I have it on good authority that, " a mistake on zee land or a mistake on zee water is still a mistake".

So what do you guys consider absolutely essential in setting up to race?

huge question, even specifically dealing with rigging of the boat / equipment...

off the top of my head, in no real order, please add:
1. Inspection of all blocks (specific attention to spin halyard block)
2. Inspection of all lines, including halyards, tackline, spin pole ties
3. Inspection of anywhere there is a shackle, similarly with split rings
4. Batten tension / ties
5. Rudders / Boards for dings, etc (Rudders also for attached hardware)
6. Boom and spin pole for wear / cracks, specially anywhere there is a hole drilled in it
7. Trap lines inc bungies
8. Mast rake
9. Shroud tension (appropriate for expected starting weather)
10. Diamond tension (same as above)
11. Water in the hulls, drain, garbage, etc
12. Reset all continuos lines to be centered (do between races as well)

Most of these can be done at the end of a day of sailing en lieu of before sailing.

end of day also ice crews forearms ;-)

my checklist:
rum
ice
wind

If you have enough of the first 2 the 3rd really doesn't matter.

with enough of the first, the second doesn't matter either!

Jake......read carefully!

Beachwheels and sandwiches optional. Quote of the regatta by Karl "What the hell is he doing?"

Bitch, that was cold! Funny, but cold.

Don't ask me how I know....

McLube traveler tracks and cars, as well as sail tell-tales.

Tape all ringdings. Check them all twice.

If you don't have wind, you'll definitely need more rum (I suppose the converse is also true).

Mike

Isn't the thinking now that McLubing traveler tracks and cars is bad because there is a build up on the ball bearings causing them to stick and get out of round?

Taping ring dings cannot be understated!

I would not put Sailkote on the traveler tracks and cars. SailKote is so slick that the bearing will not roll and they will eventually get flat spots on them. I would recommend that you use McLube OneDrop since it is actually designed for bearings and works quite well.

I know all about the flat spotting problem because the previous owners of my Nacra 20 used Sailkote on the traveler bearings and I had to replace them.

You beat me to my "AMEN!" on that one!

I wasn't a big fan of putting anything on travler car bearings until I first used the "One Drop" product (Harken or McLube?). It works magic on recirculating bearings...and the company I work at has a proprietary dry conveyor lubricant (that is mineral oil based) that works really well and lasts longer than the one drop....I use it on traveler bearings and beach cat wheels.

Details!?

Interesting points about SailKote. My H16 had sliding jib cars (no bearings), so that was never an issue.

The main traveler used spindle bearings, no problems there either. I also used it on my main (Harken, BB) blocks, never had an issue.

Probably the best place I used it (as a lube for running rigging) was the line and corner casting cheek blocks for the jib traveler.

Mike

If you are asking about the dry lubricant (dry is a little bit of a misnomer)...I can sell it to you in 5 Liter containers at about $500 each. If I get time this year from major projects, we may pursue some distribution opportunities to get it into smaller, sell-able, quantities for sailing. For the time being, I have a small squirt bottle that I carry with me at regattas for myself...be glad to share if you want to try it out.