(Honolulu, HI)- It takes awhile to cover 2,225 nautical miles sailing,
even in the fabled Transpac Race where you spend more than 90% of the
time sailing downwind in tradewind/ synoptic winds of 15-20 knots at
various reaching and running angles, optimizing your VMC down course to
ride the "passing lane" around the southern portion of the Pacific High
past your competitors. Those "lanes" can be capricious, they keep
changing, some fast, some slow, some the wrong angle, too.
Nevertheless, it's what makes the Transpac the enduring challenge that
keeps sailors coming back for more. As they say, it's not often the
winning that counts, it's the adventure and the voyage of getting there
that makes it so memorable an experience.In addition, says Kimball Livingston, "there's one great thing the Transpac has going for it. The big finish. The Molokai Channel. Maybe you got stuck in the fog off Catalina and spent what seemed like weeks getting out of town. Maybe the Pacific High Pressure Zone pulled a gotcha and reached down and swallowed the lane that you thought was going to sweep you to glory, but instead you watched the little transponder blips that represent the competition just walk away on a different latitude line.
And then you get to the opening of "the Channel"-- perhaps one of the best in the world to see pop up over the horizon for many reasons. The islands rise on the horizon, clear and lovely. The breeze rises behind you and funnels down the Molokai Channel and there you are on the ride of a lifetime, and the water is white-capped and tropical blue, and the sky is tropical blue with puffy trade-wind clouds, and ahead lies that iconic Diamond Head finish line that has beckoned racing sailors for over a century, generation after generation. This is the ride of the legends." Even current J/100 and J/105 owner "Dr. Laura" Schlessinger, first-time Transpac sailor was ecstatic, "What can you say when the wind is 30 knots and the waves are boiling eight feet high, and I'm driving? The water was coming down the deck, and sometimes I couldn't even see out. And I didn't lose the boat. I...did...not...lose...the...boat! (we sure it's due to her J/125 and J/100 training!)."
And, there are those who've seemingly got it in their blood and keep coming back for more. For more of that adrenalin rush experienced by Dr Laura, "newbie Transpac racer". With a great team, great navigation and a really fast, fun boat to sail, it was Tom Holthus' team from San Diego YC that repeated yet again another Division 4 win on their J/145 BAD PAK. Starting on the "second start" on Friday with all the big sleds, BAD PAK seemingly sailed a textbook race, start first and increase your lead! Seriously? Sure enough, they did exactly that. Blasting out past Catalina Island soon after the start, holding a conservative line south of rhumb and making judicious choices in terms of distance versus wind, the J/145 BAD PAK sailed that fine line to perfection. Blasting down the Molokai Channel after literally leading the entire race, they finished in 18 days 17:56:24 to win their class on corrected time by over 4.5 hours- and an average speed of 9.4 knots for 2,225 nm! Needless to say, the BAD PAK crew were jubilant, especially for becoming part of an exclusive club-- that rarified air of being a repeat winner in the Transpac Race.
Fellow
J sailor, Santa Barbarian Charles Browning, started out the race
strongly, smartly, but with a bit of a handicap. As part of the first
fleet to start on Monday, July 4th, Browning's team on the J/130 BEBE
from Santa Barbara YC sailed one helluva race for the first third,
overcoming lighter than forecasted winds, a receding synoptic trade-wind
that was supposed to blow stronger and a class spread over 300 miles of
ocean. Even then, Browning's BEBE led their Division 6 for nearly a
week straight! Then, some equipment issues apparently threw a monkey
wrench into their race navigation, forcing them to fly "blind" for
awhile until such time they could square it all away. Nevertheless,
they sailed with great determination and ultimately finished sixth in
class. As said earlier, in this case the adventure and experience is
what keeps them all coming back for more. For more Transpac Race sailing information and Facebook link Sailing Photo Credits- Sharon Green/ Ultimate Sailing.com
