NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.---The Transpacific Yacht Race got a rousing kick start into its second century with a challenge to top the thrills of the first 100 years highlighting the traditional off-year dinner at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club Jan. 27.

Audience saw replay of a rudderless Ragtime finishing and wing in 1981.

The event introduced Al Garnier as the new commodore, succeeding Jerry Montgomery, and 220 guests enjoyed the retelling of harrowing tales from the 1981 race a quarter-century ago. It wasn't the fastest race---Merlin, chartered by Nick Frazee, missed its own record by 46 seconds---but it was perhaps the most adventurous. Two crewmen were rescued after slipping overboard during the race.

The new Transpacific YC board of directors. Commodore Al Garnier is third from left in the front row.

Sam and Rosey Bell, son and daughter of the late Willard and Inez Bell, were among seven members of the family aboard their 50-foot Westward when they plucked six sailors---survivors of a capsized catamaran, an unofficial entry---out of the water the first night out. They would become part of the crew for the next 2,000 miles.

Jerry Montgomery (l.) passes Commodore's Cup to al Garnier.

Sam Bell recalled, "We started out with a race but wound up with a cruise. Their options were that they could go to Hawaii with us . . . or go to Hawaii with us."

Rosey Bell said, "They actually went into the cabin to have a meeting. Then they came out and said, 'Mr. Bell, we've decided to join your crew.' "

Westward was one of three boats from that race on display outside the club, along with Merlin and Ragtime, which have gone through several owners each while sharing the record of sailing 13 Transpacs each.

L.J. Edgcomb, who would become a Transpac commodore for the 1999 race, sailed in '81 on Michael Braun's Santa Cruz 50, Shandu. In the middle of one hairy night the masthead spinnaker fitting failed, and Edgcomb remembers vividly how he was hauled aloft to fix it as the boat surfed through the darkness in 22 knots of breeze.

Dani Bell, one of many Bells of Transpac history, secures Westward.

"Those things kind of stay with you," he said.

Mike Elias was among the guests who saw video of Ragtime's unique sail configuration at the '81 finish. Elias and Bud Tretter trimmed the opposite headsails set wing and wing to carry the rudderless craft the final 150 miles to Diamond Head.

Looking to the next race in July of 2007, Garnier said, "One thing in question is what do we do about the course record? What kind of boats are we going to have to chase the record?"

The issue is where to set the rating limit in line with evolving technology without sacrificing the competitive dynamics of the race. The record for monohulls has fallen three times in the last five races to a variety of boats---the latest Hasso Plattner's maxZ86, Morning Glory, which flew down the track in 6 days 16 hours 4 minutes 11 seconds last summer.

Challenged America skipper Urban Miyares and guide dog Duchess. "This is the boat we'd like to sail next time," Miyares said.

The new limit could be set at the level of the 30-meter (98-foot) boats currently dominating the ocean racing scene, but Transpac would need assurances that a competitive number would participate.

"We don't want a Lone Ranger out there," Garnier said. "It's still a race. I think there will be 70 or more boats again. I just don't know what the top end will look like."

Honored during the evening were Lou Comyns, a Transpac veteran and board member for 15 years, as a "director emeritus"; longtime Transpac administrator Cathie Nash, and Grant Baldwin, the "voice of Transpac," who is retiring after his 20th race as chief radio communicator.

02/01/06