July 9, 2007

23 Transpac harbingers sail into uncertainty

LONG BEACH, Calif.---OK so far, the first 23 starters in the 44th Transpacific Yacht Race must have been thinking as they sailed off into uncertainty, escorted by dolphins in a balmy 7-knot westerly breeze under sunny skies Monday, but what lay ahead for the next 2,225 nautical miles to Hawaii was anyone's guess.

The forerunning fleets included nine Division 6 racers and 14 Aloha A and B division boats. Divisions 4 and 5 and nine vintage Santa Cruz 50 and 52s start Thursday, followed by Divisions 1, 2 and 3 Sunday, all starting off Point Fermin in nearby San Pedro after sendoff ceremonies at Rainbow Harbor, Transpac's mainland home port in Long Beach.

Weather experts have been talking about unsettled conditions a day or two out. At Sunday's skippers meeting Kurt Holland of the Marine Weather Institute at Orange Coast College briefed the sailors about "a popcorn array of little baby highs" south of the dreaded zone of dead air known as the Pacific High where all fear to go, plus a worrisome weather cell off Mexico to the south.

Summing up prospects for this race, Holland said, "I've heard the word 'drifter' from a couple of people. But it's looking a lot better---for next week."

Before the start, a dozen boats circled for a flowery tribute to Wendy Siegal, the former Aloha class winner and Cal 40 class "den mother" who was found drowned near her boat in Long Beach four days earlier.

The start was orderly but unusually close and competitive for these classes. With the wind coming from the west at 260 degrees, giving them a starboard tack heading of 220, it appeared they would clear the west end of Santa Catalina Island---the only mark of the course---22 miles out without having to tack.  

For a few the weather outlook may not make much difference. Frank Easterbrook's Ariadne in Aloha A, a Ladd 73 from Newport Beach and the fastest-rated boat starting Monday, will enjoy its six-day head start on Roy E. Disney's powerhouse Pyewacket as long as it can, as well as the comforts of a luxurious cushioned cockpit and cabin.

Brothers Bill and Ted Davis of Las Vegas are taking what may be the oldest boat ever to sail the race, their beloved 73-year-old Sparkman & Stephens 70-foot yawl, Alsumar, offshore for the first time, with veteran Craig Davis as skipper and navigator.

"We found it in San Diego in 1992 in dry dock, just a hull," Bill Stevens said, "and since we're contractors we thought it would be an easy deal rebuilding it."

Alsumar's first owner was Dudley Sharp, a U.S. Secretary of the Interior. During World War II it was used to scout for German submarines off the East Coast. The Davis brothers labored over the mahogany hull, teak decks and hardwood interior for countless hours with steady reverse cash flow, but they have no regrets about bypassing more modern options like ready-to-sail fiberglass. They just installed state-of-the-art GPS navigation gear and other technology that was unimaginable when the boat was built.

"We just like old wooden boats," Davis said. "The bygone era is special, [even if] it's a continuous thing. You never stop working on them."

The Transpacific Yacht Club has joined with Casio Computer Co., Ltd., in a sponsorship agreement to make the company's Oceanus watch the official timekeeper of the 44th biennial race. The Oceanus is a solar-powered chronograph watch with a time signal-calibration function developed by making full use of Casio's advanced electronic technologies. News and product information:  http://world.casio.com/ 

Transpac supporters also include the Long Beach Sea Festival 2007, Gladstone's Restaurant, Ayres Hotels and L. Gaylord Sportswear.

Editors: If you are publishing excerpts of this release, you may link to http://www.underthesunphotos.com/transpac2007.htm for the complete version.

Archived press releases:  http://www.underthesunphotos.com/Press%20Releases/PR-index.htm

More information: www.transpacificyc.org

Transpac 2007 entries 

     (ORR rating allowances in days:hours:minutes:seconds based on handicap distance of 2,300 n.m.; subtract time allowance from actual elapsed time to determine corrected handicap time)

Division 1 (Starts July 15)

Pyewacket (Reichel/Pugh 90), Roy E. Disney, Burbank, Calif. (minus-21 hours, 9 minutes, 13 seconds) 

Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach, Calif. (00:4:32:33)

Rosebud (STP 65), Roger Sturgeon, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (1:04:09:36)  

Peligroso (Kernan 70), Mike Campbell/Dale Williams, Long Beach (1:05:17:12)

Medicine Man (Andrews 63), Bob Lane, Long Beach (1:07:02:37)     

Division 2 (Starts July 15)

Hugo Boss (Volvo 60), Andy Tourell, Gosport, UK (1:23:10:32)

DH-Pegasus 101 (Open 50), Philippe Kahn, Honolulu (2:00:47:54)

Samba Pa Ti  (Transpac 52),  John Kilroy Jr., Los Angeles (2:04:02:17)  

Lucky (Transpac 52), Bryon Ehrhart, Chicago (2:05:26:28)   

Morning Light  (Transpac 52), Jeremy Wilmot, Honolulu (2:05:27:19)  

Westerly (Santa Cruz 70), Thomas and Timothy Hogan, Newport Beach (2:06:06:45)  

Skylark (Santa Cruz 70), Doug Ayres, Newport Beach, Calif. (2:06:24:05)

Holua (Santa Cruz 70), Brack Duker, Pasadena, Calif. (2:08:51:12)

Trader (Transpac 52), Fred Detwiler, Pompano Beach, Fla. (2:09:31:32)

Denali (Nelson/Marek 70), William McKinley, Grosse Pointe, Mich. (2:13:37:33)

Division 3 (Starts July 15)

It's OK (Andrews 50), Tres Gordo Sailing, Glendora, Calif. (2:14:25:31)

Cheetah (ULDB 70), Chris Slagerman, Los Angeles (2:18:18:28)

Pendragon IV (Davidson 52), John MacLaurin, Encino, Calif. 2:197:54:52)

Yumehyotan (Nelson/Marek 68), Yasuo Sano, Osaka, Japan (2:22:57:25)

Ragtime (Spencer 65), Chris Welsh, Newport Beach  2:23:51:49)

Bengal 7 (Ohashi 46), Yoshihiko Murase, Nagoya, Japan (3:03:43:16)

Locomotion (Andrews 45), Ed Feo, Long Beach (3:03:56:13) 

Division 4  (Starts July 12)

Verizon Wireless (ex-Stealth Chicken; Perry 56), Timothy Beatty, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (3:08:33:34)

Cipango (Andrews 56), Bob & Rob Barton, Santa Rosa, Calif. (3:16:51:29)

Delicate Balance (Andrews 56), DBB Transpac LLC, San Rafael, Calif. (3:20:58:21)

Lucky Dog (J/125), Colin Shanner, San Diego (3:21:37:33)

The Secret (MacGregor 65), Cheryle Rayson/Garry Golding, Salisbury Downs, Australia (3:21:57:52)

Reinrag2 (J/125), Tom Garnier, Wilsonville, Ore. (3:22:20:02)  

Raincloud (J/48), Lorenzo Berho Corona, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (3:22:26:21) 

Ruahatú (Concordia 47), Ricardo Brockmann, Acapulco, Mexico (3:23:58:37)

Bolt (Nelson/Marek 55), Craig Reynolds, Newport Beach (4:00:24:09)   

Division 50/52 (Starts July 12)

Kokopelli 2 (Santa Cruz 52), S.A. (Chip) Megeath, Tiburon, Calif. (3:03:55:25)

Relentless (Santa Cruz 52), Will Durant/Rick Brizendine, Long Beach (3:16:42:19)      

Hula Girl (Santa Cruz 50T), Beau Gayner, Newport Beach (3:17:23:38) 

Tachyon III (Santa Cruz 52), Kazumasa Nishioka, Tokyo (3:18:57:36)

Adrenalin (Santa Cruz 50), David Clark, Newport Beach (3:19:43:59)  

Passion (Santa Cruz 50), Steve Hastings, Corpus Christi, Tex. (3:20:35:39)   

Fortaleza (Santa Cruz 50), Jim Morgan, Long Beach (4:00:12:42)     

Horizon (Santa Cruz 50), Jack Taylor, Dana Point, Calif. (4:00:14:46)

Stags' Leap Winery (ex-Chasch Mer; Santa Cruz 50), Gib Black, Honolulu (4:05:22:35)

Division 5 (Starts July 12)

Rancho Deluxe (Swan 45), Mike Diepenbrock, Sacramento, Calif. (4:10:34:37)

Tower (Lidgard 45), Doug Grant, San Pedro, Calif. (4:10:51:22)

Paddy Wagon (Ross 40), Richard Mainland, Los Angeles  (4:15:58:16)

DH-Tango (J/133), Michael Abraham, Newport Beach (4:19:58:16) 

DH-Narrow Escape (Fast 40), Allen Lehman Jr., Payson, Ariz. (4:20:59:25) 

Uncontrollable Urge (Columbia 30), James/Chris Gilmore, Carlsbad, Calif. (4:23:42:31) 

On the Edge of Destiny (1D35), Sean Doyle, Kailua, H.I. (5:00:05:40)

Tabasco (1D35), Gary Fanger, San Francisco (5:02:01:10)

Recidivist (Schumacher 39), Ken Olcott, Los Altos, Calif. (5:09:17:24)

Division 6 (Started July 9)

DH-X Dream (X-119), Steen Moller, Point Richmond, Calif. (5:12:37:00)

Inspired Environments (Beneteau First 40.7), Timothy Ballard, Sausalito, Calif. (5:20:14:31)

Peregrine (Hobie 33), Simon Garland, San Diego (5:21:13:46)  

DH-Brilliant (J/100), Tim Fuller, Murrieta, Calif. (5:21:44:43)

Brown Sugar (Express 37), Steve Brown, Santa Ana, Calif. (6:03:41:56)    

California Girl (Cal 40), Don and Betty Lessley, Novato, Calif. (7:01:16:11)

Far Far (Cal 40), Don Grind, Placerville, Calif. (7:02:47:32)

Psyche (Cal 40), Steve Calhoun, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (7:03:57:50)

Shanti (Olson 911S), Jon Eberly, Greenbrae, Calif. (7:17:47:09) 

Aloha A (Started July 9)

Ariadne (Ladd 73), Frank Easterbrook, Newport Beach (4:08:39:09)  

Ho'okolohe (Farr 58), Alyson and Cecil Rossi, Novato, Calif.  (4:10:58:57) 

Alsumar (S&S 70), Bill and Ted Davis, Las Vegas, Nev. (4:22:27:48)

Enchilado (Jeanneau 54), Cesar de Saracho, Tucson, Ariz. (4:23:43:58)   

Windswept (Sean 57), Maxwell Phelps, Jamul, Calif. (5:06:21:29)

Anna Katarina (First 47.7), John Otterson, La Jolla, Calif. (5:08:31:43)

French Kiss (Beneteau 50), Bryan Daniels, Alamo, Calif. (5:11:59:45)

Between the Sheets (Jeanneau 52), Ross Pearlman, Marina del Rey (5:12:56:15)

Aloha B (Started July 9)

Ginny (Calkins 50), Chris Calkins/Norm Reynolds, Encinitas, Calif. (5:18:26:52) 

Mysteré (Swan 42), Jorge Morales, Dana Point, Calif. (6:12:14:02) 

Traveler (North  Wind 47), Michael Lawler, Newport Beach (6:14:37:49) 

Gaviota (Cal 2-46), Jim Partridge, Pasadena, Calif. (6:20:18:32)

Cirrus (Standfast 40),  William D. Myers, Honolulu (7:02:14:16) 

Lady Liberty (Catalina 36), John Wallner, Calabasas, Calif. (8:12:05:44) 

        DH-Doublehanded.

Multihull

LoeReal (Jeanneau 60 trimaran), H.L. Enloe, El Paso, Tex.  (July 15)

Minnow (Catana 52 catamaran), Bob Webster, Pryor, Okla.  (July 12)

COMMODORE

Al Garnier

(310) 600-0158 

reinrag@aol.com

ENTRIES CHAIRMAN

Bill Lee

(831) 476-9639

wizard@fastisfun.com

PRESS OFFICER

Rich Roberts

(310) 835-2526

Cell (310) 766-6547

richsail@earthlink.net

A Cal 40 passes flowery tribute to Wendy Siegal before the start

At 73, Alsumar may be Transpac's oldest competitor ever 

Alsumar co-owner Bill Davis and

son Wes are in their first Transpac

Dolphins pace Gaviota off the line

Ariadne will be racing in comfort

More Transpac info

Click to visit websites  

Official timekeeper of Transpac 2007

Shoreline YC lead mainland host

New for 2007!

Official Transpac apparel

2005 photo gallery 

www.UnderTheSunPhotos.com

Transpac schedule of events

Monday, July 9

   10 a.m.---First start sendoff ceremonies, Rainbow Harbor

   1 p.m.---Division 6 and Aloha A and B boats start, Pt. Fermin, San Pedro

Wed., July 11

   6 p.m.---"California salutes Transpac and the Morning Light crew" dinner, Club Transpac, Rainbow Harbor

Thurs., July 12

   10 a.m.---Second start sendoff ceremonies, Rainbow Harbor

   1 p.m.---Div. 4, 5 and 50/52 start, Point Fermin, San Pedro

Friday, July 13

   "The Race to Honolulu/Transpac Yacht Presentation, Media and Children's Day"

   12 noon---Media sail on Ragtime

   2 p.m.---Transpac boats "dressed" to receive visitors

   2:30 p.m.---Young people from Southern California Chapter of Special   Olympics visit boats and crews

   4 p.m.---Introduction of Transpac skippers and crews, Club Transpac  

   4:30 p.m.---Introduction of visiting VIPs

Sunday, July 15

   10 a.m.---Final start ceremonies, Rainbow Harbor

   1 p.m.---Divisions 1, 2, 3 start, Point Fermin, San Pedro