News
Almost fifty years ago, a “warm, bubbly” gal got involved in Transpac, while working for Don Haskell, who was campaigning his 67’ S&S Yawl CHUBASCO.
Cathie Evans prepared many meals and stocked the boat for the race. She was taken by the adventure that the crew of CHUBASCO would have racing to the Islands, and just couldn’t miss meeting them in Honolulu … so she booked a ticket to Hawaii.
In 1962 Cathie married Russ Nash, and the following year traveled to Honolulu to meet her husband, who was racing aboard Peter Grant’s NALU II. After the race she and Russ enjoyed an overdue honeymoon in Hawaii.
Traveling to Oahu every other year became something of a habit with Cathie, so in 1967 she joined her best friend, Connie Smales, in organizing the awards banquet. Together they spent two hard weeks making table decorations, organizing seating arrangements, mixing rum punches, and selling tickets … Cathie ended up having a hand in five of these Transpac banquets before finally hanging up her party hat after the 1975 Race.
Connie tells us that Cathie took her duties seriously, and could be found hollowing out pineapples for mai tais, or collecting banana leaves for table decorations - when she wasn’t asleep onboard the Smales’ boat, waiting for the next racers to come in.
During the late 70’s and early 80’s Cathie continued to spend her Julys in Hawaii with her young son Michael, watching the finishes off Diamond Head and greeting friends from the Mainland. Often, prior to flying to Hawaii, Cathie would spend the early mornings recording boat positions in the radio room of Carol Hudson during roll call. Once in Hawaii, she was often seen lending a helping hand around the Transpac Shack.
It wasn’t until 1982 that Cathie’s roll in the Race became official. Twenty-six years ago Commodore Dick Steele created the new Administrator position for Transpac Yacht Club and asked Cathie to take on the role. Cathie’s duties covered a broad range: from attending Board meetings and keeping track of membership and financial records … to helping in Hawaii. One whole room of Cathie’s home is filled with Transpac equipment and records, used to keep the Club running smoothly. Cathie even finds time to add a personal touch, writing notes to members who forget to pay their annual dues.
In 1997, Cathie experienced another Transpac milestone when her son Michael participated in his first Honolulu race aboard the Santa Cruz 70, ORIENT EXPRESS. What a thrill for Cathie to welcome Michael to Hawaii – as she had the crew CHUBASCO those many years ago! Since then, Michael has taken on Membership Chairman duties for Transpac Yacht Club, and Cathie has enjoyed working with her son and attending Board meetings together; while she continues to work behind the scenes, and greet Transpac racers.