Transpac 2003

A Transpac Legend Is Reborn

As others boats prepared for Transpac 2003 this year, a legend of the race slipped quietly into Marina Shipyard in Long Beach, Calif. for a major refit---not to race again but just because the new owner of Windward Passage thought the old girl needed and deserved it.

Windward Passage, which won it all in the Transpac of 1971, is all spiffy for its new, anonymous owner.

He prefers to remain anonymous---the only hint is that Newport Beach (Calif.), not Lahaina, is now the home port posted on the transom---and he is interested more in cruising than racing.

But Windward Passage's racing résumé is secure. In nearly a century no other boat has achieved what she did in 1971. Mark Johnson, son of the late owner Robert Johnson, skippered the 73-foot ketch---now a sloop---to first to finish, first in class, first overall on handicap time and, for good measure, a record of 9 days 9 hours 6 minutes 48 seconds.

The yard work was overseen by Dave Johnson, the boat's manager for several years. It included a refinished mast, overhauled winches and a complete paint job, bottom and top, including the trademark lime green deck. As this year's Transpac proceeded toward Hawaii, Windward Passage was re-launched and placed in a temporarily vacant slip loaned by a current competitor: Al Schultz and Vicki Lawrence's Andrews 70, Vicki.;

Gary Miltimore, the Newport Beach artist widely known for his final touches on famous boats, repainted the name and signature whale on the transom in gold leaf.

The 1971 success was especially satisfying for Mark Johnson, whose father died shortly after a bitter loss in 1969 resulting from a protest over a starting incident.

At the awards dinner, Johnson accepted his honors, looked up, raised his arm and said, "This one's for you, dad!"