HistoryIt was an impressive fleet of 75 boats that lined up for the start of the Centennial Transpac Race, the second largest fleet in the history of the race. The fleet ranged from all three existing MaxZ86’s in the world and the 90-footer GENUINE RISK at the big boat end, down to the 31 foot THE CONE OF SILENCE and the Hobie 33 SOAP OPERA at the small end. In between was a very competitive fleet that included three TP52’s, 14 Cal 40’s and MERLIN and RAGTIME; both competing in their 13th Transpac Race. A strong contingent ofeight foreign boats were entered along with seven double-handed teams.
Of these 75 entries, only two boats failed to make it to Hawaii – PENDRAGON 4 and CALIFORNIA GIRL both encountered problems early in the race and made quick and uneventful returns to the mainland. Of the 73 boats that completed the course, they established new records for both the fastest and slowest passages. The MaxZ86 MORNING GLORY broke PYEWACKET’s old record by over 19 hours with a new record of 6 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes, 11 seconds, which works out to an average speed of 13.9 knots over the course. Four other boats, PYEWACKET, GENUINE RISK, MAGNITUDE 80 and WINDQUEST also bettered the old record. At the other end of the speed spectrum, CAMIlLLE, being double-handed by Jim and Ann Reid, took 22 days to finish the course, missing the awards dinner by 4 days.
Some of the boats that elicited human interest attention were the team of disabled sailors racing B’QUEST and the crew of the Cal 40 BUBULA that was composed of guys ranging from 66 to 72 years of age.
The first of the three staggered starts was for Division V, the Aloha Class boats, and the Cal 40’s. Four to five knots of breeze greeted thestarters and at 1:00 p.m. on July 11, 33 boats crossed the start line. The wind did not improve significantly over the afternoon and evening and by roll call next morning, the July 11 starters had made only 30-40 miles on the course. July 13’s roll call found the boats having logged between 100 and 130 miles for the previous day, but by the July 14 roll call, the July 11 starters were into the breeze with some of the larger Aloha boats logging 200 plus mile days.
July 15 found the Division III and IV boats again being greeted by light winds at the start, but by roll call next morning, most of them had checked in with distances made good of 100 to 130 miles for their first 19 hours of racing, and by roll call of July 17 were well and truly on their way.
July 17 was the last of the staggered starts with 20 boats hitting the start line in 10 knots of breeze. It was a spectacular sight with those Division I and II boats hitting the line together accompanied by a large and enthusiastic spectator fleet. By July 19, the Cal 40 RALPHIE, who had worked to the south the previous two days, reported her position to be 50 miles closer to Hawaii than the next boat in the Cal 40 class, RADIANT, and she was to retain her lead over the rest of her class all the way to Diamond Head, finishing 10 hours ahead of the next two Cal 40’s, PSYCHE and ILLUSION. While the smaller boats continued to battle it out, MORNING GLORY and PYEWACKET were changing places north and then south, but by day four of their race, MORNING GLORY had worked out to a 70 mile lead on PYEWACKET, and although PYEWACKET whittled that lead down over the rest of the course, MORNING GLORY held on to set a new record and to finish some two hours and 28 minutes ahead of PYEWACKET.
In the other Divisions there was also some great racing taking place. Of the four TP52’s, they took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall, with ROSEBUD besting PEGASUS on corrected time although finishing 3 hours, 11 minutes behind PEGASUS. ROSEBUD’s win marked a significant and rare double. having also won the Bermuda raceshe became the first boat to win both the Bermuda Race and the Transpac since DORADE accomplished this double victory in 1936. TRADER corrected to third overall. It was also a good race for the 70 sleds, with CORUBA at 4th overall, and with SKYLARK 6th behind RALPHIE, that corrected out to 5th overall. In Divisions III and IV it was REINRAG2 again winning Division III, as she did in 2003, and TABASCO correcting out over the second place boat in its division, Division IV, by 16 hours.
In Division V and the Double-handed class, the Hobie 33 SOAP OPERA sailed by two first timers from Texas, won handily, and in Aloha A, BETWEEN THE SHEETS repeated her win from 2003 by beating the 68 year old yawl, ODYSSEY, by 8 minutes. In Aloha B, SO FAR, a swan 48 from Chicago, comfortably corrected out over her competitor.
All and all, it was a pretty mild weather race, with several spotty areas of light winds. Everyone, however, was treated to some white knuckle sailing down the Molokai Channel to the finish, with several boats experiencing handling difficulties as they approached the finish line.
Just as this race marked the end of Transpac’s first century of racing, it also marked the retirement of Roy Disney, who after 15 consecutive races, announced that he is retiring from racing. It also marked the retirement of Grant Baldwin as the voice of Transpac, having been aboard the communications vessel for every race since 1979.
- Written by J/S Commodore Jerry Montgomery