Singlehanded TransPacific Yacht Race

[thomm225]

Many times on this website folks are asking what type boat you would use to sail off shore? Or what is a good bluewater boat? Or what is the smallest boat you would take off shore, etc.

This race is a solo race from San Fransico to Hawaii. The link below shows the historical data of the race from 1978 - 2008. All these boats have made the crossing singlehanded. I believe the smallest boat I saw was a Cal 20. There are plenty of Olson 30s but I have never seen them on anyones bluewater boat list.

It's pretty interesting how many different types of boats there are that have completed this race of 2,120 nm.

http://sfbaysss.org/TransPac/transpa..._1978-2008.pdf

Tom
Bristol 27

[Celestialsailor]

The Moore 24 is a boat that does it from time to time. The smaller the boat, the faster you want it to be. Basically because of the carrying capacity of water and such. A Moore, Olsen or Express has a favorable rating and can do good distance in a 24 hour period.

[sarafina]

That little Cal20 is s/v Black Feathers. Lattitude 38 mentioned it recently in an editorial about Cal20s. Smallest boat to do that race.

[thomm225]

Here are the entries from the 2010 race. A westsail 32 (which is on most everyone bluewater boat list) finished in the middle of the pack that year. Click link to see list. You can also click on the skipper to read about him and his boat. It's pretty interesting stuff.

2010 Transpac Race Entries

[Stumble]

The issue with an Olsen 30 is that there are no creature comforts at all. Don't get me wrong, they are great off shore boats, and seriously fast for the length. But if you have any intention of living onboard, or cruising they would be at the bottom of the list. Not because of the hull or quality, us because there isn't any room.

My Olsen has just shy of sitting headroom down below. So there is nowhere to sit comfortably, except on the floor. Which might not be so bad, but the floor boards are immersed in bilge water when there is about 2 gallons of water in the boat. So off shore you can choose between sitting in water, or hunching over.

As for creature comforts... Well there is an alcohol stove that will just about get ramen to lukewarm, nowhere to store anything, and because the hull is so thin it is very noisy under sail from the water lapping at the hull.



All that being said, I love mine as a strict racing boat, which is exactly what she was designed for (actually the 30 was designed for the Trans-Pac). Off shore she handles like a dream, and can easily toast boats twice her size on a downwind distance race. But comfortable she is not.

[Cruiser2B]

thomm225,

I am in Norfolk and sail an Alberg 30 and have been very intrigued by the Transpac race too. I posted on another for about singlehanded club or similar to that of the west coast here on the east coast or chesapeake, no real responses except for Newport to bermuda race. Maybe we could meet at Cutty Sark for a beer sometime.

[thomm225]

Sure we could meet over at Cutty Sark. My e-mail is thomm225@cox.net.

[thomm225]

Here is a link to the 2010 results for anyone interested.

Looks like the Olson 30 finished 2nd. The only boat to beat it was a trimaran with a rating of 3!

There was really a wide variety of boats (and Skippers) in the race. You will have to compare the results to the enties link in my post above to see the type boat:

http://sfbaysss.org/TransPac/transpa...010Results.pdf

[sv Shearwater]

To add to Olson 30 focus. The guy who sailed the SHTP in 2010 to 2012 is now enroute to New Zealand from Hawaii on a leisurely cruise with two friends. Don't tell him the O30 isn't a bluewater cruising boat!

Also he won the 2010 race on corrected time. This year a Cal 40 won.

[Cruiser2B]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Here is a link to the 2010 results for anyone interested.

Looks like the Olson 30 finished 2nd. The only boat to beat it was a trimaran with a rating of 3!

There was really a wide variety of boats (and Skippers) in the race. You will have to compare the results to the enties link in my post above to see the type boat:

http://sfbaysss.org/TransPac/transpa...010Results.pdf

I will give you a call in a week or so, We can meet up for a beer at the Sark. I have been crazy busy with work and studying for Ham Exam. Did I see your boat on the local CL.....looked like yours. I have seen pics of it on bristol27.com

[thomm225]

Yes, that was my boat. I raced catamarans for 12 years (hobie 16s (2) , NACRA 6.0, and NACRA F17 on the gulf coast) and sometimes I consider selling this boat and getting something faster. This is my first monohull.

There was a J27 for sale a while back I wanted and that's why my boat was for sale. I think there is another J-boat over at Cutty Sark right now. The keel looks to be about 6-7'..............it's an awesome boat.

It would probably be a good boat for the shtp.

Btw, if you are interested in racing, maybe we could race each other say to Kiptopeke. We could just go by PHRF. And if that works out, we could set up longer races..................


Tom

ps. Are you the the guy that uses the rope on the piling to swing your boat around when you leave your slip? If so, that's an awesome idea.

[motion30]

I am surprised at the number of smaller boats

[roverhi]

If you want to finish the race quickly and hope to save your handicap time, a lightweight flyer is the way to go with this race. Boats like the Moore 24, Olson 20, Hobie 33, Express 27, hawk farm, etc. are popular with the comfort be damned racer set. No way I'd want to cruise in any of the above boats. If you haven't been below on any of these boats, read the definition of 'spartan' to get an idea of their level of comfort. Most have portapotties sitting in the open, a shelf and a SeaSwing for a galley, a few pipe berths below, headroom even my 5'6" height can't stand up in and pretty much stripped out otherwise. Water and fuel capacity are miniscule and they have very little excess carrying capacity if you start adding on all the goodies that cruisers seem to accumulate.

Yes these small lightweight boats can cross oceans but at least one was abandoned largely because of it's light weight and small size on the return trip to the mainland. Another one limped in minus it's keel. That was no small feat of seamanship.

Having said the above, actually bought a lightweight, stripped out 30' flyer to do the SHTP. Fortunately finances and my wife brought me to my senses. If anyone is looking for a competitive, ready to go boat, the Moore 24 that won it's class in the 2012 SHTP is for sale at something over $20,000. That's a lot of money for a Moore but it's thoroughly set up for long distance single handed ocean racing. From my experience almost equipping a beer can racer for the race, the asking price isn't really out of line.

[Cruiser2B]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yes, that was my boat. I raced catamarans for 12 years (hobie 16s (2) , NACRA 6.0, and NACRA F17 on the gulf coast) and sometimes I consider selling this boat and getting something faster. This is my first monohull.

There was a J27 for sale a while back I wanted and that's why my boat was for sale. I think there is another J-boat over at Cutty Sark right now. The keel looks to be about 6-7'..............it's an awesome boat.

It would probably be a good boat for the shtp.

Btw, if you are interested in racing, maybe we could race each other say to Kiptopeke. We could just go by PHRF. And if that works out, we could set up longer races..................


Tom

ps. Are you the the guy that uses the rope on the piling to swing your boat around when you leave your slip? If so, that's an awesome idea.

I am not sure if I am that guy.... but I do use ropes to swing my Alberg around when backing.....she has no steerage in reverse.....the prop walk in reverse takes her to port....i wanna go starboard.....

I have raced alot of things, cars, bikes and in running events but never in a boat. I am intrigued by the singlehanded event more than the race. I am sure just finishing an event like that would make me feel like I won. Hell I dont even know what PHRF stands for I will be around the Sark this Sunday if you wanna discuss the idea of a Singlehanded event and have a beer. We could even try and recruit a few people and do it next spring. I think there might be another Alberg guy who may have some interest. Let me know and PM me a number.