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Transpac ahead
of its time

The Transpacific Yacht Race, or "Transpac," as it is commonly referred to, celebrates its centennial anniversary this year, even though it's really a year too soon.

It's all because this granddaddy of all long-distance ocean races had its first start in 1906 and was run biennially on even-numbered years for its first three decades.

But then, to avoid a conflict with the Bermuda Race on the East Coast, its organizers changed to odd-numbered years in 1939.

So now, rather than waiting to celebrate Transpac's 100th birthday on an off year, its organizers have decided to make this the time to party. And because everyone loves a party, it appears there will be some 75 yachts participating -- the second-largest number of entries ever.

Historically, it should be mentioned that had the race started when it was originally proposed, it would be now be 119 years old.

In 1886, Hawaii's King David Kalakaua sent an invitation to the Pacific Yacht Club of San Francisco to take part in a California-to-Hawaii yacht race. Its finish was to coincide with his 50th birthday celebration and he offered a trophy worth $1,000 to the winner.

The reasons why the PYC didn't take the "Merrie Monarch" up on his royal offer have become clouded over time. Nevertheless, in 1906, Honolulu businessman Clarence Macfarlane took it upon himself to sail his 48-foot schooner La Paloma from Hawaii to San Francisco in hopes of enticing a few yacht owners into a race back to the Islands.

But once there, it appeared the race was doomed because on passing through the Golden Gate, he discovered the city had been recently devastated by its now-infamous great earthquake and fire.

Not to be deterred, Macfarlane sailed down to Los Angeles, where he met with two other yachtsmen -- Charles Tutt, owner of the 112-foot yawl Anemone, and Harry Sinclair, owner of the 86-foot schooner Lurline.

As Sinclair already had discussions with Macfarlane regarding a race to Honolulu, the three men soon agreed upon a simple handicap system for their dissimilar vessels and at noon, on June 11, 1906, the 2,225-mile race was on.

Twelve days, 9 hours and 59 minutes later, Lurline crossed the finish line to become Transpac's first elapsed time and corrected-time winner -- a passage so fast it was only eclipsed once in the following four decades.

In recent years a 3 1/2-by-5-foot koa wood "Barn Door" trophy for the shortest elapsed time has been the ultimate prize for the owners of the fastest yachts like Roy E. Disney and his yacht Pyewacket. It set Transpac's current record of 7 days, 11 hours, 41 minutes and 27 seconds in 1999.

Disney has said this will be his last Transpac, but nevertheless he will be on the starting line on July 17 with a new, faster boat named Pyewacket, hoping to celebrate the centennial by breaking his own record and winning the famous Barn Door once again.