rigging an albacore sailboat

Albacore Registry
For Sale & Wanted

Albacor Rigging Guide (HELP) 54 years 2 months ago #5283

Albacor rigging guide (help) 54 years 2 months ago #5284, albacor rigging guide (help) 54 years 2 months ago #5290, albacor rigging guide (help) 3 years 7 months ago #11100, albacor rigging guide (help) 3 years 7 months ago #11101, albacores on facebook, uk albacore association, us albacore racing, canadian albacore association.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/us.albacore.sailing/

https://www.facebook.com/albacoreracing/

Canadian Albacore Sailing

www.clamcleat.com

McNamara Sails

www.ovingtonboats.com

www.pinbax.com

www.milanesfoils.co.uk

www.allenbrothers.co.uk

www.superspars.com

www.noblemarine.co.uk

Attention! Your ePaper is waiting for publication!

By publishing your document, the content will be optimally indexed by Google via AI and sorted into the right category for over 500 million ePaper readers on YUMPU.

This will ensure high visibility and many readers!

Your ePaper is now published and live on YUMPU!

You can find your publication here:

Share your interactive ePaper on all platforms and on your website with our embed function

J-TOWN ALBACORE RIGGING GUIDE - Companionway Sailing Club

companionway
companionwaysailing.ca

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

J-TOWN ALBACORE RIGGING GUIDE

(Grey sections are tasks done on-the-water)

10 Most Common Rigging Problems

1. Not rigging the jib sheets correctly.

2. Not attaching the jib to the fore ward pin on the chain plate.

3. Not attaching the Jib or Main Cunningham.

4. Forgetting to put the battens in the sail.

5. Sailing with not enough jib luff wire tension.

6. Sailing with a rudder that is not secured in the vertical position.

7. Not releasing the outhaul before lowering the main.

8. Not placing the rudder blade along the side tank.

9. Dropping the boom into the bottom of the boat.

10. Sailing the boat without tightening the buoyancy tank plugs.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Boat Captains - Each Albacore has a ‘boat captain’ who is a J-town member

responsible for maintaining the boat. A list of boat captains is posted in the J-town

clubhouse. Please make a note of any problems encountered when rigging or sailing

the boat on the club white board and contact the boat captain in the event of a

serious problem.

Albacores are numbered - J-town Albacores are numbered and the sails and

equipment for each boat are stored in a corresponding numbered locker or shelf in

the sail shed.

Each Albacore has 3 sets of Sails – (1) Social or Working Sails are used for

classes and casual sailing and stored in lockers. (2) Racing sails are used for Friday

Night Racing and stored on a shelf in the sail shed. (3) Regatta sails are used for

regattas and are also stored in the sail shed. Jibs and mains are rolled and stored in

separate bags. Jib sheets are coiled and left out of the bag to dry. Sails should be

kept as dry and clean as possible.

Battens - Social sail battens are left in the batten pockets not removed from the

sails. Racing and regatta sail battens are removed from the batten pockets and

stored in the closed of the main sail bag.

Sign out/in a boat – For safety reasons, it is club policy that members, helm and

crew, always sign out a boat when going sailing and sign in when they return.

RIGGING

Place equipment and sails in the boat - Equipment and sails should be placed in

the boat (not on the ground). Sail bags are left in the lockers (not attached to posts)

when sailing so bags are not lost or mistakenly used for the wrong boat.

Before lifting the boat off its stake

1. Screw in the two plugs for the side buoyancy tanks.

2. Sponge out any water in back of the boat. Sponges are found in the side

storage compartments.

3. With the attached shock cord closed the transom flaps.

Forward Buoyancy Tank - Lift the boat off its stake and screw in the forward

buoyancy tank plug.

Store the paddles - Slip the paddles under the deck braces on either side of the

boat with the handle bow first. It is not necessary to jam them in … a snug fit works

well.

Placing the rudder in the boat - Place the rudder blade on top of the buoyancy

tank with the handle forward toward the bow under a side deck brace (i.e. not

resting aligned across the boat on each bouncy tank). By placing the blade on a

buoyancy tank it is less likely the boom will be accidentally dropped on the blade,

damaging the edge of the blade.

JIB

Pin the jib luff wire to bow chain plate - Remove the jib bag with the sheets

hanging into the boat and the jib luff wire toward the bow. The jib luff wire is pinned

onto the forward pin on the bow chain plate.

Jib Cunningham - Run the jib cunningham, a short line attached to the deck, under

the second pin from the bow on the chain plate through the tack in the jib and tie a

knot that will not slip back through the cringle in the tack of the jib.

Rig Jib Sheets - Separate the jib sheets passing one around the front of mast to the

far side of the boat. Take the jib sheet on the side where you are standing pass it

inside the stays, through the barber-hauler ring then through the jib fairlead on the

jib track on the side deck. Tie the end of the jib sheet into a figure eight with a

double wrap to ensure in doesn’t shake loose. Do the same thing on the opposite

side

The jib halyard is shackled on to a ring on the forward side of mast about half a

meter above the deck. Shackle the jib halyard to the top of the jib. If the jib has a

wire loop attached to the end of the luff wire shackle the jib to wire loop.

When to hoist the jib? - Always hoist the jib before the main. If you hoist the

main first you risk pulling the mast off the mast step and the mast falling over.

The jib should not be hoisted on shore unless there is a very light wind. Letting the

sails luff when not sailing causes unnecessary wear and tear. Similarly when the boat

is tied to the dock unless it is for a brief period of time the sails should be taken

down.

Hoisting the jib - The jib halyard runs through a slot cut into the port side of the

mast. To hoist the jib pull down on the line part of jib halyard running out of the slot

in the mast until the wire end of the halyard is pulled through the slot.

There are two types of jib tension systems:

(1) A magic box (a narrow red metal box with internal blocks riveted to the mast)

- If there is a magic box, there is a hook at the top of the box where you hook the

wire end of the jib halyard. To pull the hook to the top of the box may require

loosening the jib luff wire control lines. Follow the lines from the base of the magic

box if you are not sure which lines to loosen.

And (2) a block and line purchase system. (Found on the port side of the mast

suspended from the mast slot, shock cord or resting on the bottom of the boat) The

block-purchase system has a hook or shackle to which the wire loop on the end of

the jib halyard is attached. Make sure there are no twists in the system or it will jam

when sailing.

Coil the Jib Halyard - Once the halyard is connected, coil the loose end of the

halyard. A correctly coiled halyard makes the halyard easy to undo quickly in an

emergency and prevents it tangling with other lines.

Pull On the Jib Luff Wire Tension - Once the jib is secured and halyard coiled, pull

on enough jib luff wire tension to straighten the jib luff wire and take the slack out of

the side stays. The correct adjustment is made while sailing. If there is not enough

of jib luff wire tension, it is difficult to sail the boat. The jib luff should look straight

and there should be no slack in the leeward side stay sailing upwind.

Taking the Jib Down (Always take the main sail down before the jib.) - To

take the jib down uncoil the halyard, release the rig tension, unhook the jib luff wire

and ease the end of the halyard through the slot in the mast. Then release the jib

halyard while pulling on the leech of the jib bringing the top of the sail into the boat.

It is easier to unknot the jib sheets and pull them through the fairleads and barberhaulers

on the water than on shore.

MAIN SAIL

Slide the Main onto the Boom - Pull the main sail bag off the main sail. Don’t

unroll the main until it is slid onto the boom. Orient the main sail with the battens

toward the stern and the luff boltrope toward the bow. Loosen the boom by

uncleating and uncoiling the main sheet. Lift the boom toward the side of the boat

and slide the boltrope on the bottom of the main into the slot in the boom. (This is

more easily accomplished with two people, one at either end of the main sail.)

Attach the Outhaul to the Main - Pull the main to the end of the boom and

shackle the outhaul onto the end of the main. Make sure the outhaul is not twisted

and runs smoothly through the block on the end of the boom. Pull on the outhaul

until the wrinkles are pulled out of the foot of main. The outhaul is adjusted again

while sailing.

Put Battens in the Sail – Social sail battens are left in the sail. Racing and regatta

sails have battens stored in the sail back. Unroll the main and push the four battens

into the appropriate batten pockets.

Hoisting the Main - Always hoist the main on the water, after the jib is up and

some jib luff wire tension is on. Before hoisting the main, uncleat and loosen the

boom vang.

The main halyard is stored on a metal ring on the forward side of the mast, half a

meter above the deck. Shackle the main halyard onto the top of the main. Place the

main luff boltrope into the slot in the mast and pull the main up the mast with the

main halyard. When hoisting run the main halyard outside the cleat in order to not

wear out the cleat.

Once the main is hoisted to the black band at the top of the mast put the halyard

into the cleat and secure it in place. Once the main is up slip the boom onto the

gooseneck on the mast. Recleat the boom vang and pull some slack out the line.

The boom vang is adjusted again when sailing.

Coil the Main Halyard – Coil the loose end of the halyard. A correctly coiled halyard

makes the halyard easy to undo quickly in an emergency and prevents it tangling

with other lines.

Main Cunningham – Uncleat the main cunningham. Run the end of the cunningham

through the cringle in the main above the gooseneck. Pull the Cunningham line until

the block that splits the line (beneath the centre board cap) is as far forward as it

can go. Tie the Cunningham line to itself below the level of the deck. Recleat the line

taking out the slack and putting enough tension on the luff of the main to take out

the wrinkles.

Bringing Down the Main – Untie and remove the Cunningham from the main sail.

Uncleat the outhaul and pull some slack into the foot of the main. Lift the main

boltrope out of the bottom of the mast slot. Uncoil the halyard and begin to let the

main down. Drop the main so that the boom is placed into the bottom of the boat

not dropped. Once the boom is in the bottom of the boat the remainder of the sail

will come down easily. Take the shackle off the top of the main and attach it to the

ring on the mast and unshackle the outhaul from the end of the main.

LAUNCHING THE BOAT

Putting the Boat in the Water – Push the boat on the dolly to the top of the

leeward side launch ramp adjacent to the dock. Undo the bowline (painter) and loop

it once around the handle of the dolly. Push the boat down the ramp until the stern is

floating. One person takes the end of the painter along the dock while the other

person pushes the boat into the water and returns the dolly to where the boat is

stored. Please do not mix up boats and dollies.

Boats tied to the Dock

(1) Boats are tied to the leeward side of the dock.

(2) Boats are tied with no more than half a meter (18 inches) of line between

the boat and the dock. This minimizes the tendency for the boats to swing

into each other causing damage.

(3) Boats are tied as close to the end of the dock as possible with

consideration for item 4.

(4) Whenever possible boats are tied far enough apart so as to not touch or

hit.

Put down the centerboard – As long as the depth of water permits pull down the

centerboard to the fully vertical position.

Attaching the rudder – Put the rudder blade under the main sheet bridle and over

the stern of the boat. Slide the pintle and gudgeon on the rudder into the pintle and

gudgeon on the boat. Lower the rudder blade to the vertical position, tighten the nut

on the rudder head and cleat the rudder down with the line and cleat on the tiller.

Check that there is no slack or twists in the rudder line or it could pop-up. Excessive

lee and weather helm indicates the rudder may not be fully down.

Before Leaving the Dock – Before leaving the dock check that the jib luff wire

tension is on, the rudder is vertical in the water, the vang, outhaul and cunninghams

are cleated, buoyancy plugs are in and closed and that there are no loose lines or

other items in the bottom of the boat. Check that the mast pre-bend is not cleated.

Taking the Boat Out of the Water - After docking, while the sails are up, take the

rudder out of the water. Release the line on the rudder that holds the blade down,

straighten the blade and place it along the side tank of the boat. Remove the plugs

from the three buoyancy tanks. Take down the main then the jib. Lift up the

centerboard. Close the Elvstrom bailers and release the transom flap line.

When leaving the boat in the water for more than 5 minutes take down both

sails

BRINGING THE BOAT ON SHORE

Putting the boat onto the dolly – When pulling the boat onto the dolly avoid

hitting the bow against the dolly. Wrap the bowline once around the handle and

secure it with a figure eight wrap. Once on the dolly pull it part way up the ramp and

allow any water to drain out of the boat before taking the boat to the post where it is

kept.

Storing Sails – Ideally sails should be clean and dry when stored. Roll the jib and

the main on clean part of the lawn starting at the top of the sail. Roll the main along

the leech so the leech edge is parallel. Put the main in the sail bag leech (batten)

end first. Racing and regatta sail battens are removed and placed in the main sail

bag. Social sail battens are left in the batten pockets. Jib sheets are stored outside

the sail bag so they can dry.

Tidy Up the Boat – The mast pre-bend should be uncleated. Lines should be lifted

off the bottom of the boat as much as is possible. The main sheet should have the

slack taken out and tighten so the boom is resting securely over the transom of the

boat. All buoyancy tank plugs should be loose. Transom flaps should be open so

rainwater runs out the back of the boat. Empty drink containers and other personal

things should be removed.

The Albacore should be hung on its post by the short line attached to the

Recommendations

J-TOWN ALBACORE RIGGING GUIDE (Grey sections are tasks done on-the-water) 10 Most Common Rigging Problems 1. Not rigging the jib sheets correctly. 2. Not attaching the jib to the fore ward pin on the chain plate. 3. Not attaching the Jib or Main Cunningham. 4. Forgetting to put the battens in the sail. 5. Sailing with not enough jib luff wire tension. 6. Sailing with a rudder that is not secured in the vertical position. 7. Not releasing the outhaul before lowering the main. 8. Not placing the rudder blade along the side tank. 9. Dropping the boom into the bottom of the boat. 10. Sailing the boat without tightening the buoyancy tank plugs. GENERAL INFORMATION Boat Captains - Each Albacore has a ‘boat captain’ who is a J-town member responsible for maintaining the boat. A list of boat captains is posted in the J-town clubhouse. Please make a note of any problems encountered when rigging or sailing the boat on the club white board and contact the boat captain in the event of a serious problem. Albacores are numbered - J-town Albacores are numbered and the sails and equipment for each boat are stored in a corresponding numbered locker or shelf in the sail shed. Each Albacore has 3 sets of Sails – (1) Social or Working Sails are used for classes and casual sailing and stored in lockers. (2) Racing sails are used for Friday Night Racing and stored on a shelf in the sail shed. (3) Regatta sails are used for regattas and are also stored in the sail shed. Jibs and mains are rolled and stored in separate bags. Jib sheets are coiled and left out of the bag to dry. Sails should be kept as dry and clean as possible. Battens - Social sail battens are left in the batten pockets not removed from the sails. Racing and regatta sail battens are removed from the batten pockets and stored in the closed of the main sail bag. Sign out/in a boat – For safety reasons, it is club policy that members, helm and crew, always sign out a boat when going sailing and sign in when they return. RIGGING Place equipment and sails in the boat - Equipment and sails should be placed in the boat (not on the ground). Sail bags are left in the lockers (not attached to posts) when sailing so bags are not lost or mistakenly used for the wrong boat. Before lifting the boat off its stake 1. Screw in the two plugs for the side buoyancy tanks. 2. Sponge out any water in back of the boat. Sponges are found in the side storage compartments. 3. With the attached shock cord closed the transom flaps.

Page 2 and 3: Forward Buoyancy Tank - Lift the bo
Page 4 and 5: main halyard. When hoisting run the

Extended embed settings

Inappropriate

You have already flagged this document. Thank you, for helping us keep this platform clean. The editors will have a look at it as soon as possible.

Mail this publication

Delete template.

Are you sure you want to delete your template?

DOWNLOAD ePAPER

This ePaper is currently not available for download. You can find similar magazines on this topic below under ‘Recommendations’.

Save as template?

Help & Support
tuxbrain.com
ooomacros.org
nubuntu.org
Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings

Choose your language

Main languages

Further languages

Bahasa Indonesia

Performing this action will revert the following features to their default settings:

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!

The Worldwide Leader in Sailmaking

Sail Care & Repair
Sailing Gear
Sail Finder
Custom Sails
One Design Sails
Flying Sails
New Sail Quote
3Di Technology
Helix Technology
Sail Design
NPL RENEW Sustainable Sailcloth
Sailcloth & Material Guide
Polo Shirts
Sweaters & Cardigans
Sweatshirts & Hoodies
Accessories
Mid & Baselayers
Deckwear & Footwear
Luggage & Accessories
Spring Summer '24
Sailor Jackets
NS x Slowear
Sailor Jacket
Sustainability
North Sails Blog
Sail Like A Girl
Icon Sailor Jacket
Our Locations
North SUP Boards
North Foils
North Kiteboarding
North Windsurfing

SAIL FINDER

SAILING GEAR

COLLECTIONS & COLLAB

COLLECTIONS

WE ARE NORTH SAILS

ACTION SPORTS

Popular Search Terms

Collections

Sorry, no results for ""

Albacore Tuning Guide

Introduction.

The settings in this guide will help you get the most out of your Albacore North Sails. As always experimentation and documenting will enhance your specific boat. The weight of the crew, the balance of the boat, the stiffness of the mast and local wind and sea conditions will impact your tuning. This guide was developed with the Superspar M2 mast and B2 boom.

Boat Set-Up: Foils

The basic hull and foil set up is similar for most Albacore builders and sails. Typically the centerboard is moved as far aft in the boat as the rule allows. The minimum allowable distance from the transom to the leading edge of the centerboard when lowered 90° to the hull is 2600 mm measured along the curve of the hull. It is normal to have the board within 1 5mm of this measurement.

It is increasingly common to rake the centerboard forward in flat water and in winds less than approximately 1 2 knots. Ensure the board can do this and that the 90° position is clearly marked and visible inside the boat. The trend is also to have flexible centerboards that have good gust response and give a slight gibing effect when raked forwards in light to moderate winds.

Make sure that the centerboard and rudder are aligned. With the mast off and the boat upside down, stand behind the boat and sight along the foils. I f they are not aligned, normally the rudder has to be moved to bring the foils into alignment.

Mast Butt Position and Rake

The maximum forward position of the mast butt is 3350 mm measured from the aft face of the transom to the fore side of the mast at the foot. 3335 mm is the recommended starting point for North sails. This will provide sufficient pre-bend without compromising the ability to ram the mast far enough aft to allow the boom to pivot around the leeward shroud while sailing downwind. The most robust measurement for rake is to mark the mast at the hull sheer line. Put a straight edge across the partners aft of your mast and measure down the shear line on both sides of the boat. Use the hull skin to deck intersection. Calculate the average of those two. Place a mark on your mast that same average distance down from the top deck. Disconnect the bottom of the headstay and swing it to the mark you just made on your mast. Mark the headstay at that point. (extend with line if necessary). Replace the headstay back to the bow. Hoist the jib and tighten the halyard just enough to take the slack out of the shrouds. The mark on your headstay measured to the top surface of the deck at the bow should be about 6”. I f it is not you may need to move your shrouds up or down to achieve the 6″. This is your max forward light air setting. In winds above 1 5 knots it is common to pin the shrouds down one pin from this position. Above 20 knots two pins is common.

North Sails

North Albacore Sails are cut to be powerful. Both main and jib have a fair amount of depth which is needed for superior downwind performance. In order to achieve superior upwind performance proper mast bend is required. The objective is to add just enough bend to keep the leech tell- tales flickering while in full power mode, and then as much bend as is required to flatten the sails in stronger winds. Bend is achieved primarily with boom vang, but pulling the mast forward at the partners, easing the jib halyard, and lots of main sheet all contribute to mast bend.

A system to increase the bend of the mast at the partners is very important. A strut is the preferred method because it it raises the fulcrum where the bend occurs, but a simple tackle system at the partners will suffice. In most wind conditions upwind the mast must be pulled forward or “pre-bent” so that it resides about 1 ” -2” from front of the partners. In very light winds the mast will have to be bent all the way to the front of the partner to open the leech. In strong winds the mast should be allowed to bend to within 0.5” of the partner (any more than that and you risk over-bending and damaging the mast when you ease the head-stay). In light winds the mast will be fully pre-bent while reaching. The amount of pre- bend is gradually reducing as the wind increases. The correct time to reduce the pre-bend can be hard to judge, however if the mast is not pre-bent enough, the luff of the main is too full and the leech ticklers are difficult to fly all at the same times as the ticklers 1 /3 back from the luff. When this is correct, all ticklers can be flown.

A good way to check the spreaders is to set the mast at the max forward, light air position. There should be zero shroud deflection in any plane (I.E. totally straight shrouds with no deflection at the spreader tips). Put your eye close to the chainplate and sight up the shrouds. This should produce a spreader length of about 1 5-1 5.5” and a sweep of approx. 7” (Standard spreaders have to be shortened to achieve this). This position is a good starting point for crew weights of up to 360 lb. Above this consider increasing the length of the spreaders by 0.5-1 ”.

Jib Sheeting Position

A good way to start is to fold the jib head to the jib tack and mark the mid- point of the luff. Then draw a line on the clew patch from this point to the clew of the jib. By eye extend this line down to the jib track. Experience has shown that the best light/moderate jib lead position is about 4-6” aft of this point. Further forward of this and the lower third of the jib can get too full. As the wind increases the jib car needs to be moved aft. In very strong winds this sheeting position can be as much as 1 0” aft of the starting position. This will flatten the foot of the jib and open the leech. It is important not to over-sheet the jib so that the main is backwinded, or, the jib leech tell tail is stalled. The jib height must be adjusted so that the foot of the jib is in full contact with the foredeck upwind. The jib height can be adjusted through the lashing of the sail to the wire at the head. It is a good idea to raise the jib in light air to get extra sail area, and lower it in heavy air to keep the foot touching the deck when the jib car is moved aft.

Main/Jib Cunningham

The function of the cunningham is to move the point of max depth forward, or aft in the sail. Tightening the luff pulls the max depth forward. Maintain the max depth of the main just forward of half way. The more the mast bends the more Cunningham will be required. The jib max depth should be further forward about 1 /3 of the way back from the luff. (like an airplane wing) It is important that the jib and main cunningham are released off wind.

The North main is powerful at the foot so it is important that this is restrained upwind. In very light winds the outhaul is pulled so that the foot is taught. Above 1 5 knots it is pulled very tight. When reaching the outhaul needs to be eased. Maximum power is approximately 2-3” of release on the outhaul. This will be sufficient to open the foot of the main.

Jib Halyard Tension

In light winds upwind, the jib halyard is often set to allow for about 2” of sag at the mid luff. This should provide great speed and a wide groove. Tightened a little to improve pointing or slackened a bit to increase speed. Limiting Jib wire sag to about 2″upwind is important until the wind becomes overpowering. Above this, the sag is less important because the jib halyard is let off to increase mast bend and rake. It is a good idea to mark your halyard adjuster to know where your rake is. Check the section above “Mast Butt Position and Rake”. Mark your halyard adjuster on the mast at a point where you achieved 6” of rake. Then make a scale on it in 1 ” increments. 8-1 0″ of rake is common at the upper wind ranges. The halyard is loosened, the vang is tightened and the shrouds are pinned down. While reaching the jib halyard is eased to achieve 2-4” of jib wire sag. Many of the top boats have a system to tension the fore-stay while reaching in light to moderate conditions. With this applied, the halyard can be loosened to give jib luff sag and a powerful jib without affecting the mast bend control.

The vang is completely loose in light winds. As the wind increases a little use the vang to keep the top batten parallel with the boom. More and more vang is used as the wind builds. Once you are both hiking a harder vang will bend the mast and depower the sails. It is a sensitive control and too much vang can lead to a sail with too tight a leech, or too flat a main. Too little vang can lead to too deep a main, or too much twist. Correct vang adjustment and appropriate jib halyard are critical to maintaining good balance and the right amount of power. When reaching the vang is used to keep the top of the main from getting too loose. Good reaching speed is obtained with constant adjustment of vang and deck level mast bend in response to the changing conditions. Try to keep all of the main ticklers flying.

Wing on Wing

When wing on wing, it is important to get the boom out as close to 90° as possible, and the jib foot snug. With this in mind, the jib halyard is loosened off by at least 6” and the mast rammed all the way to the back of the partners. It is common to let the jib halyard off to give 8”+ of jib wire sag. Above 6-8 knots get the jib out and away from the mainsail. Normally the centerboard is fully in the case and the boat is heeled to windward. Vang should be set to give just a small amount of leech twist as can be seen from the photo.

George Carter

2015 International Champion

FEATURED STORIES

North kiteboarding enters the race for olympic gold, tony rey joins north sails, north sails adds new loft in victoria, bc.

Refresh page

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

Sailboat Guide

Albacore is a 14 ′ 11 ″ / 4.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Greg Gregory and Uffa Fox and built by Russell Marine Ltd., Grampian Marine, Fairey Marine Ltd, Koma Boats Ltd., Gmach & Co. Ltd. (J. L. Gmach & Co.), Ovington Boats Ltd., Ontario Yachts, Lockley Newport Boats, Skene Boats Ltd., and O'Day Corp. starting in 1954.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

A development of the original Fairey Marine SWORDFISH. The ALBACORE has remained one of the most active classes in the world well into the 21st century.

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

Discover Related Sailboats

About Sailboat Guide

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Create new account
Albacore Articles
Video Channel
Albacore Registry
Class Rules

Buying Your First Albacore

What is you objective? What is your budget? How much are you willing to work on a boat? The Albacore can cover a wide range of needs and the particular boat you buy should match your skills and objectives.

Albacore can be rigged to be as simply as any two sail cruising sloop, or as complicated as any hot performance dinghy. This is one of the beauties of the class. The rules establish the basic parameters of the boats ensuring similar platforms for fun and fair racing, but allow owners to customize their rigs and cockpit layout to suit their skill and personal style of sailing. The class rules do not regulate the type or position of cleats, or the purchase of sail controls as many of the "mass produced" classes do.

Some people prefer simple layouts with few strings and distractions, especially when beginning to learn. Cruisers have fit their boats out with floorboards and storage compartments for distance sailing. Hot racers like to have lots of things to fiddle with to coax another ounce or two of speed from their boats when trying to win the world championship. All of this is possible with the Albacore. You can buy a basic boat and go sailing right out of the box, or you can build on the basic boat and turn it into something that fits the way you sail. All are Albacores, and all are fun.

Racing an Albacore is more about the sailor than the equipment. Great sailors can consistently sail mediocre boats at the front of the fleet in National competition. Old hulls that are well equipped with new sails can be competitive with brand new boats in all but the most challenging conditions. Beginners and poor sailors can be borrow the best boat in the fleet and find they don't increase their position more than a place or two. For the vast majority of Albacore sailors, any hull with decent spars and new sails will allow you to compete in the middle third of the fleet depending on your skills. There are some older boats, mostly those with very overweight hulls or non-tapered masts that will challenge even the best sailors to rise above the bottom third of the fleet. While these boats are limited as racing boats, they are low cost and make great day sailors or offer an affordable way to learn to sail and begin to race.

While there are plenty of exceptions, the following descriptions can be used to guide for those buying their first Albacore to find a boat that is well suited to your needs. This article focuses on boats commonly available in the North American market (there are many more types of wood boats and fewer fiberglass boats available in UK). All prices are estimated ranges based on market values in 2004. Prices are shown for boats complete with sails. New boats are priced with new sails. Used boats assume used sails with at least several seasons of use. The value of trailers, covers and other extra equipment is discussed in separate section.

Beginner or Cruiser

Beginning racer, accomplished racer, top national/international competitor, bottom cover, check list of basic equipment, check list of advanced equipment, buoyancy apparatus and safety.

Most Albacores will be fine. Even boats 30 years old are usually sound and can get you started in the class. Boats built by Grampion, Whitby, McGruer & Clark, Skene and others from 1960's and 1970's (sail numbers from 700-6300) are examples of boats that are well suited to getting you started at low cost. You can even begin racing these older boats with low level rigging, and should be able to compete in bottom third of National competition once you develop your boat handling and racing skills. New boats with simple rigging are also available. Depending on level of rigging and cosmetic condition of boat, prices for these boats (in 2004) should be in the US$400-1200 range for used boats and US$7,200 for a new boat. Of course, beginners or cruisers could also use all of the boats that follow in this list, but they will cost more and may have more sophisticated rigging that can be a distraction for those just learning the sport. See the classified section of the USAA site for a current list of boats for sale.

Things to look for in used beginner/cruising boats:

Does it have all basic equipment - see checklist
Air tanks sound
Bailers leak?
Condition of standing rigging and halyards
Condition of wood reinforcement used in construction of hull: wet or rotten?
Structural condition of rudder and centerboard (no cracks or failure points)
Top cover? (link to top covers section below)

For those who are considering some racing, the following items will limit your performance:

Non-tapered masts
Metal centerboards
Grossly overweight hull < 275 lb

While any boat can be raced, if you think this will be a major part of your use of the boat, look at the criteria below for a beginning racer and get as many of these features as possible.

(up to middle third of fleet) Objective at this level is learning to race sailboats. The beginning racer plans to go in local races and eventually work up to regional and national competition. They have an expectation of reaching consistent performance in middle third of the fleet, with occasional higher finishes as their skills improve.

Skene or Ontario Yachts hulls with numbers > 6800 (built from 1980's to present). Tapered mast, aerofoil shaped centerboard and rudder (not metal), sails with < 3 seasons use. Powerful (> 8:1) adjustable vang and adjustable jib halyard (> 6:1). The vang should be located for easy adjustment by the skipper while racing. The jib halyard needs to be adjustable during the race, but it need not be lead all the way to the skipper or crew position. Other equipment described for the accomplished racer is a benefit as long as it is not a distraction as you learn to race. Used boats for US$1,500-3000; new boats for about $7,500.

Things to look for in used Beginning Racer boats:

Tapered mast?
Condition of sails
Condition of centerboard and rudder
Adequate vang and jib halyard controls
Weight < 260 lb.
Top Cover (link to top covers section below)

While boats missing some of these items can be refurbished or upgraded, the sale price should reflect the need for additional work to bring the boat to a competitive level.

For those who aspire to be accomplished racers, you should look for a boat that can be upgraded to reach the level described below, or assume that you will sell the beginning boat and trade up to a better platform when your skills have reached the level that the boat is the thing holding back your performance.

(consistently in to top third of fleet) This level assumes that the owner knows how to race and has an objective to enjoy competitive sailing and place consistently in the top third the fleet. The most important thing is to have a sound boat with relatively new sails (< 2-3 seasons of light use), good foils and equipment that allows the full range of adjustments to be made while underway.

Suitable hulls will generally be Ontario Yachts (with numbers > 7300). In many cases these will be hulls constructed with foam cores (most, but not all above #7352). Foam core hulls will retain stiffness longer under heavy use and tend to show a small performance edge in conditions over 18 knots or substantial chop. A few lightly used or well maintained Skene boats (6800 to 7300) can perform at this level with a skilled team and excellent tuning. Most wood boats (including those from Young, Woof, Knight and Pink, and modernized Fairey Marine) are suitable for this level.

To be competitive at the top end of the range, boats should have at least two suits of sails with the better suit having no more than two seasons of light use. Foils should be in top conditions showing minimal nicks, scratches or dings. Boats should be equipped with wide range adjustable jib halyard (˜ 12:1 with 14-18 inch travel) and powerful vang (˜ 16:1 vang that covers full range). Other sail controls (cunningham, outhaul, jib tracks, mast pre-bend, mast ram) should be sufficiently powerful and positioned so that they can be adjusted while racing. Boats should be equipped with jib stick/whisker pole. Mast and boom should be straight and free of dimples or repairs. They should also not have excessive holes from relocating fittings. Standing rigging should be in sound condition and sufficient (at least 1/8" 1 x 19 flexible wire or 3/32, 1 x 7 dyform stainless steel wire for side stays) to hold up in all racing conditions.

Used boats that meet these criteria are generally priced US$3,000 to $6,000. New boats for about $9,000.

Things to look for in used Accomplished Racer boats:

Does it have some items on advanced equipment list?
Tapered mast
Good condition of centerboard and rudder
Full range powerful vang and jib halyard controls
Hull stiffness?
Weight 240 - 250 lb., less is always better
Top and bottom covers

Other equipment that can be beneficial:

Launching dolly
Top and bottom cover

Objective is to be in top 10% of National or International competition. At this level you are aiming to win the event or at least place in the top five. Under the right conditions with a very skilled crew, almost any Albacore could in theory win at the National level. In practice, however, you will find most competitors will have the following equipment.

Start with a stiff and well faired hull. This usually means an Ontario Yachts foam core hull (> #7700) or a modernized wood boat (Woof, Young, Knight and Pink, Kingsfield, etc.). New or lightly used sails are essential. Spars should be in top condition. Mast should be snuggly chalked to restrict side-to-side motion, but should able to traverse the full range of fore and aft motion allowed by the rules. A system for controlling mast bend at deck (mast ram or puller/pusher) is important (and it is critical for some brands of sails). While all forms of sail adjustment are not required, most top boats will have all of these rigged and available for use as needed. Most of these controls will be lead to skipper or crew positions for easy access in all conditions, including while fully hiked out.

Boats should have excellent foils. They should be stiff, have precision aerofoil shape and mirror like finish free of all nicks and dings.

Used boats that meet these criteria are generally priced US$5,000 to $10,000. New boats for about $9,500.

Things to look for in used Top National/International Racer boats:

Excellent condition of centerboard and rudder
Weight < 240 lb. With correctors to bring up to 240 lb. class minimum.
Practice sails for use in 2nd tier events

Trailers, Covers and Other Equipment

Most Albacores spend their shore time living on road trailers. These are used for storing boats at marinas and clubs or keeping them at home for easy transport to regattas and sailing venues. Used trailers are often very good deals and available at about half the price of a new trailer. When you can find them, you can get used trailers for about US$ 200-400. New trailers start at about US$675.

When buying a used trailer be sure to get motor vehicle information necessary to title and register the trailer. Bearings should be checked and usually replaced so you know that they have not been immersed in water (keeping wheel hubs out of water will greatly extend the life of your bearings). Electrical systems for lights on used trailers commonly need to be replaced. This is a $30-100 investment depending on whether you need lights and what type of lights you get. It can be done yourself and takes less than an hour.

Top covers keep the sun and weather off a boat. Without a top cover the gelcoat will fade in a season (or less) and the lines will become brittle and hard. Allowing water to pool in the bottom of a boat is asking for trouble. Given time water will find its way into the hull (even fibreglass hulls) and add weight to the boat and deteriorate the hull material. This is especially true if water enters and then freezes. It is critical for long boat life to keep all Albacores covered with bows tipped up at extreme angle so that all water drains out the transom without pooling. Buy a good sawhorse that will lift the tongue of the trailer 40 inches off the ground and keep boat covered to keep the inside of the boat dry.

Used top covers range from zero value to about $150 if in very good condition with < 2-3 years of outdoor use. New top covers are about US$350-400.

Bottom covers protect the boat from road grim and rocks when being transported on trailers. While not essential, they will save you hours of work scrubbing nasty stuff off the bottom of your boat before you sail. They will also protect coloured hulls from fading in the sunlight. Used bottom covers range from zero value to about $150 if in very good condition with < 2-3 years outdoors. A new bottom cover costs about US$300.

Used sails US$100-400 depending on age and use. New sails US$750-1000 depending on which brand you get.

sails (main and jib)
tiller with hiking extension
centerboard
standing rigging (forestay and two side stays attached to mast)
whisker pole (optional for cruisers and beginning racers)
top cover (optional- but extends the life of fibreglass and rigging)

This list is in addition to basic equipment (above). It is recommended for those sailing at "Accomplished Racer" level and virtually essential for sailing at "National Champion Level"

full range powerful sail controls
mast pre-bender
mast bend restraint capability (mast ram or blocks)
adjustable jib stick
top and bottom covers
launching dolly

All hulls have positive buoyancy and won't sink. Class rules require builders to build in sufficient foam to keep a fibreglass boat afloat even if all tanks rupture. Wood boats are inherently buoyant and do not require foam.

When inspecting a fibreglass boat, be sure that the required foam is still intact. Some owners unknowingly remove this foam, especially if it gets wet or damaged and fail to replace it. Many builders sealed foam "peanuts" inside seat tanks, so it may not be obvious unless you look inside the tank.

In order for boat to be safe and pass measurement, this foam must be in place. If you find an Albacore does not have required foam, replace it with a closed cell foam that will not absorb water.

In addition to the requirement for positive foam buoyancy, the class also has a rigorous requirement for integrity of the air chambers (seats, tanks and airbags) to assure that the boats can be self-rescued in the event of a capsize. Details can be found in the class rules (link to class rules). Annual tests are required with annotation on measurement certificate to qualify a boat for racing. When purchasing a used boat, it is reasonable to review this measurement card to ascertain if the boat has recently passed the annual buoyancy requirement (measurement card should transfer to new owner with purchase of boat). If this card is not available or not current, it is reasonable to perform a buoyancy test to assure the boat does not have leaky tanks. Leaky tanks can be repaired (link to tank repair article), and details can be found elsewhere on this web site.

Recent Classifieds

Donate your old Albacore to our College Sailing program 4 years 44 weeks ago 1 reply
Albacore Sail number Hull 2838 10 years 20 weeks ago
Albacore # 8122 Hapco Marine 10 years 33 weeks ago
Albacore USA 7312 11 years 24 weeks ago

Valid XHTML 1.0 Valid CSS 2.1

Canadian Albacore Association

The albacore is more than a boat. it's a community.

Whether you've just joined a community club to take your first sailing lessons, or you've been racing your own classic woody 'round the cans since before you could walk, we're all family. There's no sport like it. We sail hard and we socialize harder!

The Albacore fleet is going strong! Make new friends. Learn skills that can carry you around the world.

The Albacore is a community! Live it and love it!

Latest posts

2023 ontario albacore championship, 2023 albacore canadian championship, 2023 albacore midwinters in sarasota, 2022 us national championship, 2022 albacore ontario championships, 2022 canadians aug 13-15 in kingston, 2022 tisc regatta, 2022 canadian albacore championship, 2021 canadian albacore championship, notice of 2019 annual general meeting, 2019 albacore ontario championship regatta registration is now open, 2019 canadian albacore championship.

The boat Designed in 1954 by Uffa Fox, the Albacore is a classic high-performance sailing dinghy. Responsive and nimble in all conditions, the boat planes at wind speed over 10 knots, offering exhilarating rides. Comfortable for two adult day sailors, the boat is perfect for learning. The crew trims the jib sail, while the helm handles the main sail and tiller steering. For the veteran sailor, the Albacore challenges tactics and tuning for life. Modern rigging provides exceptional control. For the racers among us, fleets gather for competitive events and regattas running all season, regionally, nationally, and internationally! Over 8200 Albacores have been sold worldwide. There are active fleets across Canada, the US, and the UK. Sailing Albacores offers something for everyone. Join a club in your region!

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

Learn to sail.

Learning to sail can be life-changing. The Albacore is ideal boat to learn in! Whether you plan to sail at the cottage or sail around the globe, dinghy sailing in Albacores builds skill and confidence.

Albacore Clubs in Canada

US Albacore Association

2025 Worlds Save the Date – October 11-17, 2025

2024 Racing Schedule Released!

Harris and Koci win 2024 Midwinters Championship in Clearwater

2023 Corisca Annual Regatta Results

2023 Albacore North Americans Championship Results Backup

2023 Billy Heintz Results

VA Gov Cup Results

Ware River Governor’s Cup 2023

Ware River Yacht Club welcomed us with their wonderful hospitality for the 59 th Virginia Governor’s Cup Regatta the first weekend in August. With several of our ace crews in Wales for Internationals, some of us were thinking we might have a shot at some silverware!

Natalie and I arrived Friday and camped out for two nights. We don’t have stars in DC, so it was a real treat when the skies cleared and the Big Dipper, Cygnus, and Scorpio lit up the sky. The club included breakfasts, lunches and dinner in the registration fee which made for an easy time off the water. Maize colored technical shirts for all and engraved pewter cups for the winners rounded it out. And a good-sized sea turtle joined us briefly on the water during Sunday racing!

Both days of racing saw light to moderate conditions, so boat speed did make a real difference, though, of course, a good start and clear air always helps. It was hard to keep track of Dave, Jim, and Scott since they were all sailing yellow boats! With the varying wind speeds, crews were moving their body weight all the time and the lighter among us sat on the rail.

On Saturday, Marty Minot shot out to an early lead, taking a number of firsts, while I trailed a bit, being challenged by Dan/Kaitlyn and Dave Huber. Elvin made the trip down for this away regatta and was first to the weather mark in the fourth race while Jim Englert, a returning Albacore sailor now at WRYC, made a strong appearance. Scott Titus was a genial host, and it was good to see Suzanne Morgan (she crewed with me two years ago) along with the other active sailors from WRYC.

Natalie and I were in striking distance of Marty and Jordan after the first day, and when we managed to just beat them in the first race on Sunday, our hopes soared. We had a bit better boat speed than on Saturday, having tweaked our mast adjustment, but the excitement came when Marty engaged us in a tacking duel near the finish line. We went back and forth at least five times, neither boat losing speed nor focus while rolling our boats. Finally we were able to break off toward the line and get the needed first. Alas, in the next race we did lose focus on the leeward rounding and Marty slipped away for the win. And Dan, going out to the right in clear air, also picked us off.

The Hapco boats were all set up differently. Dan pinned up for really light air on Sunday and shared the helm with Kaitlyn, who powered to second place in the sixth race and Dan matched her with a second in the seventh and last race after being first to the weather mark. Marty, Lloyd and Tom caught up downwind in that race. Marty gybed to pass behind Dan but Tom on the right got to the leeward mark first then went right and won going away. Dan and Dave went right with clear air.

Natalie and I cleared our air after the leeward mark and got left, where we thought the wind would be coming from the bay. Marty followed us, though he was ahead, and every time we tried to break contact, he covered, closely. We even tacked into headers to avoid him, but to no avail. Ugh! When the left and the right converged at the finish line, Dan crossed ahead of Marty to gain second behind Tom, and I was able to just barely tack toward the finish on Dave’s bow.

Marty and Jordan won overall, Natalie and I finished second, and Dan and Kaitlyn came in third. Jill Williamson, who had come down to enjoy the scene and help out, won the Congressional Cup, awarded for best sportsmanship at the regatta for helping launch and recover all the fleets each day. Congrats!

Saturday evening before dinner, a grand buffet, Natalie and I had a nice swim with no sea nettles, but we did miss Celeste, Farley and our usual WRYC swimming buddies. And guess what? The club has resurfaced their tennis courts (and added pickle ball lines, of course). So Natalie and I hit the tennis ball for half an hour before heading home on Sunday, completing a summer vacation trifecta of sailing, swimming, and tennis.

Next year is the 60th Anniversary Governor’s Cup Regatta so we are especially hoping to have a good turnout, with our returning friends from Wales and even more sailors from Ware and the DMV. That way we can beat out the Hamptons, who won the actual Governor’s Cup this year with strong participation.

Lloyd, with Dan and Kaitlyn

2023 Fishing Bay Annual One Design Results

Fishing Bay Yacht Club held their 84th Annual One Design Regatta on July 22-23. There were 96 boats in 9 different classes registered to enjoy racing on the Piankatank River. Saturday morning the winds were coming from the NNE so the race committee set up across the river from the club. The winds varied in strength, but not much in direction. There were only 4 Albacores so we were placed in the PHRF fleet with three San Juan 21s and three 420s. The RC was able to hold 4 races on a Windward Leeward course. Starting a race with boats that greatly outweighed us proved challenging, but the long staring line did give us plenty of room – for the most part. The key to a good race was to play the shifts in the middle and avoid the spinnakers coming downwind. On Sunday morning there were only whispers on the water so the RC opted to delay on shore. Ultimately the wind just wasn’t going to fill in in time so racing was cancelled. The Albacores performed as they should and took the top 3 finishes with Dan Miller/Kaitlyn Lucey in first, Dave Huber/John Huber in second and Lloyd Leonard/Natalie Rehberger in third.

On the social side there was a good barbeque dinner on Saturday night. Many folks enjoyed the pool at one time or another. And the on site camping worked out well with good conversations with new friends lasting well into the evening hours.

This was the first time FBYC held their Annual One Design regatta in July. Many sailors may recall going to Ware River’s Gov Cup first followed a week later by FBYC. The change was made to deconflict with other races around the Chesapeake Bay. Hopefully next year we will see more than just 4 Albacores registered so we can have our own start.

2023 Hampton One Design Results

The 2023 Hampton Annual One Design Regatta was hosted by Hampton Yacht Club in Hampton, VA from July 8 th to the 9 th . Due to lack of wind and an anticipated storm, racing only took place on July 8 th . A total of five Albacores participated in the regatta.

The Albacores undertook two races on Saturday, July 8th near the mouth of the Hampton River. The weather was sunny, the wind was consistently strong, and the race committee did a great job of running races. Battleships in the distance and expansive water made for an interesting setting. Most of the skippers and crew were family, such as Andrew Scheuermann who skippered instead of crewing for Gregory Jordan with Delaney Jordan as crew. While the wind was strong, sailors were not overpowered to the point of capsize and the consistency of the wind made for ideal sailing conditions. Due to thunder, the race committee concluded racing early after two races. On land, sailors gathered in the Hampton Yacht Club gazebo for dinner, curtsey of the Hampton Yacht Club. That evening some of the sailors went out to a Korean hot pot restaurant for dinner.

On Sunday, July 9 th sailors mostly socialized in the Yacht Club due to the race committee’s racing postponement that became a race cancellation due to lack of wind and a projected storm in the afternoon. The award ceremony was held at noon in the gazebo. Congratulations to Daphne Byron and Joanna Beaver for receiving 1 st Place, David Huber and Mike Huber for 2 nd Place, and Andrew Scheuermann and Delaney Jordan for 3 rd Place. Until next year!

2023 Hampton Annual One-Design Regatta Results

2023 US National Championship Results

The 2023 US Albacore Nationals Championship was hosted by Miles River Yacht Club June 17 and 18 in St. Michaels, Maryland. The wind for the weekend brought two days of challenging racing conditions for the 15 boat fleet. Blue sunny skies and 80 degree weather allowed for comfortable racing conditions. A total of 7 races were sailed for the regatta with one race throw out allowed to determine the 2023 US National Championship. The race committee did an outstanding job getting the races off. This year’s event brought back two teams that haven’t raced together in years. It didn’t take much time for the Pedro/Gorton and Harris/Byron teams to be back in sync showing their prowess on the race course.

The wind for Saturday June 17 was from the north to northwest at 8 to 19 knots. A total of 5 races were sailed. For most of the day the left side of the course seemed to be where top boats were able to extend from the fleet. The upwind conditions were shifty, which made for some exciting and challenging races. Throughout the day there were multiple lead changes with one team consistently finding a way to the front. Sailors had to constantly adjust their sails and course to take advantage of the wind shifts to stay ahead of the competition. The shifts at times were as big as 30 degrees. Races 3 and 4 had higher wind speed which created fast reaches if boats were able to sail the correct angles and surf waves. With the elevated wind speed there was one capsize with several boats coming close to capsizing. WIth the capsize of AL 7966 the crew managed to stay dry while the helm (Tyler) tested the water temp during his swim. AL 7966 wasn’t the only boat that lost a sailor for a swim. The crew in AL 8260 (Natalie) also went swimming.

Sunday June 18 had very different conditions from the previous day. Two races were held in 5 to 6 knots of breeze. Finding wind was key with the race course having small holes. Roll tacking and keeping air clear was critical in the light conditions to extend from the fleet. Finding pressure in the light conditions helped teams extend from the fleet both upwind and downwind. Teams being patient downwind were rewarded in comparison to teams that gybed several times looking for more breeze, which never came. Once again the left side of course was favored most of the time. After the second race was completed there wasn’t enough wind to continue racing. Race committee ended racing for the day to the delight of competitors due the diminishing breeze.

Congratulations to Barney Harris and David Byron in AL 8261 for winning the event in dominating fashion. Second place went to Marty Minot and Jordan Minot in AL 8259. Third place went to Chase Cooper and James Schuster in AL 8258. Hapco Marine boats took the top three spots this year. The Top Women Helm Award went to Daphne Byron and Joanna Byron in AL 8027.

2023 US Nationals Results

View the Photo Album!

2023 Dave Irey Results

The 2023 Dave Irey Memorial Regatta this year brought a wide range of challenging wind conditions for sailors in the Albacore class. The regatta brought two days of racing from June 3 to the 4 from West River Sailing Club. The Albacore fleet was the largest fleet with 9 boats competing in the regatta. A total of 7 races were sailed. Other classes in attendance this year were the A Cats and Flying Scots.

Sailors experienced a wide range of sailing conditions. The breeze ranged from 4 to 18 knots. The most successful teams were able to manage the changing conditions. At the high end of the wind spectrum teams able to hike hard upwind gained on the fleet. In the breeze hiking and boat handling downwind was more important than being on the favored side of the race course. Crews during big breeze moments were rewarded with salt water spray during hiking. With the low end of the wind spectrum smooth coordinated tacks by crew and skipper helped boats extend on other boats in the fleet.

Congratulations to Barney Harris and Lee Sayasithsena in AL 8261 for winning the event. Second place went to Michael Heinsdorf and Eva Hogan in AL 8215. Third place went to Daphne Byron and Joanne Beaver in AL 8027.

2023 WRSC Dave Irey Regatta Final Results

2023 PRSA Spring Regatta Results

The annual 2023 PRSA Spring Regatta this year was a great success for the Albacore class. The regatta brought two days of racing from May 27 to the 28 on the Potomac River. Shifty, puffy conditions with sunny and cloudy skies made racing conditions challenging. The breeze ranged from 7 to 17 knots. The Albacore sailors showed up in force by being the largest fleet with 13 boats competing in the regatta.

The racing was fierce and competitive, with each boat jockeying for position to be where the wind pressure was. At times wind pressure was lacking on the olympic race course which made some reach legs difficult. Boats able to find and stay in wind pressure were able to break away from the pact. The wind conditions made picking the favorable side of the course difficult. For both days the right side of the course upwind seemed to be the better side. Boats repeatedly made the most gains upwind from the right. Downwinds legs saw many boats change positions throughout the weekend with the left side of the course downwind often being favored.

Congratulations to Barney Harris and Farley Will in AL 8261 for winning the event, which doubled as the MidAtlantics Championship. Second place went to Marty Hublitz and Ernest Ayukawa in AL 8214. Third place went to Stephen Duncan and Kate VanPortfliet in AL 8199.

2023 Midwinter Championship Results

2023 albacore midwinters.

Michael Heinsdorf USA 8125

The spelling error in the email’s subject line from the Sarasota Sailing Squadron said it all: “Canceled 2023 One Design Midwinters”.

A week prior to the regatta, the Squadron had fired a shot across the proverbial bow with an email stating that they were, “not optimistic about, the effect of the Red Tide Algae Bloom on the Sarasota Bay.”

Red Tide, or as science calls it, “harmful algae bloom” is pretty common in Florida, but it doesn’t make its way inland that often. As the name suggests, it’s an algae that produces a toxin that kills fish, makes shellfish dangerous to eat, and potentially suck all of the oxygen out of water, and turn the water red. Remember that last point as it’s pretty critical to our story. Red tide is also made slightly worse by global warming, as warm water temperatures encourage it to grow. It is something that you don’t want to swim in, or in some cases, breathe in. According to maps by the US Geological Survey, there were reports of Red Tide within the Sarasota Bay. Online, it looked legit.

However, as we later found out, there wasn’t any visible Red Tide in the Sarasota Bay or on the Gulf. This was a bit puzzling, as all the Squadron would have had to do to confirm the existing of said masses of seaweed or red tinted water was go for a short motorboat ride into any of the racing areas. Once the Albacore fleet made our way out on the water, we did not see any evidence of Red Tide (seaweed salad, dead and rotting fish, whale carcasses, etc.). To add a dab of manatee dung icing onto this rotting cake of seaweed, the Squadron held other, scheduled, events while we were there, such as their Luffing Lassies Thursday sail, Opti Training on Saturday, and an E-Scow series.

However, I’m getting ahead of events. Once the aforementioned email came out, the US Albacore class leadership made the decision to NOT cancel Midwinters and seek out alternative venues, with the less than week notice given by Sarasota. After many calls by Eva Hogan and Tyler Phillips, no alternative venue was found.

In the immortal, unprintable words of Barney Harris, (of which I’m sure you can get the ethos), we just did it. We’d roll our own regatta in Sarasota. And a dozen boats, all of them loaded up, either en route, or already at the Squadron (not to mention the car reservations that were non or limited-refundable) showed up at Sarasota Sailing Squadron for a clinic and a couple days of racing.

Since this was not a regatta, I took this an opportunity to try out my unauthorized modifications to the HAPCO adjustable shroud system. Surprisingly, Barney did not even come over to look at these modifications, likely because he was busy unloading or keeping track of the two Albacores that he had brought. I’m happy to say that my modifications worked much better than the original setup, which, if it hadn’t been for some quick moves by Farley Will in the 2017 Internationals, almost cost USA 8125 a mast as a control line started slipping. To keep things fair, I didn’t use them while we were racing on Friday or Saturday.

Back to Sarasota. Most of us showed up on Wednesday and rigged boats. Thursday, Barney and Lars, myself and Lizzie, and Dave and Chris (from here on known as “The Bruces”), went for a leisurely sail around Lido Key. While it was somewhat breezy, it was overall quite pleasant, with consistent breeze in the low teens, plenty of sun, and marginal wave action. We rounded the north end of Lido Key, headed down south along the shore close hauled, and then hit the south channel back in. Chris Maslowski was staying in a boat anchored at one of the marinas, which was crewed by an owner who was more than happy to deplete his beer stash by tossing us some cold ones. As this was happening, we suddenly lost sight of Barney, which is odd when beer is involved. Apparently he got incredibly distracted and excited by what he thought was a Hylas 47. Once Barney got his excitement under control, we headed back to the Squadron via a pleasant reach.

The weather forecast was a bit more challenging on Friday. Mid to high teens consistent breeze. Cloudy. The water was no longer flat. Waves were about one to two feet in height, just enough to be something you had to worry about, unless the crew didn’t mind getting a wave to face every thirty seconds. Puffs were forecast to be in the 20s, some even hitting the 30s.

The decision was made to do an around the island race. Since the breeze was out of the south, the fleet would head out to the channel, hit Mark 12, round it to starboard, and head south, upwind, to Mark 8 (more on this later), also round that mark to starboard and head parallel to the Lido Key shore on a screaming reach, then head back into the Sarasota Bay via New Pass, likely getting stalled under the bridge, then round back up to Mark 12 and back to the beach.

The start was also going to be a bit different than our usual timed start. Instead of a traditional start, we’d be doing a Le Mans start. For those who don’t know what this is, it comes from the French LeMans 24 Hours Automobile Race, one of the oldest car races in the world. The Le Mans start involves the driver running to the car, jumping in, starting the car and racing. As a side note, it’s also a start technique no longer used, because it’s a bit dangerous. And we did have a bit of carnage – Eva Hogan tipped over her boat on the start line and Tyler Phillips’ boom tried to take out my crew.

The Albacore Le Mans start had one rule: one crew member must be out of the boat with their feet on the bottom of the Sarasota Bay. Realizing that The Bruces, who were tall, and some others who fit that vein, may have an advantage in getting out the deeper water with clearer air and a bit of a head start, my crew extraordinaire, Lizzie Ellis, and I planned on positioning ourselves as far out as possible, with as much separation as possible. This put us in the deepest part of the southern side of the starting area that I, as the tallest of the two of us, could get into. Once the start happened, I would pull what Lizzie called a “reverse ninja” (the “ninja” is my sneaky way of getting out of the boat as we come in, as generally Lizzie doesn’t know I’m out of the boat until I’m in the water), jump into the boat, and start trimming and steering as soon as possible.

As Lee Mullins started a countdown, Lizzie got the boat ready for a reach (pulling in slack in sheets, pre-trimming the vang, setting the centerboard, and making sure she was ready to go out on max hike immediately). This was highly prescient, as once I saw Lee make what looked like a “go” sign, and I angled the boat off the breeze, we shot out like a bullet on a reach. While my legs were still outside of the boat, we were making massive separation from the fleet, with The Bruces and Tyler rounding Mark 12 in 2nd and 3rd respectively. There was a good 8-9 boat lengths separating us from The Bruces.

As we headed upwind, The Bruces and I made the decision to go to the east end of the channel, with Tyler choosing the west side. Lizzie and I shifted gears from reach mode to upwind mode. This involved a lot of talking about how the boat felt, which was initially a bit constrained and overpowered. We talked sail trim, and strategized on the tradeoffs we were going to make over what was going to be a long upwind leg, knowing that we were going to have a screaming reach or run once we got into the Gulf. We were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves keeping up with The Bruces in about 20 knots of steady breeze. Our tuning was working. When we were reviewing RaceQs later, we were hitting a consistent five knots upwind. RaceQs had even higher upwind speeds, some pretty consistent numbers in the 5.5 to 6.6 knot range, which I’m a little skeptical of. The hull speed of an Albacore is technically 5.19 knots. From my perspective, it was a pretty stable and dry ride. I’m not sure Lizzie would agree on how stable or dry the upwind legs were. But they were a blast!

The breeze died once we turned west into the Channel and started heading out into the Gulf. We were still crossing The Bruces. Bob Bear, who had been out of sight for much of the upwind leg, was still in breeze and was closing the gap to 10-12 boat lengths. As we approached the Gulf entrance, the breeze started picking up. Significantly picking up. And the wave amplitude was getting significantly larger with the frequency increasing.

This is when I made the call. In our minds, it turned out to be a brilliant call, though it meant that we technically didn’t complete the race. During the Skippers Meeting, mention was made of rounding Mark 8. There was one map which I did not take a picture of, which meant I missed that Mark 8 was in the Gulf, not in the Channel, because it was not on the map. I was also not right next to the person holding the map and couldn’t see where the finger was when the mark was pointed out. (Note: we didn’t didn’t make either mistake the next day.) There was a Mark 8 in the Channel in Sarasota Bay. Which seemed perfectly logical to round. In the spirit of sportsmanship, we tried to let The Bruces know that they needed to round the mark, but they seemed very confused. We understood why when they separated from us and headed to another mark in the Gulf.

My call was to head down on a run about 300 meters off the shore in the Gulf. The water seemed plenty deep. The rollers were big, but not as close together, and I could see it getting hairier the further that The Bruces got out. In fact, it looked like they were struggling. And as a backstory, this regatta was the first time that I had sailed USA 8125 in 3.5 years, and the first reach or run that I had done in 3.5 years. So had we gone further out into the Gulf, there was a little question of my skill and ability. I had no qualms about Lizzie’s confidence or skill level.

On a very conservative run, with full board down for stability, marginal pumping, marginal movement, and steering with the breaking waves, we were planning and averaging 10-12 knots. It got very calm and very quiet, almost trancelike, which was highly unusual for the two of us as there is normally a lot of back and forth. We were both a little nervous as we’d never gone so fast doing so little work. Lizzie took the opportunity to berate me as I hydrated, and had choice words when I offered her the water bottle. Apparently, as USA 8125’s newly appointed Boat Safety Officer, I had chosen a bad time to take care of my insignificant need to hydrate.

Turning into the New Pass Channel back into Sarasota Bay we saw some of the biggest rollers of the day. This seemed to me to be a great time to practice gybing on top of a wave. It was an incredible, beautiful gybe. Once it happened, we shot off into the Channel, only to come to a screeching stop as the breeze shut off a couple houses into the New Pass Channel.

Lizzie, now enjoying her role as Boat Safety Officer, deemed it an appropriate time to engage in personal care such as hydration and chapstick/sunblock application, and informed me as such. This felt like a good time to let Lizzie know that the outhaul wasn’t working, and that the rudder had been popping up. When we got to shore, I found that the 12 year-old outhaul line had broken where it was knotted into a hole in the boom. As for the rudder tie down, I’m not quite sure what happened there.

Once the rudder and outhaul were somewhat fixed, we launched the boat to honor Mark 12 for the finish and had an amazing reach out and back, hitting over 15 knots.

We completed our entire ten nautical mile trip around the island in just under an hour and a half. Over the next couple hours, boats came in one or two at a time. Notably, Lloyd Leonard showed up with a mast that had clearly met the bottom somewhere and lost. The tip of the mast was about two feet back from where it would normally be. Chris Gorton’s initial comment was along the lines of, “I’ve never fixed anything that bent.” However, Bruce rose to the challenge and a couple hours later, with the help of a couple palm trees and Tony Zakrajsek, it ended up respectably straight.

For our second day of racing, the plan was to engage in buoy racing using preset marks in the Bay. Breeze was in the mid-teens when we left the dock and stayed in the mid to low teens all day. Water was generally flat, but there were still small waves to deal with.

Once the right mark was found and all had congregated around it in preparation for the rabbit start, we had a slight delay to the start of the racing. The rabbit went down the hole. Specifically, Eva Hogan (USA 7970) dumped about a minute or two before the start and they spent some time enjoying the waters of Sarasota Bay. Once she hauled her crew back into the boat, we started.

And that’s when most of the fleet went to the wrong mark. Only The Bruces managed to get to the right mark. Everyone else was chasing Barney and someone else, when the fleet suddenly turned downwind, and not around a mark.

This turned into a legit race, and once Lizzie and I got clear air, we popped ahead on a planning run, closing a gap between us and The Bruces. We rounded the windward mark in second, with a pretty significant lead over third, and managed to extend that lead upwind. Downwind we played an angle that kept us in between The Bruces and the fleet, resulting in a second-place finish.

The second race saw the wind die down a bit, but it was still pretty breezy, calling for a good amount of vang and the skipper and crew to hike.

For this race we, along with the rest of the fleet, rounded the proper upwind mark. We were in third at the upwind rounding, headed down, playing the middle of the course with the intent to go down, when the bungee on the jib stick snapped.

Luckily for us, the jib stick stayed in place and I was able to continue on our course downwind, ultimately rounding in second place at the downwind mark. However, there was an issue – what do we do upwind with the pole? There was no quick way to untie or move the pole. So I had Lizzie cut the pole line, which launched the pole right into the water. Oops.

Our second downwind was done college-style, with the skipper holding out the jib, and we quickly learned that the pole is essential for sailing deep angles in the Albacore. We went from second to seventh as a gaggle of boats passed us. We had to work around these boats, and ultimately got into a pinwheel at the downwind mark. There was a hole, a very, very tiny hole, just behind The Bruces and the windward boat that we punched in, did a crash tack onto starboard, accelerated away from The Bruces, and then got back on to the favoured port tack and rode a lift to a fourth-place finish. Racing was cancelled for Sunday because of the forecast (which turned out to be wrong).

Ultimately, the top three boats, Christine and Tony, Greg Jordan and crew, and myself and Lizzie, tied with a total of 6 points.

This brought in the US Sailing tiebreaker rules, both of which had to be applied. Lining up the scores in order of best to worst finish, first place resulted in a tie since both Christine and I had a 2 and 4. The second tiebreaker rule counts results from the last race.

Final Results:

First Place – Christine and Tony Zakrajsek Second Place – Michael Heinsdorf and Lizzie Ellis Third Place – Greg Jordan and crew

2023 Midwinters Scores

2023 Regatta Schedule Is Out!

Don’t let your sailing schedule be slowed down this year! With 14 boats already registered for Midwinters , the season is starting off strong!

Add the 2023 Schedule to Your Google Calendar

March 3/17-3/19: Albacore Midwinters, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota, FL May 5/27-5/28: Spring Regatta and Albacore Mid-Atlantic Championship, Potomac River Sailing Association, Alexandria, VA June 6/3-6/4: Dave Irey, West River Sailing Club, Galesville, MD 6/17-6/18: US National Championship, Miles River Yacht Club, St Michaels, MD July 7/8-7/9: 2023 Hampton Annual One Design Regatta, Hampton Yacht Club, Hampton, VA 7/15-7/16: Ontarios Championship, Hamilton Bay Sailing Club, Hamilton, Canada 7/22-7/23: 84th Annual One Design Regatta, Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Deltaville, VA 7/29-8/4: Albacore International Championship, South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club, Abersoch, UK August 8/5-8/6: Governor’s Cup, Ware River Yacht Club, Glouchester, VA September 9/1: Long Distance Race (SSA to WRSC), West River Sailing Club, Galesville, MD 9/2-9/3: Bill Heinz Memorial Regatta, West River Sailing Club, Galesville, MD 9/15-9/17: Canadian National Championship, Thornbury Yacht Club, Thornbury, Canada 9/24-9/25: President’s / Cantina Cup, Potomac River Sailing Association, Alexandria, VA October 10/7-10/9: North American Championship, Miles River Yacht Club, St Michaels, MD 10/14-10/15: Corsica Annual One Design Regatta, Corsica River Yacht Club, Centerville, MD

2023 Albacore Midwinters in Sarasota March 17-19

UPDATE: SSS has cancelled the event due to the Red Tide, but USAA is currently looking into where else to host the event. Hopefully we will still be able to hold the event.

Sarasota Sailing Squadron will be hosting the Albacores for Midwinters again in 2023. Start making your plans now.

Sadly camping at the club will not be allowed so book your hotels early to get a good price!

Sarasota Sailing Squadron will host the Annual One Design Midwinter Regatta March 17th through March 19th. Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the E-Scow Class, they will be joined on the bay by the Melges 14 and Albacores. Other One Design Fleets with 5 or more paid registrations are welcome to participate. Sarasota Sailing Squadron offers some of the best sailing on Florida’s West Coast and we are happy to offer a venue for one design racing.

Registration is now open and available online via Regatta Network.

NOR can be found here.

See everyone there!

2022 US National Championship Results

Like many sailors, I was looking forward to a full albacore race schedule after a long interruption. This year certainly did not disappoint.

I started sailing albacores 7 years ago, and turned to racing that same summer. It was the perfect outlet for my competitive alter-ego. I was fortunate that my albacore racing started in Toronto, where you would regularly find approximately 40 albacores on a Friday start line. Race trainings were on Mondays, where we would learn about the power of being on starboard, how to roll tack like your life depended on it, and how to play with all the colourful lines till the boat moved.

As I participated in more regattas, I met sailors from the US and the UK, and travel regattas became the main topic of conversation. I eased my way in with regattas close to Toronto, and slowly ventured further afield until I found myself in Shelbourne, Nova Scotia for the Albacore Internationals in 2019, with sailors from Canada, the US, and UK: 94 fellow ‘Athlete- Competitors’ (as we are known in Nova Scotia). This event was a hint of how much fun travel regattas could be. Clearly, 2020 was going to be even better.

2020 and 2021 were so much fun, there’s no space to mention them here, so let’s skip forward to US National Championships 2022 hosted in Rock Hall, Maryland.

The first day was gloomy and windy. On our way out to the race course, our new scenery included a duck blind, crab pots and hundreds of questionable jellyfish. We promptly adjusted to survival sailing for the shifty winds and quickly discovered the effects of current.

The second day was sunny and windy. There were five races, Barney and Ernest won four.

The third day was sunny and un-windy. There is nothing we can be more thankful for than an incredible race committee who knows when not to send the fleet out on the water. The day started with a well supported AP flag until a light breeze trickled our way. We ultimately drifted our way through 2 races before we were back on shore for awards.

Congratulations to Barney Harris and Ernest Ayukawa for the victory! In addition to Barney’s well-deserved win, he went above and beyond, towing 4 albacores to Rock Hall for 3 other teams from the US, Canada and the UK. I am very grateful he graciously lent me and my amazing helm (Stephanie Stalinski) a boat for this event. Thank you to the volunteers, staff and race committee at Rock Hall who made this such an enjoyable experience! This weekend contained many firsts for me. First time travelling to the United States for a regatta. First time sailing a boat decked out by Barney. First time sailing an Ontario Yacht albacore. For anyone who has been racing for 1-2 years, travel regattas are incredible opportunities to develop memorable experiences with new friends and broaden your sailing skills. There will be another full schedule of racing next year and you can find the racing schedule for Canada here, the US here, and the UK here.

See you on the start line!

Check out photos from the event!

Check out the Sail-World Article!

Planning for the 2023 season is already under way, with the 2023 International Championship being held in Abersoch. If you’re interested in joining this fun fleet, get in touch because there are lots of boats out there waiting to be raced.

Winners: 1st and President’s Trophy: Barney Harris and Ernest Ayukawa 2nd: Raines Koby and Stephanie Mah 3rd: Marty Minot and Jordan Minot Bob Harwood Challenger Fleet Winner: Stephanie Stalinski and Mabel Chan Bill Shore Trophy (Top Woman Helm): Anna Sepko Roger Thomas Senior Trophy (Combined age over 110, not in top 3): Marty Hublitz and Lars Rathjen Most Improved Helm: Eva Hogan Endurance Award: Elvin Aponte and Willy Bresee

Albacore Sailing Dinghy. Racing, cruising, or learning to sail it's the boat for you!

IMAGES

Albacore
How to rig an Albacore
Albacore
Albacore Jib Halyard Cascade System Diagram
TISC
Albacore Fitting List » Allen

VIDEO

Building an outrigger sailing canoe part 10
Albacore Tuna Gear Rigging video2of3
Building an outrigger sailing canoe Part 3
Albacore 7982 upwind sailing on a windy day
#sailboat #haulout #travellift
#sailboat #keel

COMMENTS

Rigging
Use these links to help you rig your Albacore! Control Systems. Fly Away Whisker Pole Split Tail Mainsheet Centerboard Downhaul Brake Vang and Jib Halyard System Splicing Vectran Line. Foils. Upgrading Your Centerboard Replacement of the Centerboard Gasket Dimensions of the Hapco Milanes Albacore Centerboard. Hiking Straps
PDF J-TOWN ALBACORE RIGGING GUIDE 10 Most Common Rigging Problems
Boat Captains - Each Albacore has a 'boat captain' who is a J-town member responsible for maintaining the boat. A list of boat captains is posted in the J-town clubhouse. Please make a note of any problems encountered when rigging or sailing the boat on the club white board and contact the boat captain in the event of a serious problem.
The Complete Guide to Albacore Sailing
The Albacore will handily outperform other similar two person boats such as the Snipe or Jet, or any of the new generation of classes such as the Vanguard 15 or JY15. The tapered mast and modern, adjustable rig permit the boat to be raced competitively with a wide range of crew weights in all but the most extreme conditions.
BURNABY SAILING ASSOCIATION ALBACORE RIGGING BASICS
A short video on rigging and a few slides at the end.
How to rig an Albacore
How to rig the Red Rocket at Peterborough Sailing Club
TISC
About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...
Rigging and Equipment
Rigging and Equipment. Updated by albacore on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 11:16. Table of Contents ... Detailed procedure on how to splice an eye into 12 strand Vectran line used in Albacore vang, jib halyard, and other cascaded purchase systems. ... Donate your old Albacore to our College Sailing program 4 years 44 weeks ago 1 reply; Albacore Sail ...
Albacor Rigging Guide (HELP)
I have just bought a 1967 Albacore and I am new to sailing. I have tried to put the rigging together but cannot for the life of me get all the ropes, wires etc in the right place. Does anyone have a step by step guide or diagram which may help me figure it out.
J-TOWN ALBACORE RIGGING GUIDE
Boat Captains - Each Albacore has a 'boat captain' who is a J-town member responsible for maintaining the boat. A list of boat captains is posted in the J-town clubhouse. Please make a note of any problems encountered when rigging or sailing the boat on the club white board and contact the boat captain in the event of a
Albacore Sail Tuning Guide
The problem is that as the wind rises and the rig tension increases, the luff wire stretches. This has the effect of tensioning the luff. As the flow is brought forward and the leech opens, pointing ability is lost. So, after the rig has been organized for the day, check that the luff is tensioned properly by:
ALBACORE
The ALBACORE has remained one of the most active classes in the world well into the 21st century. ... more powerful boat that will be better able to stand up to the wind. Bal./Disp = ballast (lbs)/ displacement (lbs)*100 ... Sailboat Rigging Diagram. ShipCanvas. KiwiGrip. Bruntons. Rudder Craft. Latell Evolution Sails BR. Seaworthy Goods. EWOL.
Sail Faster: Tips For Moving Up In The Fleet
Good news is that the Albacore is tough, seaworthy boat. If maintained in good condition. Annual checks of buoyancy tanks, standing rigging and high load fittings should keep the equipment from failing. With sound equipment an Albacore can be sailed in winds well over 30 knots with the weight of two adults on board.
Albacore Tuning Guide
The weight of the crew, the balance of the boat, the stiffness of the mast and local wind and sea conditions will impact your tuning. This guide was developed with the Superspar M2 mast and B2 boom. Boat Set-Up: Foils. The basic hull and foil set up is similar for most Albacore builders and sails.
What Is An Albacore?
The Albacore's rig uses swept spreaders supporting a tapered mast, a powerful vang, and adjustable jib halyard and other sail controls to depower in high winds - enabling both light and heavy crews to race head to head in all but the most extreme conditions. ... The real proof is in the sailing. While the Albacore is a fast and lively boat, it ...
Albacore
1954. Albacore is a 4.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Greg Gregory and Uffa Fox and built by Russell Marine Ltd., Grampian Marine, Fairey Marine Ltd, Koma Boats Ltd., Gmach & Co. Ltd. (J. L. Gmach & Co.), Ovington Boats Ltd., Ontario Yachts, Lockley Newport Boats, Skene Boats Ltd., and O'Day Corp. starting in 1954. Designers.
Albacore Jib Halyard Cascade System Diagram
The jib halyard 1 is a length of 1/8 inch 7×19 stainless wire rope. The top end is fitted with a captive pin shackle 2 and connects to the head of the jib 3. The hauling end is fitted with a 30 inch loop 4 that serves to keep the crimp fitting 5 always in the mast throughout its range in travel. This feature prevents the halyard 1 from hanging ...
Albacore (dinghy)
Albacore (dinghy) The Albacore is a 4.57 m (15 ft) two-person planing dinghy with fractional sloop rig, for competitive racing and lake and near-inshore day sailing. Hulls are made of either wood or fiberglass. The basic shape was developed in 1954 from an Uffa Fox design, the Swordfish. Recent boats retain the same classic dimensions, and use ...
Buying Your First Albacore
The Albacore can cover a wide range of needs and the particular boat you buy should match your skills and objectives. Albacore can be rigged to be as simply as any two sail cruising sloop, or as complicated as any hot performance dinghy. This is one of the beauties of the class. The rules establish the basic parameters of the boats ensuring ...
Commercial Albacore Tuna Spread Rigging Setup
I have rod and reel bft and albacore fished looking to rig my boat for handlining tuna this summer fall. Digging through the old stick boat I found a about $1000 worth of brand new or almost new gear pre crimped and rigged up ready to go fishing. Everything from Mexican flag hoochies on 100lb line to cedar plugs for a full 8-10 line spread off ...
Tuning and Practice
Boat Tuning Techniques. 2005 Winter Training, part #1. On January 28-29-30, 2005 fifteen Albacore sailors from US and Canada met in Sarasota for the first winter training session. It was a great time with ideal conditions (lots of wind and temps in the 70's). We logged about 12-15 hours of on the water speed tuning and supplemented that with ...
Home
The boat Designed in 1954 by Uffa Fox, the Albacore is a classic high-performance sailing dinghy. Responsive and nimble in all conditions, the boat planes at wind speed over 10 knots, offering exhilarating rides. Comfortable for two adult day sailors, the boat is perfect for learning. The crew trims the jib sail, while the helm handles the main ...
US Albacore Association
The 2023 Dave Irey Memorial Regatta this year brought a wide range of challenging wind conditions for sailors in the Albacore class. The regatta brought two days of racing from June 3 to the 4 from West River Sailing Club. The Albacore fleet was the largest fleet with 9 boats competing in the regatta.