Lessons Learned at the 2026 Pacific Cup

In Episode 30 of UK Sailmakers’ Lessons Learned, host Buttons Padin talks with Brendan Huffman, co-owner of the UK Sailmakers Los Angeles loft, fresh off winning ORR 4, the Gosling's Rum Division, and the perpetual Carl Schumacher Award in the 2026 Pacific Cup aboard his refit Express 37, Dorado. He took the lead in the last 100 miles of an 11.5 day race. Brendan walks through a stop-and-start two and a half year restoration, including major deck and rig updates, a cracked diesel tank that contaminated the bilge and water tank weeks before the start, and last-minute equipment changes. He details his offshore sail plan using UK's X-Drive® laminates, why he left the J1 at home, and how a spinnaker net helped prevent headstay wraps while sailing deep in rolly trade wind conditions. He also explains why he chose a five-person crew, how they managed systems and navigation, and what's next for the boat. 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Express 37 Refit Story 03:26 Setbacks and Delivery 05:35 Sail Inventory Choices 08:27 Spinnaker Net Explained 12:20 Race Results and Lessons 14:30 Five Person Crew Strategy 16:23 Favorite Race Moments 17:37 What’s Next for the Boat 19:21 Taffeta on X-Drive Sails 20:17 Conclusion Like and subscribe to the UK Sailmakers YouTube channel to be notified when more great content from our channel is uploaded. The Lessons Learned Podcast is also available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.