All in for the 2021 TRANSPAC

Live Wire

Live WireJuly 28, 2021 – Honolulu, Hawaii – With the finish today just before sunrise of Tim Jones’ Olson 40 Live Wire, all entered yachts are accounted for in this 51st edition of the Transpac.

Cal 40 Nalu V skippered by Mark Ashmore with wife Kathleen, Chris Tadlock and navigator Hugh Westermeyer did not have the fastest ride to Hawaii, having broken their spinnaker a few days ago and sailing the remainder of the race with a poled-out headsail. For this they do earn the Tail End Charlie Award, but they also achieved a more important mission for their team in this race.

“We are finishing in our typical place – later across the line (Nalu-style), but I don’t think we’re last on a corrected,” he said. (He’s correct about that – this honor goes to Justin Waite’s Stevens 47 Mikmaks.) “Getting in safely has always been goal #1 and we accomplished that.

“Of most importance, we raised $31K for ALS research [in memory of our passed crewmate Mark Buttermann]. This is a great amount, but is short of our $50,000 goal. Please do share this challenge on social media and with your friends. While the race may be ending for us, the challenge goes on and ALS research funding is critically important.”

Nalu V did receive the First Cal 40 to Finish award from TPYC Commodore Jim Eddy (a Cal 40 owner too), being the only one in the fleet this year. However, in two years in the next race Nalu will no doubt have more rivals as these classic yachts perennially participate in this race that helped make them famous.

This was a year of challenges for Transpac: the COVID pandemic put tremendous uncertainty into every phase of planning for participants, organizers and sponsors alike.

Yet in the end it was Mother Nature who emerged as the star of the show this year: mostly strong steady winds that propelled the 40 teams who started out in San Pedro last week down the rhumb line to some of the fastest times seen yet in this race. One broken mast just after the start and a broken rudder in the Molokai Channel were the only serious damage incidents, and no serious injuries or health issues that were not resolvable on the trip.

And of course the outstanding Hawaiian hospitality of Transpac 51– tempered a little by COVID concerns – was enjoyed by all and delivered by an outstanding group of hosts in this “Year of the Volunteer.”

From all of us at the Transpacific Yacht Club, we say Aloha and hope to see you again in 2023 for Transpac 52!

from the Transpac site: https://transpacyc.com/news/article/all-in-for-2021-transpac

By Ocean Navigator