Singlehanded Transpacific Preperation

[Teebeedee]

How do I prepare for next years singlehanded Transpacific race. I am in the process of buying a 1988 Island Packet 27. I have San Francisco Bay experience for about a year now in my Montgomery 17. I have sailed to angel island a few times from Brisbane, to Richmond a few times from Brisbane, from Alameda to Brisbane many times, and have done many day sails in both ugly and glorious conditions. I know it seems a little rushed, but I am enthusiastic about doing it.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks

[RobTryon]

The first thing you'd want to do is join the Singlehanded Sailing Society, the group that puts on the race. The race is run every other even year (2018, 2020, etc). The SSS has a series of races and seminars designed to prepare you for the race over the course of a couple of years. The race you should be planning for now is the Three Bridge Fiasco (January). It's the first race in a two-year cycle to get you to Hawaii.

[Paul Elliott]

You've got to get out of the Bay, too, to experience the big swells. Watch the weather and forecasts -- it can get really scary at times -- and when the conditions are right, sail around the Farallone Islands and back. Or go up to Drake's Bay, or down to Santa Cruz, or Monterey. Then sail back. Join the Singlehanded Sailing Society, look at their on-line resources, attend some meetings, and talk to the other members (there are some really nice people in that organization.) When you have more ocean experience, do the "LongPac" as a qualifying run.

Also look at the Pacific Cup website and perhaps attend some of their meetings as well. A few Pac Cuppers also do the SHTP, and the guidance provided by the Pac Cup folks will serve you well as a singlehander.

You might consider crewing on some of the local ocean races, too (Spinnaker Cup, Windjammers, etc.): https://www.latitude38.com/eBooks/2018/YRA2018.pdf Even though you plan to singlehand, you can still learn a lot by crewing on other boats.

And as Rob mentioned, the next SHTP is in 2020.

[roverhi]

To qualify for the SHTP you have to sail offshore for a specific number of miles. Some have done it on passages others have sailed an out and back. You'll find the details on the SHTP website. http://sfbaysss.org/main/wp-content/...RRC_018818.pdf

The biggest problem with the SHTP is the cost. I was going to do the 2010 race until I added up all the equipment that was required for the race and entry fees. It would have added thousands to the sail to Hawaii. I chose to sail over sans race a couple of weeks after the SHTP fleet left. Since I wasn't racing probably had a way more enjoyable 15 1/2 day sail to Hilo.

[gamayun]

Baby steps. Get the boat. Sail to the Farallones solo (early next year if you'd like to do it with the SSS). Sail the Long Pac next summer, too. If those two don't beat the crap out of you (though they most likely will) then you have a year to finish your prep for the 2020 race. Best to just start racing. SSS and ORYA are both good for getting the experience single-handing and ocean racing. Attend the SSS seminars next year. Ask questions, read the forum. You'll figure out as you go what you need to do.

[JPA Cate]

Hello, TeeBeeDee,

gamayun, who responded above, was in this year's Transpac. She will be able to answer many of your questions based on recent experience.

More sailing, and in racing conditions, is the best prep you can do, and it is all laid out for you. The Bay can get blustery, but it is not like the deeper waters of the ocean; you'll see once you've been out the Golden Gate a few times. It really IS different being on the sea.



Ann

[Teebeedee]

Thank you all for the advice. What steps do you suggest I take if the racing aspect does not appeal to me? How would I prepare myself for a singlehanded sail from San Francisco to Hawaii within the year?

[NoTies]

Why do they call it the TransPac when they aren't even crossing half way? Trans as a prefix means "across" not part of the way.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by NoTies

Why do they call it the TransPac when they aren't even crossing half way? Trans as a prefix means "across" not part of the way.

It's an old race, going back many years. when first inaugurated, no one on the race committee knew that the Pacific extended past Hawaii. No google back then... and thus was born the TransPac.

We're all glad you asked!

Jim

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Teebeedee

Thank you all for the advice. What steps do you suggest I take if the racing aspect does not appeal to me? How would I prepare myself for a singlehanded sail from San Francisco to Hawaii within the year?

Begin by sailing the Bay in the summer. The practice with reefing and shaking it out will get you very familiar with the practice and show any shortcomings in how the boat is set up. Sailing around the Bay you can have almost all the conditions in a few hour sail from Gale Force winds to flat calms and everything in between.

Anchor out whenever you can and spend as much time as you can not in a marina. Take a few trips to close marinas and anchorages outside the Gate. Take the boat offshore out of site of land for a few days. That will tell you what you need in the way of supplies, boat set-up and mental preparation for being out of sight of land.

Use every opportunity to actually navigate. Do DR navigation even if it's just a daysail. Get familiar with your GPS and the backup. If you are going to use celestial, practice with the sextant, reducing sights, and plotting your position.

Start figuring out what you are going to need. If you are doing the sail without refrigeration, sample all kinds of canned, dehydrated, freeze dried foods to find what you like and begin stocking up. Actually do it even if you have refrigeration because it will probably F*** up and you'll need to have the backup food sources. From experience, you'll get real tired of canned chili before your through the first case. Get a handle on your water usage. We used about a gallon a day of freshwater for two of us. Others use 30 times that. Set your boat up to capture rainwater in port with an awning or at sea off the mainsail.

How are you going to keep the batteries charged?? If solar and/or wind disconnect from shore power and see how the systems work and whether they will keep up with your usage. If the boat's engine driven alternator is in the mix, get a multi stage external regulator to more efficiently use its power efficiently.

A lot more things to do equipping the boat and your self for the voyage. Actually sailing the boat and living without the amenities of a marina even if you are in one will be the best guide for what you need.

[NoTies]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

It's an old race, going back many years. when first inaugurated, no one on the race committee knew that the Pacific extended past Hawaii. No google back then... and thus was born the TransPac.

We're all glad you asked!

Jim

Sort of how it's called the America's Cup instead of New Zealand's Cup huh?

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Teebeedee

Thank you all for the advice. What steps do you suggest I take if the racing aspect does not appeal to me? How would I prepare myself for a singlehanded sail from San Francisco to Hawaii within the year?

Then just don't race! Everything else is pretty much the same, although you might not push yourself or your boat quite as hard. Still go ahead and join the SSS and/or the Pacific Cup YC (or don't join and just show up to some meetings, and check out the websites). The advice you will receive will serve you well, racing or not. Some people question the ocean racing equipment requirements, but these come from serious study and hard-won experience, so they are at least worth reviewing.

And get out of the Bay! Sail west until you can't see land, then turn around.
Do an offshore overnight. It's different out there.