News

Final Aloha to Roby Bessent

Transpacific Yacht Club is saddened to report the passing in fall, 2021 of our steadfast and long-serving member of the Board of Directors, Roby Bessent. Roby was 88 years old, a marine surveyor who for many years served as Chief Safety Inspector for the Los Angeles-Honolulu Race, one of the most vital functions a race officer can serve. Roby was a 30-year member of TPYC and was in Honolulu for the finishes of every Transpac race over the last 20 years. In accordance with his wishes, his ashes will be spread near the finish line at Diamond Head after the next Transpac race.

Transpac 51 – An interesting but successful and fast year

Having “interesting” races in the 115-year history of Transpac is not unusual. In the 51 times this race has been run since 1906, there have been numerous circumstances that had an effect on most if not all competitors.

However, the great majority of these were related to natural events, such as passing hurricanes, unusual positions and strengths of the Pacific High, or effects related to El Nino. Another was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan that left lots of floating debris throughout the North Pacific, affecting numerous entries in the 2013, 2015 and even the 2017 races with impact damage to hulls and appendages.

Pied Piper’s Journey

So much of the Transpac experience is not in the race itself, but the journey taken to get to the race.

Jack Jennings and his team on the Santa Cruz 70 Pied Piper had a long journey in this year’s 51st edition of the race, starting in 2019 in Southern California, followed by Portland, Oregon for repairs and modifications, and then down to LA for the start.

Dave Powlison wrote for Sailing World magazine a great article about this journey not only of the boat, but of Jack and the evolution of his crew.

Read this in its full entirety >>

Back Offshore with Chris Snow and Triumph

Steve Sellinger's Santa Cruz 52 Triumph sailed the 2021 Transpac with the fastest SC52 elapsed time in Transpac history. Hear about sailing professional Chris Snow's first Transpac Race experience from his own perspective on www.thefavoredend.com.

Someone’s tugging on my foot. What the %^&*? It’s my crew mate, Brad Wheeler, and I hear a muffled “You can sleep when you’re dead, Chris, you’re going to want to see this, get up.” I am hearing him through the foam ear plugs I am wearing to muffle the sound of the primary winch that’s 12” over my head, not exactly sure I’m hearing him right. Nevertheless, I slither backwards out of the quarter berth I’m in. It’s hot and sticky down below and I’m shirtless and shoeless, I can smell myself. It’s not good. I poke my head out of the hatch. It’s just barely getting light. Brad’s close by and I give him a nod. I keep my head low to not block the instruments, so the helmsman can see their red glow in the darkness. Astern, to the east, the edges of towering tropical clouds are just becoming visible. Ahead it looks black, scary black. Squall cloud black and that’s not what you want to be sailing toward in this part of the Pacific. I’d only been asleep for a couple hours.

J/125 Nereid’s 2021 Transpac Race

J125, Nereid video logs from the 2021 Transpac Yacht Race from LA to Hawaii.

Pacific High: Sailing Magazine

It was more than just the steady breeze across the 2,225-nautical-mile course that made this year’s Transpac a spirited race. And it was more than just the tenacity of intrepid sailors who waded through pandemic protocol, masked up and voyaged to Hawaii anyway. It was the ghosts of Transpacs past, carried by the team of the Farr 57 Ho’okolohe, who whispered to the winds and made the 51st Transpacific Yacht Race a truly spirited affair.

Cecil Rossi’s Ho’okolohe carried a crew of nine plus the cremated remains of five others to the finish line off the island of Oahu.

Jesse Osborn is Rudiger Award winner and Ocean Navigator special offer

August 20, 2021 - Honolulu, Hawaii - After careful review of the materials submitted to support his application, a review panel from the Transpacific Yacht Club have determined that Jesse Osborn wins the Mark S. Rudiger Celestial Navigation Trophy for the recently completed 2021 Transpac. Osborn was navigator aboard Justin Waite's Stevens 47 Mikmaks.

The trophy is awarded to the navigator who submits celestial navigation worksheets or evidence of traditional navigation to the finish inspectors immediately after finishing, and whose work is selected as the "best" by an impartial panel of judges. First awarded in 2011, the trophy itself is an antique brass 1905 T. Hemsley & Son silver-vernier A-frame sextant, donated by Stan Honey, which receives plaques for each winner.

Safe, Responsive and Having Fun: the Compadres story in Transpac 51

It was the thrill of a lifetime crossing the finish line off Diamond Head at the conclusion of the 51st biennial Transpac Race. The Transpac from Long Beach to Honolulu is one of the oldest and longest ocean races. The race started July 17, 2021 and would conclude seven days later after traveling 2,225 nautical miles. We set sail with all the thrill of excitement and preparation that any team could muster. You then realize at 1,100 miles offshore, you are closer to the International Space Station than you are to land. At that moment, your small boat, its provisions and your teammates are the most important things in your life. Whittier Trust Company was the Heritage Sponsor as numerous Whittier family members and employees have regularly been involved in the Transpac since 1923. It was 98 years ago that Max Whittier, our founder, purchased the 107-foot Poinsettia and entered her in the race with his sons. Since that date, numerous descendants and employees have completed this epic journey. As CEO of Whittier Trust it was my honor to continue our heritage and legacy.