Transpac Entry Record Beckons
Still eight months out, the 2019 Transpac is already primed to be one of the biggest and best ever. The 50th edition of the West Coast’s most famous offshore yacht race has garnered 77 entries, putting it just three away from its all-time record. While the current entries are likely to endure some level of attrition over the next eight months, we wouldn’t be surprised if the race sees close to 100 entries before the May 31 entry deadline. We know of a number of campaigns aiming to be on the start line that are not yet registered. There’s sure to be many more that are off our radar.
Transpac is known for its long, downwind surfing runs in the northeast trade winds before a brilliant finish off Diamond Head and a huge aloha welcome in Waikiki. It’s a race that is near and dear to the hearts of many sailors and race supporters. While dozens of teams are in West Coast boatyards preparing in earnest, dozens of volunteers are organizing at multiple yacht clubs in California and Hawaii. Transpac is a massive production with a lot of logistics involved on both ends, and the scuttlebutt around the harbors is that Transpac 2019 will be something special.
The smallest boat currently signed up is Charles Devanneaux’s A Fond le Girafon. The Figaro 3 made history this summer as the first boat equipped with hydrofoils to enter the Pacific Cup. The largest boat entered is Troy Sears’ schooner America, a 138-ft replica of the yacht that won the very first America’s Cup. Many of the race’s most popular designs will show up in force for what should create some truly memorable divisional rivalries. The Santa Cruz 50 and 52 fleet is already back in the double digits with 10 boats on the roster thus far. The Cal 40s have sprung back into action — seven have already signed up. No fewer than seven sleds have signed up, as well as some proper maxis. A Volvo 70, a canting-keel Botin 80 and a 100-ft supermaxi will join the show, and a MOD 70 trimaran will gun for the overall course record again.
The fleet has an interesting mix of world-class grand-prix racers, comfortable heavyweight cruisers and literally everything in between. With some six and a half months to go before the entry deadline, we’re giddy with anticipation to see what the final fleet will look like come the first starting gun on July 10. We look forward to the stunning starts off Point Fermin, with tacking duels that extend to Catalina’s west end before we lose sight of the boats only to see them a week or two later in Hawaii.
Aloha from Honolulu.