The 2023 Transpac competition from California to Oʻahu begins on Tuesday, with the first wave of 16 sailboats crossing the starting line near Point Fermin in San Pedro.
After leaving the west end of Catalina to port, they will sail 2,200 miles west towards the finish line at Diamond Head.
This year, there are three waves with a total of 58 entries from Australia, Canada, Italy and the United States competing in the 52nd edition of this biennial ocean racing classic, first sailed in 1906.
Some are racing Transpac for the first time, while others are veterans who keep returning for this iconic race.
Ian Edwards’ Dehler 46 Wings has come from Sydney, Australia, to participate. This is their first Transpac race, but they are no strangers to ocean racing. Edwards said they have raced about 35,000 miles on this boat, but the unique aspect of Transpac’s course and conditions is intriguing.
“We normally race with 10 or even 12 crew, but we will race with only 8 on this race,” he said. “We have a lot of experience in all positions on the boat, and we’ve been practicing short-handed maneuvers like sail changes and gybes so the off-watch can get some sleep and be rested for their turn.”
Indeed, this is a fundamental skill for all Transpac teams: finding the balance between having enough versatile and skilled crew available to perform versus the extra weight and clutter of having more on board.
Other notable differences for Edwards include Transpac’s limited allowance for stacking sails on deck to increase stability and optimize performance. This is not allowed in other races. They also added a Code 65 reaching headsail to their inventory to help fill the gap between their upwind headsails and their spinnakers.
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