The first Pacific Cup race to Hawaii started on June 15, 1980 with 40 yachts. Since then the event's reputation and participation have grown dramatically. This year the allowable maximum of 75 entries was reached nine months before the June/July starting dates. This is a race for all who are willing to prepare their boat, crew, and attitudes for a fun race to Hawaii. This year, boats ranged from 24 feet to 70 feet in length.


Wednesday, July 2 - We are on a 12 day course, made 173 miles on Monday, 185 Tuesday, the same today. We are at 34 deg 09.293'N by 129 deg 27.525'W with 1,687 nm to go bearing 222 deg at 7.7 nm/h. On my birthday, July 1, we had a great birthday party with turkey, dressing, peas, cranberry sauce, chocolate mousse cake with candles and fruit tart.

After the party they flew the spinnaker in my honor but took it down to get back on course.

Friday, July 3 - Saw some whales yesterday. Still on 12 day plan, 1551.3 nm to go.

Saturday, July 4 - Two days ago, Thursday, July 2 (4th day of the race), we spent a major portion of the day steering with the emergency tiller while repairs were being made to the wheel steering system. Yesterday and today have gone fine with reduced sail area. Our steering problems seem to be behind us now, so we have started to sail the boat harder to improve our position in the fleet.


The food is great. Tonight at our Fourth of July party we had orange ginger chicken, rice, and tossed salad with cantaloupe for dessert. We're setting off fire crackers now. Last night was lamb for dinner. Tomorrow night is our half way party -- we will be farther from land than any other place in the world.

Back to the first night out, the head broke with no spare parts on board. So we used a bucket until the skipper found the required parts in the pump of the head, much nicer!

Still on 12 day schedule with 1,138.7 nm to go, but we are fast approaching the Pacific high, no air. The traditional 1020 milibar line is much too far South. Hope we make it through.

Monday, July 6 - I may be gaining weight with good food and less exercise walking -- on shore, you have to lift your foot up and then set it down. Here, you just lift your foot up and the boat comes to it. A lot of boat movement with 3 to 7 foot waves.

Last night, after the half-way party, we took the spinnaker down at dark. We finally passed the eye of the Pacific High (winged out the 135% jib on the pole), but there was too much boat movement for the crew to sleep due to heavier trailing winds -- hard to stay in a bunk even with lee boards. I slept fine because I am on the night watch with all of the squalls and sleep in the morning before the engine comes on to charge the batteries.


Saturday, after the 4th of July party (never finished the wine or opened the champagne because the skipper was worried about keeping the boat going in a straight line).

All hands were on deck most of the night. I think the spinnaker pole was a policeman in a previous life -- it went through 3 of the 4 donuts we had on board. Each time a squall would come through you would see a black cloud from behind, feel a little sprinkle, then the wind would pick up about 10 knots, and the boat would take off on the next swell. Great until the donut disintegrates and the guyline snaps. (See the photo at the beginning of the article!}

The new guylines are made out of spectra, the old ones were cable. They all broke pulling this 11 ton boat a couple of knots above hull speed. We were able to keep the spinnaker up and gain a couple of positions in the fleet. Sounds like we got another position last night.

Bob and I were talking last night between squalls. He has been trying to think of how to tell his friends about this trip. He had no idea the ocean was so big -- even though he and his wife have flown across it many times. The ocean is so large and we are confined to such a small space on a 40 foot boat, like "water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink." There is not much new to see each day, but there is always something interesting to see. Whenever anyone sees an Albatross, they call attention to it and everyone comes to look -- would probably not even be noticed back home. Last night, porpoises swam along with us while we were planeing. I should also mention that to prepare for the trip, Bob read the Rhymes of the Ancient Mariner and Jim Corneman's Pacific Cup Handbook.

We reached the half way point 2 hours before the end of the 6th day, Still on track with the 12 day journey. Now 795.9 nm to go.


Tuesday, July 7 - Sunday evening, I never did see a star or the moon. It was so overcast that you could barely tell where the horizon was -- not much to steer by. Amazing how much thermal nuclear power the sun provides that reflects off a rock, the moon, so far away that it takes a second to get here through the clouds for us to see at night. We gybed for the first time Monday evening. The sky was more clear. Today was beautiful, blue sky, some clouds, blue water. Every day is getting warmer.

Still tracking to12 day schedule, one hour ahead right now. Expect to finish by 10:00 PST this Saturday morning. 615.8 nm to go, have averaged 7.3 nm/h so far this trip.

Wednesday, July 8 - Today is beautiful sailing -- 20 knot winds, 8 foot seas, blue sky and water, some white clouds, biggest spinnaker is up, hour after hour, clear air, ocean all around, quiet with the pitter-patter of spray on the hull and the powerful roar of waves breaking on the transom, flying fish all around, an occasional squid on the deck, no worries, no where to be by when. We have been sailing during the days just to get to the squalls at night, but today is great. Last night was the first clear night with an unbelievably bright full moon.

Friday, July 10 -- Saw a full moon bow last night (Thursday), a rainbow at night in the rain, bright, colors, nearly a full moon, not likely to see one near city lights when eyes are not accustomed to seeing in the dark, a religious experience. 123 miles to go -- still expect to finish within 12 days, by 10:00 am Saturday.


Cirrus finished Saturday morning, July 11 at 6:45 AM Hawaiian time (9:45 PDT) within 12 days. We placed 3rd out of 14 boats in B Division, and 20 out of 75 boats overall.

Saturday, July 11 - As of this writing, I continue to participate in the fine Hawaiian tradition or welcoming boats as they arrive with pu-pus and buckets of Maitai's. Then the evening parties begin.


Currently "Cirrus" is at the Waikiki Yacht Club on Oahu. Plans call for sailing around the islands until next June and then heading back by way of Glacier Bay in Alaska.