It's that time of year again! The world-famous transpac race starts on June 27th, 2023. The 2225-mile biennial Transpac race is organized by the Transpacific Yacht Club (TPYC). Boaters set sail from Los Angeles and arrive in Honolulu approximately 2 weeks later.
This year, over 60 boats have entered. They have some cool names too!
Argo, Orion, Pelligroso, Hollywood Down Under, Pyewacket, Buona Sera, Swiftsure and Pied Piper, to name a few. A full list of the participants can be viewed here.
To prepare for this historic event, we got to work polishing the trophies at the historic Hawaii Yacht Club. Our crew spends a lot of time right down the street enjoying the beautiful views and fellowship found at the club. The Hawaii Yacht Club has been around since 1901 and is the oldest yacht club in Hawaii.
The club has done an excellent job of preserving the history of sailing here in Hawaii. They have stacks and stacks of old magazines, pictures, and newspaper clippings. You could easily spend the day getting lost in the rich maritime history of Hawaii.
King David Kalakaua is said to have inspired the creation of the Hawaii Yacht Club. The club was officially chartered in 1901 by Prince Kuhio and Prince David 10 years after King Kalakaua's passing.
Hawaii Yacht Club found its first home at Pearl Harbor in the beautiful Waipio Peninsula in 1917.
Yacht racing was an active sport in Hawaii by the turn of the century, but a race between Hawaii and the West Coast was only just being talked about. California yachtsmen knew the sail from the Coast to Hawaii was relatively comfortable and fast, with the warm tradewinds at their backs. Most of the journey is a downhill run.
History was made when at noon. June 11th, 1906 (Hawaii's King Kamehameha Day), the three yachts headed seaward from San Pedro to launch the world's longest ocean sailing race! This 2,225 nautical mile trek to Hawaii would later be named the Transpacific Yacht Race.
Centuries ago, Polynesians used to greet visitors at landfall bearing gifts to demonstrate their spirit of hospitality. The tradition still continues today. There is no better finish to an offshore race than the warm embrace of friends, family and supporters at a Transpac Aloha party.
The Transpacific Yacht Club replicates this Hawaiian tradition with parties given ashore for every entry soon after docking, day or night.
And at the finish line, we have our own celebrations planned! Transpac parties will be given at the three yacht clubs here in Hawaii.
Here in Hawaii, we are hosting 3 major events:
July 12, 2023 - Waikiki Yacht Club
July 14, 2023 - Hawaii Yacht Club
July 15, 2023 - Kaneohe Yacht Club
Good luck to all of our contestants! See you at the finish line (with Mai-Tais).