach her water line length increases to over 40' (!) resulting in a hull speed over 8.5 knots, almost exactly our max. speeds on a typical trip!
12/20/24
Maintenance 101 :
Restoring The Head
Maybe not the most glamorous holiday season topic but working out what to do with the old head has been an adventure so I thought I'd share the results.
'Falcon' had a period appropriate Wilcox Crittenden Type 51 head but the pump was leaking and it was looking pretty corroded so something needed to be done. An initial search revealed a repair kit that had all the consumable parts - fantastic! Only to find that it's no longer available, anywhere! and there's a very active community trying to find the same parts!
Long story short - many hours of googling found most of the leather cups, packing washers etc and a trip to the local metal finishers fixed the corrosion. Happy to share links to anyone interested - just use the web form below.
12/11/24
No Engine = Back to Basics
My initial reaction when the engine failed a few weeks back was to think "no more sailing for a while" but then I was brought to my senses by a good friend who reminded me that Falcon sailed for about 30 years before she had auxiliary power!
Wednesday provided a great opportunity with a full crew and a forecast that cooperated so we walked Falcon around to the end-tie and got ready to sail off the dock.
Long story short, we left the dock with just the Jib to keep things simple, had a great sail (was it me or did she feel faster and quieter?) and then returned to the dock on a close haul, luffing the main to keep the speed down before turning in to the wind.
I was always told "slow is pro" and so it was - 2 knots was just about bare steerage and we glided to a stop with no drama. Very satisfying!
11/04/24
Bon Voyage!
Mario and I waved off the 2024 Baja Ha-Ha fleet on Monday for what should have been an uneventful sail... that is until thick smoke started rising from the Salon. After shutting down the engine it wasn't obvious what the cause was so we sailed back early, starting the engine again just to lower the main and dock.
Turns out it's 'terminal' (exhaust manifold corrosion) and cheaper to replace the engine than repair the one that's there! Standby for some sail-in-sail-out adventures while I wait for a new power plant...
The Baja Ha-Ha is an annual rally that sails from San Diego to Cabo or La Paz each year. While I've sailed the route I haven't joined the rally which looked like a lot of fun. Bon Voyage to all and all the best preparing for the trip back which can be quite the adventure and isn't known as the 'Baja Bash' for nothing!
10/30/24
There she blows!
After a few weeks of uncharacteristic light winds in San Diego we were back with a vengeance on Wednesday. Winds were a steady 10 gusting 12-16 which ensured hull speed on a reach and a need to de-power in to the wind. The modern boats caught us up (and overtook) on the final upwind leg but we had a ton of fun and managed to get Falcon back in 1 piece with nothing broken.
As the photo shows, with no kicker/'vang, de-powering the main results in a huge amount of twist as the majority of Falcon's power comes from the huge main.
Many thanks to Bob and the 'Sante' team for the picture (as they sailed past us!)
10/23/24
Flying the Kite
Despite a good forecast winds were light and variable again in San Diego Bay. After disqualifying ourselves by rowing while we were drifting (to avoid a jetty) we decided to get some practice with the asymetric. Falcon has a 'traditional' spinnaker so fairly straightforward to hoist but at least 3 crew + helm to douse: 1 on the helm, 1 at the bow, 1 at the mast to drop the halyard and 1 in the cockpit entrance to pull the lazy sheet and stow in the salon. Other than getting the Tack in the water it all went reasonably well.
While I'm looking to all the 'help' of a modern rig on the new Q7 (no running back stays, self tailing winches etc.) the original remains a joy to sail - tactile, analogue and a great reminder of the basics.
10/16/24
We're going backwards!
Not much to report from the Wednesday series other than for a brief period, we were actually going backwards! While there was enough of a breeze to face in the right direction Falcon (and the small fleet around us) were overcome by a 1 Kn current of the ebbing tide ... while the others persevered wing-on-wing down the channel the Q7 team called it a day. Turns out that even for Falcon, there is such a thing as 'too light'.
10/21/24
Another Perfect Day
The weather in San Diego has been fantastic (even more so than usual!). Following a sunny day of 16-20 Knots we had a mellow day of 6-10 with no swell and blue skies. A reminder of how lucky we are to live in this area of 365 day sailing.
10/9/24
Course No.1
A light day in the bay but having missed a bunch of Wednesday races it was just nice to get back out. Winds should have suited Falcon perfectly at 6-8 knots and it certainly looked that way until the last leg ...
We've always known Falcon doesn't point well with the Genoa (110%) but on the last leg, that requires a close-haul when the wind is from the West or South West, 'Rum Squall' and 'Super Gnat' were able to point about 15 degrees higher and came past us before the final mark.
Stats were great despite the light air : We averaged 5 Knots over the 12 mile course, Nest KM was 7 Knots, Average 5 best speeds over 10 seconds 7.9 Knots.
Great afternoon sailing with Mike, Rob and Ellie.
9/30/24
The Insta360
Back from another UK trip having missed some Wednesday race's so it was just nice to get out for a relaxing sail with Mario and Kyle. Mario brought his Insta360 Camera and took some amazing shots of Falcon in almost perfect conditions
9/13/2024
There and back ... 1 Tack!
It's not often you get to sail in the Bay without tacking but that was what we did yesterday. Perfect conditions, in both directions giving Mario time to get creative...
9/02/2024
Labor Day In The Bay
Another mellow afternoon in the Bay but a perfect way to enjoy Labor Day. Mike and I were joined by his daughter Michaela who turned out to be another natural on the helm!
Despite light winds and the Jib to keep things simple we managed a steady 6 knots accelerating to 8 knots in the puffs. The Dolphins were out past Point Loma and there were lots of sailors enjoying a mellow afternoon in sunny San Diego.
Top marks to Mike for the dramatic pose despite not enough wind to keep the flag flying!
8/29/2024
A Sporty Ride!
After another UK trip it was fantastic to get back out on the water and San Diego certainly delivered.
Winds were 10-12 gusting 14+ providing a sporty ride on Falcon. I lost my cap raising the main and as we headed downwind to try and find it we struggled to keep boat speed below 6.5 knots.
With the small 'blade' (Jib) we covered over 12 NM in less than 2 hours seeing 7.5-8 knots on a Close Haul - Close Reach and 9 knots by bearing off a few degrees. Downwind on a Broad Reach was consistently above 7 knots.
I try to remain sympathetic to a 99 year old boat but it was hard to keep the rails out of the water and the grins off our faces. Good Times!
8/14/2024
Still Chillin'
The Q7 team was forced to take a sabbatical over the last two weeks as family duty called resulting in an extended trip to the UK.
The first opportunity we had to sail was for the Wednesday series with light winds and smooth waters in the Bay. With a full crew we should probably have flown the kite but in the end we just relaxed and made the most of time on the water with friends.
Wind 6-8 Knots
Q7 Crew : Kyle, Rob, Mario & Mike
(All veterans of the 2023 'Baja Bash')
7/27/2024
Just Chillin'
Vicky (my wife) was keen to sail this weekend but it was pretty breezy in San Diego Bay. Vicky loves sailing but she's not a 'sailor'. This presented a bit of a dilemma ... turn down the chance of a sail or risk a sporty 30 degree heel and an unhappy wife!
Falcon has a huge mainsail but no reefs. Great when the winds are light, even better at 8-12 knots but when the gusts get above 15 she's overpowered, even with the main eased. The solution? Leave the mainsail down, runners on and just use the Jib.
I was expecting the balance to be horrible if not uncontrollable but in fact, other than consistent Lee-helm she was fine. We glided along at 3.5-4.5 knots, very little heel and simple single-handed tacks as the runners were fixed. Everyone was happy!
7/24/2024
A Sporty OFRA Wednesday
Fantastic day sailing with some sporty conditions pushing Falcon and the Q7 team to hull speed (and beyond!).
Great dual with a lovely Alerion 38 being single-handed around the Bay Course (as always). Falcon finished behind but had a ton of fun along the way with the rails in the water and some spray in our faces.
7/17/2024
Oh No, Not Again!
Back from a visit to Spirit Yachts (see Falcon Study Update). More importantly, back out on the water with Mike, Mario and Ellie for the Wednesday series.
Winds were light which always suits Falcon so by the time we rounded buoy 21 we were well in the lead (see photo to right). That's where the problems started ... the 'Gentleman's Rules' state that the first boat to buoy 21 decides whether to head back to the finish or head on to the next mark at boy 22. Full of excitement that we might actually win we decided to bolt for the finish line... only to find everyone else kept going. Apparently a faux pas on our part to cut the race short when there was enough wind to continue which is fair enough - apologies to all.
At that point, Karma kicked in as the headsail halyard had jumped the sheave again so we had to 'furl' the sail around the headstay and limp back home followed by another ride up the mast for me. We still won though :)
7/3/2024
Double-Trouble
Mario and I were double handed on Wednesday and despite a catalogue of rookie errors we had a great afternoon making the most of the light air and summer breeze.
As you can see from the pic - we had at least one boat in front of us but think we came in 3rd overall which was quite something given the list below!
Rookie moves:
1. Got complacent and raised the main beyond a close haul - catching the sail on the runners (joint effort)
2. Forgot to untie the starboard runner and sent the tie up the shrouds (joint effort)
3. Thought we'd set up the Genoa only to hoist the Jib (all me!)
6/26/2024
Back in Style!
After several weeks of absence on the Wednesday series the Q7 team were back on the water in idyllic sailing conditions (for Falcon).
Light air and minimal swell made for champagne sailing as we tackled the Ocean Course and managed to come home ahead of the fleet!
To be fair, Brushfire was noticeably absent this week however, we sailed as well as we've done for a long time with solid tactics and a just a little luck as we managed to time our crossing with the car carriers perfectly.
Another great day on the water and lovely to be back!
6/24/2024
Going Dutch
Had a fantastic day out with some friends who were over from the UK. It was an international affair with 2x Dutch, 2x Brits and 2x Americans on board.
Joost and George were here as owner and builder of El Lobo Cycles www.ellobocycles.com shortlisted in the Top 6 for their latest Custom Chopper!
San Diego rolled out the red carpet with F22 Jets in formation, Sea Lions, Helicopters and Submarines ... a normal day sailing in San Diego!
'Tech Update'
I'm often asked if birds are a problem... The short answer is 'yes' but since adding a simple line of silver-foil ribbons I've had zero issues. Not pretty, but VERY effective!
6/2/2024
A family affair
Lovely sail on Sunday with my wife Vicky, daughter Ellie and good friend Mario. Winds were light but consistent with the highlight being a single-tack return all the way from Chula Vista back to America's Cup Bay - wonderful.
Thanks to Mario's friends who took this picture as we passed them on the way back
5/27/2024
Chula Vista and Back
Big smiles all afternoon on a single tack to Chula Vista. We covered almost 18 NM in less than 3 hours which isn't a bad average. Best NM was over 7.5 knots which is pretty consistent and a ton of fun, top speed was a hair under 9 knots on a close reach.
5/22/2024
Thank You 'OFRA'
I had the pleasure of sailing the 'Long Course' with my daughter who was taking a break from her final year studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. We were joined by Mario and were in the pack until we peeled off before the penultimate mark to make sure we could dock by 3pm.
The Wednesday 'races' have provided a fantastic learning ground for me and the Q7 team who are still early in our racing careers. The competition is tight but relaxed and the fleet is typically raced under 'gentlemen's (or ladies) rules' - Thank you for welcoming Falcon to the series!
Many thanks to Mario for joining us and making the trip possible despite a prior commitment.
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.
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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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