A clear sky, temperature in the 70s and a westerly breeze of 14 knots sent the first fleet of boats on their way in the 40th biennial Transpacific Yacht Race today (Tuesday). Eight Cruising class entries and two tiny Doublehanded division boats hit the starting line off the Palos Verdes Peninsula at 1 o'clock, with the full-on racing classes to follow Friday, Saturday and next Tuesday.

Conditions were so good with the wind coming from 255 degrees that the boats were expected to lay the west end of Santa Catalina Island at 211 degrees without tacking.

For two boats, getting to the starting line on time was touch and go. The crew on Carl Vanderbeek's Goodnight Moon, a Swan 431 from Dana Point Yacht Club, discovered water in the fuel tank Tuesday morning. Goodnight Moon sailed out to the starting line from the Cabrillo Marina but believed it had fixed the problem.

Two Guys On the Edge, a Sonoma 30 from Waikiki YC manned by Les Vasconcellos and Bruce Burgess, reached the starting area just in time to pick up its Transpac burgee and fall into the 10-minute pre-start sequence. The same boat dropped out with a broken rudder two years ago.

Still, Two Guys was among the first boats across the line, led by Kim Stebbens' Hurricane, a Septre 41 from the Sloop Tavern YC in Seattle. Last across about 100 yards behind were John Misko's Swan 36 Derivative, also from Seattle; Howard Raphael's Beneteau 40 Tango, Palo Alto, and Goodnight Moon, in that order.

Eight 40-footers are scheduled to start Friday, followed by the biggest and fastest monohulls Saturday. A single catamaran will start Tuesday. The first boats would normally sail the 2,225 nautical miles to Honolulu in 8 or 9 days.

The 40th Transpac is sponsored by Iridium North America, the world's first global telephone and paging company. Through a constellation of 66 low-earth-orbit satellites circling the globe, customers can make or take calls and receive pages in the most remote regions on Earth. Additional information regarding the Iridium system is available at the web site at www.iridium.com or by calling 1-888-Iridium.

More Day one photos.

Publicity: Rich Roberts

1258 Lakme Ave.

Wilmington, CA 90744

Phone: (310) 835-2526

Fax: (310) 513-1664

e-mail: richroberts@compuserve.com

NOTE: Any recipients wishing to receive Transpac releases by other means (e-mail, fax or regular mail) please contact me. --Thanks, RR).