The Transpacific Yacht Race is arguably the pinnacle of yacht racing for the West Coast of the United States, a 2,225 mile race from Point Fermin, LA to Diamond Head, HI. There are 53 entries with the first boats starting on July 1^st.  A little over a week after this start, boats start to trickle into our docks and between the parties, sailing stories, and support team; the Ala Wai Harbor atmosphere changes almost overnight. And it is the Aloha Spirit of the local yachting community and the work that gets put in to put this event on is what makes its o successful. Racers are greeted with pineapple filled mai tais and leis as they smile for photos after an endeavor that most dream about.

As you motor out to the starting line, there is a sort of nervous energy as it all hits you. All the boat work, inspections, qualifications and work that you’ve put into a race of this magnitude has culminated to this one point. And in that, it becomes all the more important to challenge for an advantageous lane in an ultra-competitive start. The first night is usually the hardest of the race, typically a windy upwind angle and choppy conditions to get off the Californian Coast while trying to get conditioned to your first night on the boat offshore. A few days later the wind angle starts to move behind and the fleet sets spinnakers. Now you’re well into the rhythm of the short sleep cycles, movements of the boat, and realizing the large number of miles that still lay in front of you. It is at this point that gear failures typically expose themselves and those that have hesitations in continuing will choose to turn back, as you are getting so far away from the Coast that it becomes a point of no return. A couple days of spinnaker reaching turns to running with the wind and the boat starts to dry out and layers start getting shed as it warms up. If conditions allow, you’re surfing down waves in 15-25knots of breeze and realizing why all the race prep was worth it to be there. A few gybes downwind toward Hawaii and you’re sailing into the finish at Diamondhead another week or so later. But it really is so much more than that. After so much time on the water you realize that it really was a voyage of personal challenge and discovery that will permanently bond you to the Ocean.

The Transpac Honolulu Committee is always looking for volunteers and support throughout the event. If you are looking for ways to get involved please reach out myself or to the Honolulu Committee Chair- Doug Allen (doug.allen7171@gmail.com).

-See you on the water!

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Transpac Program and Magazine-

https://transpacyc.com/assets/documents/programs/2025-Transpac-Program.pdf

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Transpac 2025 Live Race Tracker-

https://yb.tl/transpac2025

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