News
T/S Cal Maritime crew members crossed the finish line at Diamond Head buoy aboard an Andrews 77, a 77-foot boat used in the last two Transpac races and graciously reintroduced to the program during the early portion of the 2022-23 academic year through the California Maritime Academy Foundation Yacht Donation Program.
Founded in 1972 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, CMAF supported California State University Maritime Academy throughout the last 50-plus years with charitable donations of sail and motor yachts, both for use and sale.
Yachts are accepted for the immediate use of the Cal Maritime sailing team and/or the instructional programs; vessels are also available to the public on a lease with option to purchase program.
Monthly lease income goes directly to the Foundation, as does the revenue when yachts are sold. Funds generated by this yacht donation program also underwrite a portion of the cadets' offshore sailing program, scholarships, and other campus needs.
Cal Maritime added another chapter to its storied sailing history when it arrived in Honolulu on July 10, nine days after taking off from San Pedro, California, as the only college team competing against the world's elite professional crews in the 2023 Transpacific Yacht Race.
In their fourth appearance in this world-renowned race, the Keelhaulers completed their journey in nine days, three hours, 44 minutes and 22 seconds.
A mix of current cadet-athletes, coaches and program alums represented CSUM in this biannual race and completed this 2,225-mile journey from Southern California to Hawai'i: Kerry Deaver (head coach), Mike Dybvik (assistant coach), Jacob Fisker-Anderson (program alum), Cyrus Khaleeli (Jr.), Ben Louttit (Fr.), Clay Myers (So.), captain Brock Paquin (Sr.), Spencer Powley (Sr.), Max Roth (Jr.), Cooper Smith (Jr.), Emi Stephanoff (program alum) and Nolan Van Dine (program alum).
"I can't say enough about how impressed I am with this group," said Deaver, who is also on the Board and serves as the Transpacific Yacht Club's chief safety inspector. "What they lacked in previous experience. they more than made up for it with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Within days, they were developing a competency in all positions on the boat, and if they generated ideas that I did not agree with, they respected my decisions without reservation and learned from this as well."
Shortly after arriving to the islands, crew members celebrated with family and friends of the program at Waikiki Yacht Club — a familiar location for one cadet-athlete who grew up in Honolulu and represented the WYC before continuing his racing career in Vallejo.
Said Roth, "I watched boats cross the finish and fantasized about the dream of doing Transpac myself. Diamond Head buoy became my training ground when I was racing lasers, I'm extremely excited to cross the finish line in my home waters."
In addition to the race itself, Cal Maritime faced a couple of unique challenges prior to its July 1 start that added additional layers to the crew's Transpac experience.
During CSUM's final days of training in Southern California, months of hard work, sacrifice and dedication were nearly erased when thieves stole a trailer that housed the team's valuable equipment, including its race-specific sails.
With their first Transpac appearance since 2019 in jeopardy, the sailing community rallied around the Keelhaulers by spreading word of this unforeseen situation around the world.
With help from George Hershman's Reichel/Pugh 63 GoodEnergy, Doug McCean, Alan Andrews and Reichel/Pugh office, a new set of sails that closely matched the Andrew 77's specifications were prepared for delivery to Cal Maritime's boat less than 48 hours after the team's original sails and equipment disappeared.
"We are stunned our community came together and within 48 hours provided us with this donation of sails," said Deaver. "I was in Alaska without phone contact … but monitored and helped through email and WhatsApp. The turnout and level of support was tremendous and allowed us to focus on other preparations we need to race to Hawai'i."
Unlike everyone else that comprised the 2023 Transpac field, numerous members of Cal Maritime's crew arrived in Southern California after making port in Oregon mere days before the start of the race, following the completion of the University's training cruise requirements aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear.
The TSGB is the primary training platform where CSUM cadets apply technological skills introduced in the classroom, leadership skills acquired from their work assignments and responsibilities with the Corps of Cadets in a real world setting. Each summer, cadets in their first and third years depart with licensed faculty officers for two months during this annual period at sea.
Cadets working toward a license can feel the responsibility of command, demonstrate their effectiveness as leaders, and refine their technical skills and leadership styles.
All students (regardless of status in CSUM's license programs) interact with other cultures, experience connections to the larger world and develop an understanding of how their selected vocations will function in the context of an international setting.