Brown said that any boat owners wishing to make special requests or to assist with expenses for their aloha welcome may contact him at (805) 262-7001 (home), (808) 438-8633 (office) or browndr@shafter.army.mil. Credit cards accepted.

'Bogie's Boat' Santana Joins Centennial Celebration

Santana, whose most famous of several illustrious owners was the late Humphrey Bogart, is the first boat to sign up for the "Transpac Centennial Celebration," a parade and exhibition start of vintage boats on the day the largest racing boats start on Sunday, July 17.

Bogie, who owned the boat with Lauren Bacall from 1945 until his death in 1957, never raced it to Hawaii, but it was sailed by W.L. Stewart Jr. in the 1936 Transpac as a 55-foot schooner, then returned in 1961 under W.L. Nickell as a yawl and in 1965 as a cutter. This year also marks the 70th birthday of the boat, which was designed by Olin Stephens in 1935. Although it has had several owners, it has always been known as "Bogie's boat."

Paul and Christine Kaplan of Alameda, Calif., have owned it since 1998. He said, "The boat has so much history in Southern California that we thought it would be fun to do some of the wooden boat regattas down there, and we're also going to do the Newport-to-Ensenada [race] in the Ancient Mariner class."

The boat was sunk in port for a couple of days late in 1997 when a bilge pump check valve stuck open. Kaplan and his wife bought it nine months later after it had languished into disrepair and brought it to their boatyard. Then he dug into its past and created a Web site with the boat's history, including photos and profiles of its famous Hollywood owners: http://www.thesantana.com/history.htm

"I never knew the boat had started life as a schooner," Kaplan said. "I only knew it as a yawl. I've always preferred schooner rigs because I think they're kind of pretty. We knew the boat was going to need a major refit, so we elected to put it back in its original configuration. It's been a delightful way to spend untold sums of money."

Any boat that ever sailed Transpac is invited to participate in the Centennial Celebration. Contact: Dale Nordin, rear commodore, (562) 244-6450 or dale_nordin@hotmail.com

Ragtime's New Owners Plan Return to Transpac

Ragtime, a Transpac icon for its low, graceful lines and stunning and successive Barn Door victories in 1973 and '75, has been purchased at auction by three Southern California sailors who plan to race it to Hawaii again this summer.

Alan Peterson, 39; Chris Welsh, 41, and Jon Richards, 41, made a winning bid of $120,500 at the Jan. 21 event that drew some enthusiastic bidders, along with many observers simply concerned for the boat's future.

"If you see Ragtime once, you know she's a special boat, even if you are a plastic boater," said Peterson, who is commodore of the Wooden Hull Yacht Club and was the designated bidder for the group. "For me, she's a dream. I'm a sucker for sentimental heritage and legacy and nostalgia. My first passion is sailing, and sailing on classic wooden hulls."

The boat last sailed Transpac in 2001 under charter to Trish Steele, a Maui resident who recently bought another icon, Merlin, and also will do the Centennial race. Thus, the two boats will maintain their tie for the most Transpacs at 13.

Ragtime needs some minor restoration, much of which the new owners will do themselves.

Welsh said, "Anyone who is concerned about clichéd stereotypes of wealthy buyers is welcome to call us. We have spots open in sanding, bilge cleaning, check writing and jib trimming."

"But she will definitely be ready to do the Transpac," Peterson said.

Contact: ragtimellc@yahoo.com

Paid Entries Hit 37; Record Is 80 in 1979

Thirty-seven entries more than four months before the race has Transpac organizers eyeballing the record of 80 entries in 1979.

"I don't know if we've ever had 37 paid entries at the first of February," entry chairman Bill Lee said. "And that doesn't count 11 others that have filed entries but haven't sent their checks yet."

The list includes 10 Cal 40s---as many as sailed in their "40th birthday celebration" in 2003---with more expected. The largest boats currently entered are Roy Disney's Reichel/Pugh maxZ86, Pyewacket, and Doug Baker's Andrews 80, Magnitude 80, runner-up for line honors to the giant Mari Cha IV in last year's Pacific Cup.

In a recent action Transpac lowered its minimum length for multihulls from 45 to 40 feet. However, four multis must enter before any will be accepted as a class. Currently, there is one paid---John Walton's Bright Wing from Jackson, Wyo.---and another with stated intent.

Paid entries to date