Transpac Race - Ocean Navigator

31 Oct

Winning the Transpac celestial nav trophy

Story and photos by Craig SmithCelestial Navigation, Navigation, Transpac Race

When I was preparing for navigation duties aboard Mikmaks, a 1984 Stevens 47, on the 2021 Transpac Race, celestial navigation was at the top of my mind. A big reason for this was that I had just completed my 200-ton Unlimited Yachtmaster license, and International Yachtmaster Training for that license consists primarily of celestial navigation topics. On the race, I wanted to compete for the Transpac’s Mark Rudiger Celestial Navigation Trophy. I had used a sextant and worked out some sights over the years, but I had never solely relied on celestial before. So, the month of April found me…

31 Oct

The Transpac Race: A legacy of teamwork

Story and photos by Craig SmithShort Tacks, Transpac Race

Editor’s note: Ocean Navigator was a co-sponsor of the 2021 Transpac. Below is a story detailing one crew’s experience from the race. When sailor David Dahl and his two sons, Michael and Sean, started the 2021 Transpac Race aboard the Andrews 77 Compadres, they were taking part in and extending a company tradition that goes back to 1923. Dahl is the CEO of Whittier Trust in South Pasadena, Calif. Ninety-eight years ago the company founder, Max Whittier, purchased the 107-foot yacht Poinsettia and entered the race with his three sons in the crew. “You realize at 1,100 miles offshore, you…

01 Sep

Ocean Navigator sponsors the Transpac

Story and photos by Craig SmithTranspac Race, Uncategorizednavigation, ocean racing, route planning, Seamanship, Transpac 2021, Transpac 2021 sponsors, watchstanding

This July is the 51st running of the Transpac Race, the signature west coast offshore race, 2,225 miles from Los Angeles to Honolulu. And for this running of the race, Ocean Navigator is an official race sponsor. The seamanship, navigation, route planning and watchstanding efforts exhibited by the race crews are the same skills that voyaging sailors undertake every day in their passages. This makes ON’s sponsorship of the Transpac an excellent match. The race, run every two years, began in 1906 and was hosted by the Los Angeles Yacht Club. The current host of the race is the…

23 Aug

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Raceoffshore racing, offshore sailing, Transpac 2021

Posted August 21, 2021 Ocean Navigator Subscription August 20, 2021 - Honolulu, Hawaii - After careful review of the materials submitted to support his application, a review panel from the Transpacific Yacht Club have determined that Jesse Osborn wins the Mark S. Rudiger Celestial Navigation Trophy for the recently completed 2021 Transpac. Osborn was navigator aboard Justin Waite's Stevens 47 Mikmaks. The trophy is awarded to the navigator who submits celestial navigation worksheets or evidence of traditional navigation to the finish inspectors immediately after finishing, and whose work is selected as the "best" by an impartial panel of judges. First awarded in 2011, the trophy itself is an antique brass 1905 T. Hemsley…

06 Aug

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac RaceTranspac 2021

https://youtu.be/0bAI3bhyZro A collection of arrivals into Hawaii enjoying the action and the thrill of completing the Transpac Race. Some great video of hard-charging Transpac boats.

29 Jul

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Raceoffshore racing, Transpac 2021, Transpac Race

July 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…

27 Jul

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Raceocean racing, Transpac 2021

Posted July 27, 2021 Honolulu, Hawaii – An enduring service provided by the Transpacific Yacht Club is maintaining one of the largest and most impressive perpetual trophy collections in the ocean racing world. Dozens of works of art crafted in silver, pewter, brass and bronze, along with traditional Hawaiian materials like Koa wood, canvas, cord and reeds, have accumulated over the 115 year history of this race, first sailed in 1906. Deeded by numerous past winners and generous patrons of the race, these trophies are not only stunningly beautiful, they are a visual reminder of the admiration and respect conferred…

26 Jul

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Raceoffshore racing, Transpac 2021

Honolulu, Hawaii – By now the stories of massive waves, sustained high speeds, and record runs coming into the docks at this year’s Transpac are starting to sound routine. This year’s race was epic, everyone agrees, thanks to a perfect weather scenario allowing for sustained high-speed sailing. Teams came in a day ahead of their hotel bookings and thus hung out at the bars of the Waikiki and Hawaii Yacht Clubs, enjoy terra firma and strong doses of Hawaiian hospitality poured into pineapples. Yet another common them emerged as well: the strong interest in preserving the interest and opportunity to…

21 Jul

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Race, Uncategorizedocean racing, ocean sailing, Transpac 2021

https://youtu.be/hXXtYYvYGAY One week into the race, Technical Editor Dobbs Davis of Seahorse Magazine gives his view of the weather conditions on the race course, positioning strategies and tactics of the teams, and some projections of what's to come for the fleet using the YB tracker software. From the Transpac website:https://transpacyc.com/news/article/transpac-race-analysis-report-for-20-july

20 Jul

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Transpac Raceocean racing, Transpac 2021, Transpacific Yacht Club

July 19, 2021 Well it has been an eventful 24 hours - the best of times and the worst of times (but not too bad, though)! First, on a positive note, the water maker is fixed and showers are back on the itinerary - yea! Bubblemaster Mark figured it out and the tank is filling as we write this. The fix still really works only on starboard tack, which we will be on most of the time. We expect it to be warm enough in a couple of days to wash up. Now, on the other end of the spectrum, last night at 11:15,…