Transpac Shifts to Transback as Boats Sail Home

Many people wonder, “How do all those boats doing the Transpac, Singlehanded Transpacific Race or Pacific Cup get back to the mainland?” Some boats get packed up and shipped back, while others trade out racing sails for older cruising sails and sail home. Some sail with a delivery crew and others with the same crew that raced to Hawaii. Just like the sail over to Hawaii, the “Transback” presents its own navigational challenges. We’re sharing three screenshots of those that left in the last 10 days as they make their way home.

It’s all “uphill” as you make your way home, and figuring out how to get around the Pacific High or powering through it with the iron genny is one of the decisions you have to make. Diesel fuel is limited in the mid-Pacific.

If you’re planning to do the Pacific Cup next year or the Transpac in 2027, how to do the “Transback” is one of the interesting puzzles you’ll need to solve.