Historic race

Rich Roberts looks back at the centennial Transpac race

From the Barn Door to Bubala and B'Quest, the 43rd Transpacific Yacht Race presented the greatest span of sailing technology and talent in its 100 years, and all received due recognition among 1,040 fellow competitors and guests who packed the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Ilikai Hotel for the sold-out awards dinner Friday night.

Bubala, a Cal 40 sailed by six men ages 66 to 72, and B' Quest, Challenged America's team of sailors with disabilities from San Diego, shared the stage with crew members of Morning Glory, Hasso Plattner's maxZ86 that broke Roy Disney's record and collected the Barn Door trophy as the monohull with the fastest elapsed time: 6 days 16 hours 4 minutes 11 seconds and an average of 13.9 knots for the 2,225 nautical miles. Plattner was not present.

The audience saw videos of race highlights and tributes to Disney (above), who delivered his formal farewell to the event he promoted and helped to reshape in 15 races over 30 years.

"Did I say I was quitting?" he dead-panned in opening remarks. Then, more serious, he said, "This race is not about the big boats. It's about the Cal 40s, it's about B'Quest's disabled sailors, it's about Bubala and the old geezers. Keep doing this. I've brought all four of our kids up on it. Thank you, all of you."

Appropriately, among those honoured was Bernardo Guzman, 11, a member of the crew on his father's J/145 Jeito from Acapulco, Mexico. He is within 9½ months of the youngest person ever to sail Transpac.

Later, with Morning Glory boat captain Peter Pendleton, Disney did the honours of updating the hands on the 18th century-style trophy clock he commissioned six years earlier to mark the current record. Pendleton also received the Don Vaughn Trophy as the outstanding crew member on the fastest boat, chosen by his crew mates.

Ivan Chan Wa, director of pier operations - i.e., maintaining order in the upheaval afflicting the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, including the displacement of 'Transpac Row' - was honoured as top volunteer on the Honolulu Committee.

A total of 75 boats, second only to 80 in 1979, started the Centennial Transpac. They came from eight countries on four continents and 12 of the United States.

Still, after all the traditional dockside welcome parties were exhausted and all the awards distributed, one remained more than 500 miles at sea. James and Ann Read sailing their 42ft boat Camille doublehanded with their little dog, Sweetie Pie, were expected to finish next Wednesday after 22 days.

As the Reads have seen, it wasn't the windiest Transpac, but at the front it was by far the fastest with five boats - including Disney's own maxZ86, Pyewacket - eclipsing his 1999 record, alongside the anomaly of a 68-year-old yawl Odyssey finishing just ahead of them with its six-day head start in the Aloha division.

Along the way, Morning Glory blew away the race's 24-hour distance record when it logged 393 miles on its first full day at sea, July 18, stretching the mark of 356 miles set by Philippe Kahn's Pegasus 77 maxi sled on its second Barn Door romp in 2003.


Final Standings
(In order of corrected handicap time; total handicap time allowances in parentheses by hours/minutes/seconds)

Division I (Started July 17)

1. Morning Glory (R/P maxZ86), Hasso Plattner, Kiel, Germany (0:00:00), elapsed time 6 days 16 hours 4 minutes 11 seconds (betters record of 7:11:41:27 by Pyewacket 3, 1999), corrected time 6:16:04:11.
2. Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach, (9:44:58), ET 7:03:02:57, CT 6:07:17:59.
3. Pyewacket (R/P maxZ86), Roy E. Disney, Los Angeles (0:00:00), ET 6:18:32:25, CT 6:18:32:25.
4. Scout Spirit (R/P 77), Bill Turpin, Newport Beach, Calif. (32:21:35), ET 8:05:29:53, CT 6:21:08:18.
5. Genuine Risk (Dubois 90), Randall Pittman, La Jolla, Calif. (0.00:23), 6:22:02:35, CT 6:22:02:12.
5. Windquest (R/P maxZ86), Dick & Doug DeVos, Holland, Mich. (6:51:07), ET 7:05:58:03, CT 6:23:06:56.
7. Beecom (Reichel/Pugh 72), Isao Mita, Yokohama, Japan (30:16:07), ET 8:07:15:12, CT 7:00:59:05.

Division II (Started July 17)

1. Rosebud (Transpac 52), Roger Sturgeon, San Francisco (55:39:59), 8:16:25:04, CT 6:08:45:05.
2. Pegasus 52 (Transpac 52), Philippe Kahn, Honolulu (51:49:29), ET 8:13:14:13, CT 6:09:24:44.
3. Coruba (N/M 68), Rob and Suzanne Fleming, Seattle (57:52:37), ET 9:00:23:25, CT 6:14:30:48.
4. Trader (Transpac 52), Fred Detwiler, Pompano Beach, Fla. (52:18:39), ET 8:18:07:25, CT 6:14:48:46.
5. Skylark (S/C 70), Doug Ayres, Newport Beach (52:18:53), ET 8:20:02:07, CT 6:15:43:14.
6. Medicine Man (Andrews 61), Bob Lane, Long Beach (45:59:58), ET 8:13:49:45, CT 6:15:49:47.
7. Mongoose (Santa Cruz 70), Bradley Thorson, Bellevue, Wash. (57:38:37), ET 9:02:36:13, CT 6:16:57:36.
8. Ragtime (Spencer 66), Peterson/Richards/Welsh, Honolulu (69:08:37), ET 9:16:10:58, CT 6:19:02:21.
9. Braveheart (Transpac 52), Charles Burnet, Seattle (55:23:53), ET 9:03:00:21, CT 6:19:36:28.
10. Merlin (Lee 68), Patricia Steele, Maui, H.I. (41:54:03), ET 8:23:26:33, CT 7:05:32:30.
11. Bengal 2 (Ohashi 52), Yoshihiko Murase, Nagoya, Japan (64:07:15), ET 10:08:54:39, CT 7:16:47:24.
12. Renegade (Andrews 70), Dan Sinclair, Vancouver, B.C. (40:03:46), ET 9:09:45:26, CT 7:17:41:40.
13. Pendragon IV (Davidson 52), John MacLaurin, Encino, Calif. (65:20:10), RETIRED.

Division III (Started July 15)

1. Reinrag2 (J/125), Tom Garnier, Portland, Ore. (90:15:09), ET 10:22:36:40, CT 7:04:21:31.
2. The Cone of Silence (Super 30), Jamie and Jenny Neill, Sydney, Australia (83:59:39), ET 10:19:10:33, CT 7:07:33:51.
3. Cipango (Andrews 56), Bob & Rob Barton, San Francisco (84:08:21), ET 10:23:44:53, CT 7:11:36:32.
4. Bolt (Nelson/Marek 55), Craig Reynolds, Newport Beach, Calif. (90:16:35), ET 11:06:12:59, CT 7:11:56:24.
5. Artemis (Andrews 53), Louis Bianco, Seattle (90:58:29), ET 11:07:52:00, CT 7:12:53:31.
6. Stealth Chicken (Perry 56), Timothy Beatty, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (80:52:12), ET 10:23:10:44, CT 7:14:18:32.
7. Chasch Mer (S/C 50), Gib Black, Honolulu (95:31:20), ET 11:14:07:51, CT 7:14:36:31.
8. Jeito (J/145), Francisco Guzman, Acapulco, Mexico (86:10:42), ET 11:11:15:53, CT 7:21:05:11.
9. Innocent Merriment (J/160), Myron Lyon, San Diego (91:10:54), ET 11:18:12:40, CT 7:23:01:46.
10. Blue (J/160), Ken and /Cheryl Sears, Nashville, Tenn. (93:03:17), ET 11:19:14:42, CT 8:00:11:25.
11. DH-Serena (T1150), David Kuettel/Dave Van Houten, Bel Marin, Calif. (84:32:16), ET 12:02:55:17, CT 8:14:53:01.
12. Barking Spider 3 (MacGregor 65), David Kory, Concord, Calif. (74:38:45), ET 11:22:30:00, CT 8:20:21:15. .
13. Dasher (S/C 50), Roger Groh, Sausalito, Calif. (89:38:24), ET 14:04:15:07, CT 10:10:36:43.

Division IV (Started July 15)

1. Tabasco (1D35), Alamitos Bay Syndicate, Long Beach. (115:31:05), ET 11:14:01:31, CT 6:18:30:26.
2. DH-Two Guys On the Edge (1D35), Dan Doyle, Kailua, H.I. (114:54:33), ET 12:05:08:17, CT 7:12:43:44.
3. Kahoots (Andrews 43), Kerry Deaver/Bob Williamson, Newport Beach (119:24:28), ET 12:14:38:11, CT 7:15:13:43.
4. Wild Impulse (J/120), Larry Barels, Santa Barbara, Calif. (122:19:04), ET 12:17:32:58, CT 7:15:13:54.
5. Pursuit (Custom 48), Norman and Rosemary Dawley, Solomons, Md. (121:2:04), ET 12:17:02:10, CT 7:15:38:06.
6. Sensation (1D35), Rodney Hagebols, San Francisco. (115:11:28), ET 12:10:46:00, CT 7:16:04:32.
7. Uproarious (Olson 40), Robert Bussard, San Diego. (123:41:45), ET 13:04:22:40, CT 8:00:40:55.

Division V (Started July 11)

1. DH-Soap Opera (Hobie 33), Scott Self/Nigel Brown, Rockwall, Tex. (141:56:43), ET 13:01:10:45, CT 7:03:14:02.
2. Brown Sugar (Express 37), Steve Brown, Santa Ana, Calif. (141:30:59), ET 13:08:39:23, CT 7:13:08:24.
3. Super Gnat (Beneteau First 40.7), Cliff Thompson, San Diego (132:16:04), ET 13:03:58:12, CT 7:15:42:08.
4. B'Quest (Tripp 40), Challenged America, San Diego (136:41:18), ET 13:13:31:50, CT 7:20:50:32.
5. Showdown (IMX 38), Pete Meade/Mike Luna/ Paul McDonald, Irvine, Calif. (136:02:44), ET 13:15:35:32, CT 7:23:32:48.
6. DH-Diablo (J/35), Reed Bernhard/Brian VanderZanden, Anacortes, Wash. (150:24:54), ET 14:10:37:34, CT 8:04:12:40.
7. Iataia (Beneteau First 40.7), Marcos Rodriguez, Acapulco, Mexico (133:59:14), ET 14:01:48:04. CT 8:11:48:50.
8. DH-Jacaré (J/35), Jeff Young/Rich Blackman, San Diego (148:46:04), ET 15:06:02:07, CT 9:01:16:03.

Cal 40 (Started July 11)

1. Ralphie (Cal 40), Davis Pillsbury, Woody Creek, Colo. (165:37:14), ET 13:12:59:05, CT 6:15:21:51.
2. Illusion (Cal 40), Sally Honey, Palo Alto, Calif. (167:07:37), ET 14:00:13:20, CT 7:01:05:43.
3. Psyche (Cal 40), Steve Calhoun, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (166:05:17), ET 13:23:22:27, CT 7:01:17:10.
4. Seafire (Cal 40), John Harrison, Honolulu. (168:13:35), ET 14:03:03:11, CT 7:02:49:36.
5. Far Far (Cal 40), Don Grind, Naples, Fla. (164:53:27), ET 14:00:27:35, CT 7:03:34:08.
6. Shaman (Cal 40), Steve Waterloo, Alameda, Calif. (166:13:50), ET 14:02:58:57, CT 7:04:45:07.
7. Callisto (Cal 40), Jim Eddy, Glendale, Calif. (164:44:47), ET 14:02:28:58, CT 7:05:44:11.
8. Radiant (Cal 40), Fin Beven, Pasadena, Calif. (164:09:20), ET 14:03:19:25, CT 7:07:10:05.
9. Dancing Bear (Cal 40), Mark Schrader, Sitka, Alaska. (165:01:55), ET 14:06:00:35, CT 7:08:58:40.
10. Azure (Cal 40), Rodney Pimentel, Alameda, Calif. (165:50:20), ET 14:09:13:09, CT 7:11:22:49.
11. Willow Wind (Cal 40), Wendy Siegal, Sunset Beach, Calif. (166:28:31), ET 14:11:57:10, CT 7:13:28:39.
12. Spectre (Cal 40), Lee Rogge, Seattle. (165:13:28), ET 14:16:37:40, CT 7:19:24:12.
13. Bubala (Cal 40), Lloyd Sellinger, Newport Beach. (168:51:37), ET 15:20: 57:31, CT 8:21:05:54.
14. California Girl (Cal 40), Don and Betty Lessley, Richmond, Calif. (163:20:29), RETIRED.

Aloha A (Started July 11)

1. Between the Sheets (Jeanneau 52), Ross Pearlman, Marina del Rey, Calif., ET 12:12:22:08, CT 7:06:08:51.
2. Odyssey (58' yawl), Audrey Steele Burnand, Newport Beach, ET 12:15:10:48, CT 7:06:17:01.
3. Plan B (Peterson 48), David Johnson, Long Beach, ET 12:16:52:51, CT 7:09:45:32.
4. Madrina (Cabo Rico 56), Dick Simon, Dana Point, Calif. (124:52:04), ET 13:02:15:09, CT 7:03:23:05.
5. Incredible (Swan 53), Rick Gorman, Los Alamitos, Calif. (126:14:24), ET 13:08:36:11, CT 8:02:21:47.
6. DH-Charmed Life (Catalina 470), Patricia Garfield/Diane Murray, San Francisco (131:54:20), 16.
7. Enchilado (Jeanneau 54), Cesar de Saracho, Mazatlan, Mexico. (112:22:50), ET 14:09:02:21, CT 9:16:39:31.
8. Shanakee II (Pedrick 74), James Warmington, Costa Mesa, Calif. (83:26:25), ET 11:06:05:17, CT 7:18:38:52.

Aloha B (Started July 11)

1. So Far (Swan 48), Larry Hillman, Chicago (147:28:54), ET 13:08:18:09, CT 7:04:49:15.
2. Pipe Dream (CF 37), John Davis, Long Beach. (164:43:08), ET 14:14:45:54, CT 7:18:02:46.
3. Azure (Swan 441), Samuel Beckey, San Diego. (138:17:59), ET 16:17:27:36, CT 11:01:09:37.
4. Wind Dancer (Catalina 42), Paul Edwards, Ventura, Calif. (149:50:14), ET 14:01:52:48, CT 11:02:02:34.
5. DH-Camille (Stewart 42), James and Ann Read, San Francisco (141:52:48), HAD NOT FINISHED.