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43rd Biennial Transpacific Yacht Race / Los Angeles to Hawaii Transpacific Yacht Club, Jerry Montgomery, Commodore May 5, 2005 Transpac Village in Rainbow Harbor to Open July 1 LONG BEACH, Calif.---The mainland's first "Transpac Village" has graduated quickly from dream to reality.
Hawaii already have applied for free mooring space since the City of Long Beach's proposal last month to transform the colorful downtown Rainbow Harbor into the official assembly point for racers. Thus, when the venue opens July 1 it will become a crown jewel component of the city's annual Sea Festival celebration. "This is the response we were hoping for," said Drew Satariano, president of the Sea Festival Association and a longtime Long Beach sailor. "For many of us, sailing is a part of our lives, and now we can share it with the community and visitors to our city." Rainbow Harbor is an attractive leisure location surrounded by the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the historic Pike at Rainbow Harbor theme park and the Shoreline Village complex of waterfront shops and restaurants. The Transpac boats will be on informal display before their respective starts scheduled July 11, 15 and 17 off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Because space will be limited, Marine Bureau officials said participants will be entitled to free mooring in nearby Alamitos Bay Marina from July 1 until moving into Rainbow Harbor before their starts. The Mayor's Cup, a match race sailing competition among eight all-woman teams organized by the Long Beach Yacht Club, will be based at the venue July 14-16. Boat owners interested in securing free mooring may contact Commodo re Gary Schneider of Shoreline Yacht Club for information: syclb@hotmail.com or captaingary1@hotmail.com Shoreline Yacht Club is the official resident host for the Transpac Village venue. Transpac Trivia Quiz Psyche, entered by Steve Calhoun of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. and Los Angeles Yacht Club, is one of 14 Cal 40s currently in the Centennial Transpac. What is her significance, and when did she last sail the race? Answers below. Transpac's Words to Race By: Sail Fast, Smart and Safe Competitors came from across the nation last weekend to hear words of wisdom about what lies before them in the Centennial Transpac. Nineteen of the 72 current official entries---including boats from Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Texas, Michigan, Washington and Oregon, plus two from Mexico---were represented at a seminar at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. "You people are about to embark on the best race you've ever sailed in," Robbie Haines told the crowd at a seminar for mostly first-time Transpac racers. But first, there were some things they needed to know. The event, hosted by Transpac Commodore Jerry Montgomery, featured Haines, veteran sailing master for Roy Disney's Pyewacket; race communicator Grant Baldwin, rating rules expert Dick Hampikian, chief safety inspector Roby Bessent, videographer Leslie DeMeuse; race veteran Dave Thompson on provisioning, and a two-hour breakdown of the race's unique weather nuances by race veteran Joe Buck and Orange Coast College meteorologist Michael Neumann.
Pam Foster of the AED Institute also demonstrated one of the defibrillator kits she is loaning free to each boat that requests one. The deadline for requests is June 1. Details about obtaining one and a schedule of required training classes: www.aedinstitute.com On communications, Baldwin said, "If you haven't used your single sideband radio in a year and you wonder if it still works, it probably doesn't."
Attentive listeners included Scott Self of Rockwall, Tex., who has never sailed Transpac but will do this one doublehanded with longtime sailing partner Nigel Brown on his Hobie 33, Soap Opera. "I've dreamed of doing it all my life," said Self, a volunteer fireman. "It's important that we understand what it takes. I believe in keeping weight off the boat---one reason we're sailing doublehanded---but you have to have all the safety gear." Another race rookie, Lloyd Sellinger, 66, will sail his Cal 40, Bubala, with five others all over age 65 He e-mailed his crew the next day: "I realize we have some work to do before we can have some fun. The first 2-3 days will be wet and cold. Fleece is best under your foul weather suit. Cotton stays wet so jeans are not a good choice. When the wind starts backing it will get to be warm, and shorts and sun protection are in order." Haines also had advice about weight: "Don't overload your boat with sails. Any extra weight will slow you down." He recommended carrying a limited number of headsails because boats probably will be flying spinnakers for the last two-thirds of the race. "If you're going to have any backup sails, they should be spinnakers," Haines said. He also suggested a staggered watch system that changes only part of the on-deck team at any time because "you don't want four sleepy guys coming up on deck at the same time without a feel for what's been going on." Montgomery also urged competitors to contact the boat host committee in Honolulu about arrangements, offers of assistance and any special needs or requests. The chairperson is Barbara Silvey at hawaiipianolady@aol.com Trivia Answer Forty years ago! Psyche, then owned by Don Salisbury, also of LAYC, was the first of three Cal 40s to win the King Kalakaua Trophy as first overall on corrected time in three consecutive races, 1965-67-69. Her crew included navigator Ben Mitchell and George Griffith, who owned the first Cal 40 built. Entries at 72; Deadline is June 3 One month from the deadline for entering Centennial Transpac 2005, four new entries and a couple of withdrawals have brought the total to 72, with several prospects on the horizon. The record is 80 in 1979. Three are former participants: Philippe Kahn, winner of the last two Barn Doors as the fastest monohull, returning with a Transpac 52, currently under construction; John MacLaurin with his Davidson 52, Pendragon IV, and James Warmington with his Pedrick 74, Shanakee II. The fourth is far removed from his sport of renown. Dick Simon, a Dana Point, Calif. resident and trucking magnate, is more familiar in auto racing for driving and running multi-car teams in the Indy 500 and elsewhere. He has entered a Cabo Rico 56 called Madrina. Kahn sold his maxi sled Pegasus that led the way to Waikiki in 2001 and 2003 and plans to campaign in the fast-growing Transpac 52 class, starting with the Centennial Transpac. Official entries
Transpac Documentary Video/DVD The two-hour historical documentary "Transpac/A Century Across the Pacific" is on sale in marine stores and nautical museums or may be ordered online with a credit card through a link on the Web site home page here. The Web site also has a mail-order form. The video format $39.95, DVD $49.95 and PAL $49.95 for countries requiring that medium. COMMODOREJerry Montgomery (562) 427-3116 mmmont@aol.com HONOLULU CHAIRMAN ENTRIES PRESS OFFICER WEB PAGE
The official 2005 TransPac Yacht Race Website http://www.transpacificyc.org
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