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Transpac Record Setter Relaunched and Ready for 50th Edition

The world-famous sailing yacht Merlin is set to embark on the 50th running of the classic Transpacific Race from California to Hawaii on July 13. Merlin set an elapsed time record in 1977 that stood for two decades. The boat has been recently refit and is ready for launch out of Southern California in hopes of continuing the yacht’s winning legacy.

The newly refit Merlin will be on display at the Long Beach Yacht Club on Thursday, July 11, from 6-9 p.m. for a Transpac send off party. The Merlin Yacht Racing crew is honored to host designer and builder Bill Lee as well as naval architect Alan Andrews and boat builder Dennis Choate, both of whom were instrumental in Merlin’s most recent refit. Friends, supporters and competitors are invited to join in the festivities and can RSVP to merlinyachtracing@gmail.com or by calling Kate at (813)-229-1000, EXT. 212.

Jeff Brown Yachts (sponsor)

We had such a great time at the Transpac Aloha send off party this weekend! It was a pleasure to display our BRABUS Shadow 500 along with a couple of beautiful BRABUS SUVs from BRABUS Marine. The Shadow 500 will be a VIP spectator boat for each of the starts the race starts this week. We are happy to sponsor the 50th Anniversary of the Transpac Race and wish all the racers good luck!

First of three waves starts Transpac 50 on Wednesday

Novamar Sponsors Transpac 50 Virtual Regatta

Transpac is more than just another offshore sailboat race to Craig Chamberlain, Novamar's President.

Not only has he and many of Novamar's staff members been active sailors for most of their lives, dating back from their college dinghy years up to currently competing in inshore and offshore big boat regattas, but Craig and his wife Julie did their first Transpac together back in 1981. They later introduced their three kids to the sailing lifestyle by racing and cruising up and down the coast of Mexico as far south as Zihuatanejo.

Craig therefore feels there is a natural and organic fit between Novamar and Transpac and is proud to be the Official Presenting Sponsor of the Transpac 50 Virtual Regatta that is available for registration now at http://click.virtualregatta.com/?li=4959. This online simulation game replicates sailing the 2225-mile course from the start in Los Angeles to the finish line at Diamond Head buoy in Honolulu. The race is sailed virtually on a Figaro II, the 33-foot Marc Lombard design that was used throughout the world of oceanic double handed sailing from its introduction in 2003 to now, only recently being replaced by the Figaro 3.

Transpac Porsche Palooza July 7th in Long Beach

Come and enjoy the 3rd Annual Transpac Porsche Celebration at Gladstone’s Long Beach on the Pine Ave Pier. In honor of Transpac 50, classics Porsches from the past and present will be on display. Circle Porsche is hosting Porsche Palooza and you’re invited to this free event! 

Pine Ave Pier
330 S Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
Sunday, July 7th from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Tahiti Comes to Transpac 50

At the Skipper and Navigator Meeting in Long Beach on Saturday July 6th, Stephanie Betz from the Tahiti side of the 2020 Transpac Tahiti Race will be making a presentation on this other iconic race organized by the Transpacific YC.

Held irregularly every few years since 1928, this race is unique in linking North and South hemispheres in one ocean, a 3571-mile port-tack high-speed reach from one tradewinds belt to another, with the equitorial doldrums in between.

And lying in wait at the finish is the real prize: the legendary tropical paradise in French Polynesia that has lured so many for so many years.

50th Transpac: Three North Sails Veterans Look Back

Experienced offshore sailors are often sailmakers (but not always vice versa), and our friends from North Sails have been kind to share some Transpac memories from among some of the most experienced members of their team. Gary Weisman, Robbie Haines and Fuzz Foster have not only been active and involved as sailors in this race for decades, their contributions and insights have also helped to continued to make this a great race.

Check out their stories >

Transpac 50 Offers New ‘Special’ Trophies

In addition to recognizing performance in elapsed and corrected time, this year’s 50^th edition of the Transpacific Yacht Club’s biennial yacht race from LA to Honolulu is also offering three new trophies to award to eligible teams. Of the nearly 100 entries ready to start in a few weeks, already the interest has been keen to register for these new awards.