Transpac’s last start slow, but steady

LONG BEACH — It was too bad the cannon blasting off goodbyes at the last start of the Transpacific Yacht Race couldn’t be loaded with gusts of wind and rays of sunshine.

The third and final start of the 2,225 nautical-mile race from San Pedro to Honolulu began with the usual fanfare, but overcast skies made for a gray day, though the sun started to peak through the clouds later in the afternoon.

And with wind speeds of only three to four knots, the fastest 23 of the 74 boats in the race stalled in the water once their sails were raised Sunday for the 44th biennial race.

It was slow going for the ships as they made their way to Catalina Island, but the boats will pick up speed when they hit the trade winds. Even the H.L. Enloe’s 60-foot trimaran, LoeReal, the largest multi-hull in the race, was crawling along after crossing the Point Fermin start line.

In other races, the boats would be held until stronger winds came along, but each Transpac race had to start at 1 p.m., no matter what the conditions.

Roy E. Disney, owner of the 94-foot MaxZ86T Pyewacket, had planned to make the trip to Hawaii with his crew, but then changed his mind at the last minute.

“I just decided to let the younger guys do it, and I’m making a movie, anyway,” said Disney, referring to the “Morning Light,” the documentary about the youngest crew ever to sail the Transpac on the boat of the same name. Disney also said that his health was fine.

The sailing veteran hired Dean Barker, the Emirates Team New Zealand skipper who finished second in this year’s America’s Cup behind the Swiss boat Alinghi. The America’s Cup concluded less than two weeks ago, so Barker was a bit of a last-minute addition. Despite finishing second, he still made history in the match race by winning Race 2 against Alinghi. For the past 15 years, every boat that won the America’s Cup had done so in a clean sweep. Thanks to Barker, Alinghi won 5-2.

Roy Pat Disney, Disney’s son, is now co-skipper with Pyewacket’s boat manager, Gregg Hedrick.

Ragtime, another ship from the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, made its 14th appearance in the Transpac with today’s start, the most any boat has ever made. Launched in 1965, the wooden boat is also the oldest in the race, and has become a celebrated mainstay in the Transpac community. Ragtime, now owned and skippered by Chris Welsh, was first to finish in 1973 and 1975.

Position reports for boats that started Monday and Thursday haven’t been much better. If a boat can go about 300 nautical miles in 24 hours, then it’s doing very well.

Jack Taylor of Santa Cruz said in a release that his boat Horizon, had run 250 miles in 24 hours, with speeds up to 11 knots. By Sunday, that had slipped to 236 miles, and an average of 9.8 knots.

Psyche skipper Steve Calhoun said his crew elected to head west after days of going south.

“We really are in the trade winds now,” Calhoun said in a Transpac e-mail. “Wind is coming from the NE, gusting to 18 knots! We love the trade winds. We decided yesterday evening while sipping our box wine during happy hour that we were tired of going south.”

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or [email protected].