Racing Tactics
By Cliff Ruckstuhl
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The 28.5 is a great race boat you might call it a sleeper. Having your boat set up to race is one of the key
elements. A Back-stay adjuster helps keep the fore stay tight. I had a 16-1 cascade system and it worked
very well and was very easy to use. There are not any boat's in this class that can point with the deep
keel boat. With good sail's and a clean bottom you will be able to sail higher and faster up the windward
leg and this along will help you beat all the boat in your class. A well set up 28.5 will out sail a Tarten 30,
Catalina 30, Oday 30 and any other boat in it's class.
One of the secrets when racing the 28.5 is when your course turns from a pointing high to a close reach
moving the head sail sheet to the toe rail will make the boat scream on this course. I would just use the
spinnaker blocks and position them just a little forward of the up wind position on the T track. When
switching from going up wind to a close reach I would just use a short sheet and tie a bowline knot to the
clew of the sail and run it to the toe rail block. This set up allow the head sail to not open at the top and let
the air spill out it allows the head sail to have great shape from the head to the foot.
Going down wind wing and wing is your wost point of sail. It sucks!! So trying to play the angles will give
you more speed and speed is king.
A folding prop is a must have and can be bought on eBay or used you will just need to search for one.
We raced our boat for about 5 years and it took a few years to get it tweaked but when we did we were
the boat to beat and if we got beat it was because of a dumb decision on my part. You just can't win when
you go the wrong way. Contact me for any racing info on the 28.5.