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Sports | Sailing in Marin: Pacific Cup 2024 – the fun…

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Sports | Sailing in Marin: Pacific Cup 2024 – the fun race to Hawaii

Courtesy Elliot James

Elliott James' boat Bloom County is expected to compete in the Pacific Cup for the first time as the race begins from San Francisco Bay on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Downwind may be a challenging point of sail for Elliot James' Bloom County during the Pacific Cup 2024 race from San Francisco Bay to Hawaii.

Elliot James (center) and Kyle Vanderspek (left) won their class in the recent Spinnaker Cup race from San Francisco to Monterey.

The crew of the Bloom County practices for the Pacific Cup 2024 race from San Francisco Bay to Hawaii.

Elliott James' boat Bloom County is expected to compete in the Pacific Cup for the first time as the race begins from San Francisco Bay on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Doublehanding from San Francisco to Hawaii in the Pacific Cup (Pac Cup) race for the first time on his sailboat Bloom County is the culmination of some five years’ worth of delays for owner Elliott James. His first attempt to compete in the 2020 edition of the race was thwarted due to the pandemic, he was waitlisted for the 2022 event but notified of a place in the fleet too late to make it logistically work. Third time’s a charm, as they say, and Elliott is chomping at the bit to set sail in the 2070-mile biennial invitational race which finishes in Kaneohe, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu.

“I’ve been trying to do Pac Cup forever, not necessarily on my boat, but a ride with someone else just to do it and it’s never worked out!” James laughed. “People keep telling me I have the perfect boat to race Pac Cup on so we’re finally doing it!”

Bloom County, a Mancebo 31, is a purpose-built safe ocean racing boat so race prep has been relatively minimal for James, who will sail with his buddy Kyle Vanderspek. most of the work so far has involved putting together items required for a long voyage that one wouldn’t normally carry inshore, like an emergency rudder system, which James had built, and a power generation system (he’s installed solar panels).

“I never imagined doing a long offshore race like Pac Cup double-handed in the boat, but when we did the double-handed Farallons race in April in stormy conditions, she held up really well while boats around us were dismasting and breaking all kinds of things,” said James, who grew up sailing in the junior program at the Sausalito Yacht Club. “She’s well-built.”

Being sturdier than others in his Pac Cup fleet means bloom County will be faster upwind if it’s breezy, but the race is typically just a few days of reaching and mainly downwind, which will benefit the lighter boats in his division.

“I’ll have some stiff competition with boats who do well downwind. My main competition will be Wolfpack, a Donovan 30 also racing double-handed — very experienced sailors who have done the Pac Cup several times,” James said. “We rate similarly but I’m concerned about fending them off.”

Pam and Bill Hughes, who live aboard a power boat in Sausalito, purchased their Antrim 27 Cascade 18 months ago with the goal to race the Pac Cup. They were inspired to make each day count after Bill incurred a serious health issue. It took a few years for him to regain his strength but through that time he kept sailing. When his health improved, the couple figured that it was time to fulfill some lifelong dreams.

“Bill is now 100 percent so we’re doing Pac Cup while we’re healthy and if I can help his dream come true, I’m thrilled,” Pam Hughes noted. “ I think we will be successful if we can all work well together, learn something about each other, enjoy the immediate and whatever the outcome is I know that the process of doing it will be fun!”

A maritime couple who have been around boating for a long time, Pam and Bill Hughes completed the requisite safety training classes and have concentrated their race prep focus on getting to know the boat. Lopez is a veteran offshore racer with many ocean miles under his belt.

“It’s a pretty simple race boat with an open transom and not a lot of complicated systems,” Pam Hughes explained. “We’ve been at the boat at least twice a week figuring out how to store equipment, how to work the communications systems, testing out horrible dry foods that everyone seems to love for camping (laughs), going through safety inspections, we updated the rigging, and I’ve been swimming as much as possible to be in good shape.”

Other boats hailing from Marin include the custom 43-footer Carodon owned and skippered by Heather Richard (Sausalito) competing in Pac Cup for the first time, the Santa Cruz 52 City Lights, owned and skippered by Aaron Wangenheim (Tiburon). This will be Wangenheim’s third Pac Cup, and second on City Lights. Bob Horton (San Anselmo) is competing for the second time on his Cal 40 Highlander, and veteran ocean racer Paul Cayard, formerly of Marin, will skipper the Swan 65 Translated 9 US with a mostly amateur crew. Viva, the Cal 40 owned by Don Jesberg (Belvedere) is racing Pac Cup for the first time, although Jesberg is a veteran of nine Transpacific races.

Horton, learning from his first Pac Cup in 2018, commented, “We redid the boom preventer to be more elastic because we broke the boom four days out from the finish last time which was a heartbreaker! We’re looking forward to finishing the race on the podium, although we have some pretty tough competition in the Cal 40 fleet.”

Translated 9’s goal is to introduce its colleagues, clients, and collaborators to the sport and some 600 guests have sailed on the boat on the Bay in the past year. As Cayard explains, the Pac Cup experience is an opportunity for Translated 9 to embrace a corporate goal to celebrate the human element through communication and understanding.

“Translated discovered sailing as a means to support its corporate mantra which is, “we believe in humans, through communication and understanding,” Cayard explained. “With the right people, anything is possible, challenges are everywhere but if you have people with the right values; determination, discipline, desire, resilience to bounce back, and motivation — all virtues exemplified in sailing. It’s amazing the impact sailing has on a person. They have no idea.”

Follow the race: https://www.pacificcup.org/

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Race Start Date Announced: July 15, 2024

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Full Moon for 2024 Race

July 15, 2024, is scheduled to be the first start for the 2024 Pacific Cup, the FUN race to Hawaii. Slowest boats will start that Monday, with faster boats starting later in the week, is the plan. Race organizers have to balance a number of factors in picking a start date. We prefer to start around 10 am to 2 pm, on an ebb tide. The date should be late enough that the Pacific High will have had a good chance to form, but not so late that we are into a high chance of tropical storms or somebody's school year. We really want a moon. This year,  the week of July 15  came closest to ideal, with a blazingly full moon set for the middle of the race. That's when we've scheduled our start for, and we hope to see you there.

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Pacific Cup 2024 - The fun race to Hawaii

Presented by : The Pacific Cup Yacht Club Race begins: July 15, 2024 in San Francisco Bay

The FUN Race to Hawaii, the Pacific Cup, has taken sailors from San Francisco Bay to Kaneohe Hawaii since 1980. With a focus on training, information, and ohana (family), the race has helped many voyagers hone their skills for ocean voyaging, whether in a hard-fought battle against world-class professionals or a challenging transit with family and friends. Either way, this mostly downwind race features some of the most enjoyable sailing on the planet, going on for days!  For more information, go HERE .

Ocean Navigator is a proud sponsor of the 2024 race!

Pacific cup 2024 – updates, international safety at sea with hands on course.

International Safety at Sea with Hands On Course January 13, 2024 at Kaneohe Yacht Club, Kaneohe, Oahu Signups are open here

This course is to prepare you for survival offshore in demanding situations and emergencies. As with any training, what you get is proportional to what you put into it. What you learn in this course may save your life and the lives of others in an emergency. We encourage you to give the course the effort and time it deserves.

Training The course is taught by experienced lifelong sailors. While the course is designed for sailors of all types and levels – cruisers, racers, novices, and experts, our focus in to help prepare you for the Pacific Cup race from San Francisco to Hawaii. The subject matter reflects the accumulated knowledge and lessons learned of the world-wide sailing community. MORE INFO >>

The course has two parts. The first part is the Online Offshore Safety at Sea Course. It is extensive and comprehensive. The online course will provide you with an excellent level of knowledge and is the starting point for the second part of the course.

The second part of the course is a full day of practical training. You will be updated with the latest information on key topics and then spend most of the day in hands-on training covering damage control, firefighting, emergency signaling, survival equipment, use of personal flotation devices, and life rafts. MORE INFO >>

Signups Open

Entries for the 2024 Pacific Cup opened at 8 am on March 29, and within four hours fourteen adventurous boats (and their skippers) had signed up. Our growing entry list includes a wide range of boats, both new to the race and returning veterans. Doublehanders and fully crewed, and sizes ranging from 27 to 52 feet! Will YOU be joining us?  To Enter Go Here .

Notice of Race posted

Our 2024 Notice of Race Start Date is July 15, 2024, and is now posted on our documents page. This gives you plenty of time to review the document and decide to enter the FUN race to Hawaii. For Race Documents and Links Go Here .

Frequently-Used Links Enter the Race Crew List Knowledge Base VHF Cable Reference (referred to in PCER) Sign up for Weighing

Files Notice of Race (321.08 KB) Equipment Requirements (PCER) (183.95 KB) Anchor Appendix of PCER (308.97 KB) NOR amendment 1 (Starlink and Crew weight) (84.27 KB) PCER for Multihulls (331.27 KB) Measurement and Ratings Guide (168.66 KB)

Full Moon for 2024 Race

July 15, 2024 , is scheduled to be the first start for the 2024 Pacific Cup, the FUN race to Hawaii. Slowest boats will start that Monday, with faster boats starting later in the week, is the plan.

Race organizers have to balance a number of factors in picking a start date. We prefer to start around 10 am to 2 pm, on an ebb tide. The date should be late enough that the Pacific High will have had a good chance to form, but not so late that we are into a high chance of tropical storms or somebody’s school year. We really want a moon.

This year, the week of July 15 came closest to ideal, with a blazingly full moon set for the middle of the race. That’s when we’ve scheduled our start for, and we hope to see you there

Pac Cupper wins NOBEL PRIZE

John F. Clauser sat in the bar at Berkeley Yacht Club on the evening of October 3, sharing his woes with other Pac Cup veterans and fans. Something about his boom. Also, we all commiserated about the challenges of working with one or more ratings systems.

Business concluded we all went home to a peaceful sleep. John, however, we imagine, was awakened by the traditional 2am call from the Nobel Prize Committee. He had been awarded the prize in Physics for his foundational work in quantum entanglement.

Congratulations, John!

Read about it here.

Translated 9 is embarking on an extraordinary journey from San Francisco to Hawaii, competing in the prestigious Pacific Cup 2024. Following its participation in the Ocean Globe Race under the motto “We Believe in Humans,” this new venture aims to unite people in the tech and localization industries who are willing to push boundaries, embrace new challenges, and drive change – both in sailing and in their vision for the future.

Translated 9 made its mark in the Pacific Cup. The Swan 65, skippered by the legendary Paul Cayard, arrived 1st in the PHRF 4 class, 2nd in the PHRF class with 51 teams competing, and 4th in the overall ranking among 64 yachts racing in the renowned regatta from San Francisco to Hawaii. Sailing 2,223 nautical miles and finishing in 10 days, 3 hours, 45 minutes, and 38 seconds, Translated 9 crossed the finish line in Kaneohe on Saturday, July 27th, at 12:45 pm.

“Sailing to Hawaii is one of the most beautiful experiences in the sport of sailing, and the Pacific Cup is a great race” says Paul Cayard . "Some of our crew have raced the Pacific Cup previously, four team members sailed various legs of the Ocean Globe Race, and for some, the Pacific Cup will be their first ocean racing experience. We’ve spent enough time together to feel comfortable, and I think we’ll have a fantastic experience. We’re very blessed that Marco and Isabelle want to keep the Translated sailing project going by racing in the Pacific Cup.”

The crew for this race is led by legendary skipper Paul Cayard. It includes 10 other members, some of whom come from the tech and localization industries: Teresa Marshall , a localization industry representative and Ocean Globe Race veteran; Jitendra Kavathekar , Alex Dailey , and Jason Chan , top managers from the Bay Area; Baptiste Gillot Devillers , Ocean Globe Race veteran; Lana Coomes , winner of the Ocean Globe Race aboard Maiden; Kelly Gregory and Patrick Haesloop , artists and architects; Danny Cayard ; and Translated 9's US captain, Jonathan Hammond .

Join Translated 9 in San Francisco!

We are inviting our friends to experience what sailing around the world is. No prior sailing experience is needed. We want to prove that with courage, determination, and resilience, you can achieve anything.

The training sessions will be led by Paul Cayard , a 7-time world champion and 7-time America’s Cup competitor, who has twice circumnavigated the globe, and became the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998.

If you want to experience Translated 9 in San Francisco send an email at [email protected]

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2023 Transpac begins first wave with 16 sailboats racing from California to Hawaiʻi

The 2023 Transpac competition from California to Oʻahu begins on Tuesday with the first wave of 16 sailboats crossing the starting line in the vicinity of Point Fermin in San Pedro.

After leaving the west end of Catalina to port, they will sail 2,200 miles west towards the finish line at Diamond Head.

This year, there are three waves with a total of 58 entries from Australia, Canada, Italy and the United States competing in the 52nd edition of this biennial ocean racing classic, first sailed in 1906.

Some are racing Transpac for the first time, while others are veterans who keep coming back for this iconic race.

Ian Edwards’ Dehler 46 Wings has come from Sydney, Australia to participate. This is their first Transpac race, but they are no strangers to ocean racing. Edwards said they have raced about 35,000 miles on this boat, but the unique aspect of Transpac’s course and conditions is intriguing.

“We normally race with 10 or even 12 crew, but we will race with only 8 on this race,” he said. “We have a lot of experience in all positions on the boat and we’ve been doing some practicing with our short-handed maneuvers like sail changes and gybes so the off-watch can get some sleep and be rested for their turn.”

Indeed, this is a fundamental skill for all Transpac teams: finding the balance between having enough versatile and skilled crew available to perform versus the extra weight and clutter of having more on board.

There are other notable differences for Edwards, such as Transpac’s limited allowance for stacking sails on deck to increase stability and optimize performance. This is not allowed in other races. They also added a Code 65 reaching headsail to their inventory to help fill the gap between their upwind headsails and their spinnakers.

As for weather and routing, Edwards said they have poured through all the available resources from experts like Stan Honey and Peter Isler on route planning, and they feel confident that their first group will get off the coast and into the Pacific quickly without speed bumps.

“We don’t see a need to do a deep south route for us so initially we should be staying fairly close to the rhumb line,” he said. “After that we’ll see how things develop.”

Ed Sanford, who is racing his J111 Creative in the same division, agrees: “We think it will be some hard upwind work in the first 24 hours and some big breeze and waves out there, but feel good about getting off the coast fast.”

Sanford also competed in this race 2013, 2015 and 2017 in his smaller J105. He said he’s upbeat about this race, and with this boat – that he’s owned for three years – he’s been fastidious at preparation and planning, going through all the systems on board and making upgrades.

This includes adding a bobstay to the bowsprit to handle the loads from a reaching headsail they plan to fly along with a staysail for high-speed reaching and devising gaskets for it so when the bow dives in there will be no saltwater firehose below decks.

For more stability and rest for the off-watch crew, they also installed a pipe berth and lee cloths in the aft berth to get three to rest on the high side.

“By taking the time to go through all the setup, equipment and systems,” he said, “we have a much better understanding on how to troubleshoot if needed.”

These and other all-amateur teams on the race may qualify for the Nash Family Corinthian Trophy which is awarded to the team with the best corrected time performance among teams with all Category 1 sailors recognized by World Sailing.

For more information on the 2023 Transpac, visit  www.transpacyc.com .

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Transpacific Race – Racing Between the USA and Hawaii

For many European and Mediterranean sailors, crossing the Atlantic is a great challenge . Most of them do not even think of sailing the Pacific , and if they do, it is only a distant dream. However, sailors do not turn from boys into men only between Europe and the East Coast of the USA. The West Coast of the USA has its own version of an offshore race. The Transpacific Yacht Race , also known as the Transpac , connects California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Pedro, etc.), and the Hawaiian Islands .

This demanding race has probably been best described by Russell Coutts , an Olympic gold medalist and five-time winner of the America’s Cup, who claims it is one of the best offshore races in which he has ever competed. The race is very strategic for the navigators, and there are some fantastic downwind rides .

Beginnings of Transpacific Race

The first start of the Transpac took place in 1906 in Los Angeles . It should start in San Francisco, but the devastating earthquake forced the organizers to change the schedule. Traditionally, the race starts off San Pedro , at the Pt. Fermin buoy . The competitors have to finish the 2,225 NM long course off Diamond Head Lighthouse in Honolulu .

The Pacific High

A high pressure area , also known as a  Pacific High , has always played a very important role in this race. Sailing into it would be a competitive suicide. On the other hand, reaching the lower ends of the high makes the winds bend the aft. It is the perfect opportunity for setting the spinnaker and pleasantly continuing the race downwind. This means that the yachts optimized for downwind sailing are the ones competing for the line honours.

Transpacific Race Record

The current fastest time of the Transpac for a fully crewed monohull is 5 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes and 20 seconds , and was set by Alfa Romeo II . I am sure that many of those reading this are excellent sailors, but, if you are not professionals, you should check out the Aloha class of the Transpac. This class was created for yachts that are not so young, and are heavy, often equipped with massive refrigerators, air conditioners, and other systems that contribute to comfort and luxury . This class is for everyone who is into offshore competition, but do not have a professional career and big sponsors.

Finishing the Transpac (Transpacific race) can lead to the realization of two dreams – crossing the Pacific and visiting the Hawaiian Islands . I am sure that passing Diamond Head under spinnaker and arriving to Waikiki   beach deserves a magnificent aloha welcome …

I wish you a calm sea, a fine wind and a strong mast!

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RACE INFORMATION

Race entry system.

RACE SCHEDULE

Entry Guide

Click each item in the list below to read the description and follow the prompts to complete the item for your entry. Questions? Please contact us at [email protected] .

Submit Registration Form and Entry Deposit - (May 26, 2023)

Submit your online registration through the Yacht Scoring Dashboard .

Your non-refundable entry deposit ($250) will be due with your registration. After submitting your registration, the Entry Chair can approve your entry, and you'll be eligible to complete the Yacht Information & Attestation Form which includes your full entry fee payment.

Submit Final Data to US Sailing for Rating Certificate - (May 26, 2023)

First Time ORR Certificatation with US Sailing: Complete the Request for Rating / Measurement form to start the process of getting an ORR rating for your boat. https://form.jotform.com/72144318847157

Renewing an ORR Certificate with US Sailing: Complete the ORR Renewal/Revalidation Form from US Sailing https://www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/orr/orr-revalidation-2022/

Boats will need to make an appointment with a measurer to validate the displacement at a bare minimum, and in many cases will need a full measurement.

Contact [email protected] with any quesitons.

Maintain Accurate Crew List with Contact Info - (Prior to Start)

Log in to the Yacht Scoring Owner's Corner .

Select MY CREW LIST and then ADD CREW.

Enter at least the first/last name and ACCURATE email for each crew member. They will receive an email with a link, login and password asking them to complete their racing profile and read/accept the Transpac Crew Waiver.

Owners can track their crew progress to see who has completed these steps and who are still pending. Owners are responisble for having a 100% completed crew list prior to racing.

Submit Crew qualification documentation - (Prior to Start)

Log in to the Yacht Scoring Owner's Corner  or have your crew log in to the Yacht Scoring Crew Corner .

1. Crew completes the "Safety Course Taken" fields (Course Name and Course Date). See NOR 8.1.3, General Safety Training.

2. On the Yacht Information & Attestation Form , enter the "Names of (2) crew members who are CPR and First Aid trained" (see NOR 8.1.4).

Pay Full Entry Fee - (Due 3/1/23, Late 5/26/23)

Submit entry fee payment on the  Yacht Information & Attestation Form, which can be found as a link in your Yacht Scoring Owner's Corner . This is a custom link for each boat's entry.

Regular rate entry fees due by 3/1/23. Late entry rate fee due 3/2/23 to 5/26/23.

Use the LOA (as listed on ORR Certificate), to determine your boat's entry fee.

A $50 discount will be applied if the owner/charterer is a current US Sailing member .

Another $50 discount will be applied if the owner/charterer is a current member of Transpacific Yacht Club .

Questions? [email protected]

Attend Race Seminar(s) - (Prior to Start)

Transpacific Yacht Club will organize several race seminars on topics such as "Preparing for Transpac", "Navigation & Expedition", and more. Check back for details and registration for seminars in the lead up to the 2023 Transpac Race.

Submit Signed Copy of 2023 ORR Certificate - (Prior to Start)

Submit signed ORR certificate on the  Yacht Information & Attestation Form.

Consider Joining a Special Trophy Category - (Prior to Start)

Trophy Information:  https://transpacyc.com/transpac-yc/trophy-information

Teams are encourage to review the Special category trophies available in the 2023 Transpac Race, and follow the direction to apply to an appropriate category.

Order Aloha Send Off Party Tickets - (June 2023)

Agenda, pricing, venue and ticket order form TBA

Send position report test email - (2 days prior to start)

Send to  [email protected] , and receive acknowleding email reply, due 2 days prior to start.

Each boat shall send a position report via email or text messaging using the same system on the boat as will be used during the race (see NOR 14.1) to the Transpac Position Report email address ( [email protected] ) and receive an acknowledging email.

Safety Inspection - (2 days prior to start)

May be scheduled with any of the listed Inspectors on the Inspector Contact List .

See NOR 4.3.2. Safety Inspections must be completed (2) days prior to each boat's start, including any requested changes by inspector.

Complete Yacht Information & Attestation Form - (2 days prior to start)

Teams can start this form and return to edit any time in the lead up to the race. Most required items from the NOR are included on this single form. Your custom link is saved in your Yacht Scoring Owner's Corner .

Published on June 19th, 2024 | by Editor

Transpac: Not just a race to Hawaii

Published on June 19th, 2024 by Editor -->

While the start is imminent for the 2024 Newport to Bermuda Race on June 21 , another biennial race is now ramping up as the 2025 Transpac Race attracts entrants for the 53rd edition of the 2,225 course from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

Honors for the first entry go to Michael Marion’s Dufour 50 Insoumise. Marion raced the same boat in the 2023 Transpac but was forced to withdraw early after experiencing a serious rudder failure on day one, while sailing close-hauled from the west end of Catalina.

“We were crushing it hard to windward for about eight hours, and we were firmly holding 2nd position in our class and gaining on the leader when our rudder showed clear signs of imminent failure at about 2:45am,” recounted Marion. “The early failure was a devastating blow, and a mixed blessing. If it occurred days later in the race it would have been much worse!

“Having had an insurmountable rudder failure on the first long day of Transpac in 2023, I was eager to jump in with our early registration as soon as possible to show my commitment to my team and the Transpac community of sailors.”

A stronger reinforced rudder housing system has been a primary focus as he prepares to race the 2025 Transpac and achieve his life-long goal of sailing to Hawaii.

“I have always, since I was a kid, thought about how cool it would be to make a Pacific crossing from Southern California to Hawaii. However, I never really thought it would happen. After enjoying my Dufour for the past six years and with the realization that this boat would make the journey anywhere in the world, I started thinking about the long-abandoned dream of sailing to Hawaii.

“Our goal is to accomplish our best possible result. Winning our class is not out of the question, and within our capabilities. However, I will not consider that our efforts are unsuccessful if we do not win our class!”

Greg Dorn’s Favonius performed very well in the past two Transpacs, winning his class in 2021 and finishing 4th in 2023, but for the 2025 race he’s swapped the Dehler 46 for a Transpac 52, christened Favonius 2.

“I felt it was time to take on a faster and more pure race boat platform. The TP52 we will be sailing has a strong pedigree and appears to have excellent potential,” he said, noting that he’s hoping to recreate the right culture onboard that made his Dehler 46 so successful in past Transpacs.

He’ll be campaigning Favonius 2 in various offshore races along the West Coast in the lead-up to 2025, including Newport to Ensenada and the SoCal 300. Transpac, however, is special. “It is such a fantastic physical and mental test of endurance,” he said. “The distance, navigational challenge, and driving precision required to perform well creates a race of infinite complexity and variety.”

Another early entry is Alli Bell’s Cal 40 Restless. Bell is Transpacific Yacht Club’s Rear Commodore and has raced in four previous Transpacs, but this will be her first as skipper. She purchased Restless in 2019 and began restoring the San Diego-based classic—and started talking about racing Transpac, which brought many helpers to the forefront and turned the idea into a reality.

“I’m excited to field a crew of family and friends and hopefully make a lot of memories!” she said. “From my perspective as a sailor, an early commitment shows my crew and the rest of the fleet that I’m serious about racing.

“It also gives me deadlines to work towards. As someone who has a hand in organizing races, I always appreciate early entries—it makes planning so much easier! I guess I’m practicing what I preach.”

With legendary downwind surfing performance, Cal 40s are common Transpac entries and more than once in the race’s history earned the distinction of being the largest one-design fleet to compete. Bell is hoping more than a few line up to race against Restless.

Event information – Notice of Race – Rating system

Held biennially, the 53rd edition of the 2,225 nm Transpac in 2025 has staggered starts on July 1, July 3, and July 5 off of Point Fermin.

Source: TPYC

Tags: Transpac

Related Posts

Details confirmed for 2025 Transpac Race →

Weather forecasts to aid Transpac 2025 →

VIDEO: Transpac Race 2023 →

PHOTOS: Transpac Monohull Finishes →

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Pacific Cup

J/world offshore racing event.

Contact us for details on the 2026 event.

Every other year a fleet of boats heads out the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge with a destination a world away.  After a little more the 2000 miles of open ocean sailing, we arrive in the stunning Kaneohe Bay on the northern shore of Oahu.  This is the Pacific Cup, run in July of “even” years.  It is a fantastic adventure that boasts some phenomenal sailing across one of the most fantastic stretches of open ocean on the planet.  It truly is the adventure of a lifetime.

J/World Sailing offers sailors the opportunity to race in this world class event.  Each running, we compete with a team comprised of six amateurs and three of our world-class, professional coaches.  Each individual will be an active and equal member of the team, and everyone aboard gets to take turns at doing everything, including driving.  The environment will be fun, positive, and conducive to learning…  and we’ll of course work hard to get a great finish!  In 2016 we were first in class, second overall in ORR, and set a new California to Hawaii record for the venerable Santa Cruz 50s!

We will be sailing over to the islands the legendary Santa Cruz 50, Hula Girl and the modern DK46  Cazan.  Hula Girl  was turboed under the supervision of Bruce Nelson.  She sports an updated carbon rig, a modern bulb keel, and new rudder.  She was most recently the personal boat of Paul Cayard, one of the most successful racers in yachting history, and completed an extensive refit in 2013.  For more on this incredible boat, visit here .  Cazan  is a Mark Mills design that sports a large cockpit  and towering, powerful rig (bigger than a SC52!).

Students may be of various ability levels, from experienced offshore racers who enjoy the notion of joining a ‘turn-key’ program, to sailors who are looking to expand their horizons and learn more about offshore racing.  The program will include practice sessions prior to the race, all the onboard provisioning, team gear, entry fees, port fees, and delivery fees.  Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements in Los Angeles and Hawaii.

“I wanted to thank you for a wonderful trip and the experience of a lifetime. I was and remain extremely impressed with all the preparation and hard work that you put in to make this trip a success for the students. I took from this experience not only a great deal of knowledge on ocean sailing, but also increased confidence in my ability as a sailor.”    – MC, after the 2008 Pacific Cup

Prolific journalist Kimball Livingston writes of our program: You will be “taught how to get to Hawaii doing the fast thing. Win or lose you’ll come back different. Want to skipper, next time, with confidence? You never really know what you will get, California-Hawaii, but it is a benign passage by the standards of ocean passages, and halfway across you are farther from land than at any other point on the globe.  At the end there’s Hawaii. Suck it up and cope.”

J World Offshore Racing – 2012 San Deigo to Puerto Vallarta Race

J World Offshore Racing – 2011 Transpac

About J World Offshore Programs

There are no other programs in the world like this.  period..

The offshore programs put together and managed by J/World are absolutely unique in the world of yachting.  You are a truly active and integral member of an actual racing team.  We don’t load the boat with clients to the point where no one gets to do anything.  We won’t just park you over a grinding pedestal  We aren’t just  taking you for a ride like so many big boat programs.  You are sailing the boat.  You get to drive, trim, navigate…  whatever your interests are, we’ll be sure that you get to exercise that muscle.

For most programs, we limit enrollment to six clients.  With three coaches aboard, that’s a 2:1 ratio which means everyone aboard gets a ton of personal attention from our extremely experienced staff.

These programs are fully turn-key, and managed by a team of sailors who are hand selected for both their extensive sailing background, and their ability to coach well and share their knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm with others.  The afloat staff is supported by our expert shore team, insuring that you have the time of your life.

The boat is owned by J/World.  This is crucial…  it is not some charterboat that we tap into for occasional use.  It is our boat, campaigned regularly by our team.  To you, this means that the equipment is on absolutely top condition, the boat is maintained to the highest competitive standards, and the safety equipment onboard is second to none.

The J World Offshore Programs are singular in the world of yachting.  If you have heard of other pay to play programs or you have joined the ‘cattle boat’ programs that dominate the market, it’s time to rethink your experience.  There is no other program in the world like J World Offshore. Don’t take our word for it. Just read below for a couple of the many, many unsolicited emails of appreciation we get…

2017 Transpac Crew - Derek D. (aka Easy-D)

I know that I had the chance to thank each of you personally while I was in Hawaii, but I wanted formally thank you as group for the amazing experience aboard Hula Girl on this year’s Transpac.

Although I definitely had the least offshore experience among the group on board, all three of you put me at ease before, during, and after the race. Other than the vertigo issue that I had on a couple of the cloudy/moonless nights when I was steering (thank you Patrick for bailing me out!), I felt relatively comfortable at the wheel (for fear of a wipe-out of epic proportions). I must say that Patrick’s demeanor as my Watch Captain helped me build that confidence over the duration of the 2225 nm.

Watching all three of you going about your business onboard was a treat and demonstrated that all three of you are real pros! Whether it was Patrick at the bow, Wayne at the wheel or nav station, or Paul at the wheel, all three of you made it look so easy! Knowing that the boat was well-prepared in advance of the start also showed a level of professionalism that I haven’t seen. I greatly enjoyed the consistent communication of expectations prior to the experience occurring which helped keep surprises to a minimum. In short, this was not your first rodeo (unlike me) which helped allay any fears.

Although the Team Philosophy wasn’t a “win at all costs” one, the fact that you were able to coalesce a disparate group with varying levels of sailing and offshore experience was truly remarkable. To me, one of the more satisfying things was that we earned a podium finish in an extremely competitive division of SC50s and SC52s. However, I’m still contemplating all the ways we could have done better to make up the 5 minutes of corrected time on Deception, or the several hours that Horizon finished ahead of us. Regardless, I know that my goals prior to the race were to sail safely, fast, and fun! Mission accomplished!

Again, I thank you for providing me with this tremendous opportunity of sailing in this year’s edition of Transpac! Don’t be surprised if I decide to do something else with J World again whether it’s around the buoys or another offshore opportunity. I’m still smiling about the overall experience that I had and it’s certainly among my top sailing highlights, let alone one of the overall highlights in my 52 years.

Take care for now! Please keep in touch.

2016 Pacific Cup Crew - Andreas K.

I just wanted to spend the time to thank you again for all the training I got from you guys during the Transpac. Wayne, you are one of the best skippers I ever sailed with, and Patrick you are probably the best coach I have met so far.

You kept encouraging me to take over the helm, over and over again, and really helped me overcome one of the biggest shortcomings I saw in my skill set. Everyone on the boat had his chance. You guys were there for everyone who wanted to rise to the next level… and once we hit the Molokai Channel ,I was able to handle the breeze and the swell, which surprised me as much as some of the other guys!

I just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate what I took with me from this trip. You guys rock…

Pacific Cup 2022 - Jim G.

Aloha!  I know you are probably running boats back home, but I am going to send this now anyway before my vacation buzz wears off. 🙂

After spending a bit more time relaxing in Hawaii with my wife post-race, we got back yesterday.  So I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the experience on Cazan during the 2022 PacCup.  Somewhere in my top 10 life experiences, maybe even top 5! It was a privilege to be aboard with David, Collin and Austin — they are hands-down the best sailors I’ve ever sailed with and, just as important, simply great folks to hang out with.  I would go sailing again with any of them any time for any reason!

Even if they hadn’t said a thing to me the entire trip, I would have learned a ton just by watching them handle the boat — particularly the downwind spinnaker reaching on the waves!  Of course they were not silent, but instead were constantly teaching and helping us get better at trimming, steering and grinding . . . and more.   And they handled all my questions — both the good ones and the sort of stupid ones — with clear answers and good natured patience.

All of them were natural communicators and their love of sailing was infectious.  We amateurs all got noticeably better.  Our speed and handling improved every day throughout the race and we pushed the performance to the point of covering over 300 miles in 24 hours!  That may or may not be a record for CaZan, but it was certainly some fantastic racing!

In addition to the great J/World crew, I’d add that Cazan is an impressive boat.   Sturdy as hell, fairly dry, reasonably comfortable (for a raceboat!) and yet still speedy.   We used most of the sail inventory and got a lot of out of those kites!  A great boat for the trip and a positive part of the package was learning about the sails and systems on a veteran ocean raceboat.

Finally, I am not a particularly nervous sailor, but I am generally cautious and try to be prepared for the conditions — so I had a few concerns about sailing the open ocean in places I had never sailed before.  However, even when the wind and weather conditions got a bit more challenging (or “sporty”) sailing with the Cazan team, I never felt like we were unsafe or unready.  Any of the worries I might have had about wandering 2000+ miles out over the Pacific simply disappeared as we worked together.  I realized when we finished that your team gave me all of that the confidence by improving my sailing competence in rougher conditions — yet another benefit from the amazing trip.

At bottom, my Pac Cup experience was truly awesome and I wanted to let you know that I appreciate the care and preparation that you and your J/World colleagues put into making it that way.  I would happily recommend you all to anybody looking to get offshore experience — feel free to use me as a reference or quote me on the website!

Take care and I’ll figure out how to sail with you all again down the road.

Transpac 2021 - Randy B.

I didn’t have a chance to talk with you at the end of the race so I wanted to send you a quick e-mail to say thank you! The Transpac was a very memorable experience for me and truly did check the bucket list box..  I believe I told you that my dad sailed it in 1951 and always talked about what a great race it was.  Now I understand what he meant!  As a dinghy boat sailor getting to sail downwind in those classic pacific Tradewinds surfing conditions was something I will never forget.   Dave, Chris and Collin are exceptional sailors, great teachers and were professional the whole time with everyone onboard….probably the reason you selected them.  I will also say that offshore skipper role Dave showed leadership skills well beyond his years. Oh yeah and Chris’ sense of humor had me laughing most of the time.  I now see why your turnkey offshore program is so highly regarded and I’m glad I had a chance to participate in it. Thanks again!

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