And They're Off! / Transpacific Yacht Race

July 8, 2013, San Pedro, CA – Today perfect Southern California conditions greeted the 14 entries in the first of three starts of the 2013 Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, or the Transpac. The skippers and crews on these offshore yachts enjoyed sunny skies and 15 knots of westerly breeze. They launched from the starting line at Point Fermin and off on a fast track towards Hawaii. This perfect breeze is projected to hold for the rest of the day and even increase into the night as the boats this afternoon get around their only obstacle in the 2225-mile course, the West End of Catalina Island.

The six boats racing in Division 7 and 8 boats racing in Division 8 are a diverse group, ranging in size from 34 to 66 feet, and in age from 1930 to near-new. There are Transpac newcomers on the crews, as well as seasoned professionals, with all now taking their last looks at dry land for the next 10-14 days of adventure that lie ahead.

The two oldest boats in the fleet, Matt Brooks’s classic 1930 S&S 52-foot yawl Dorade and the Bell Family’s 1962 Lapworth 50 Westward, did not let age limit their competitiveness, as they were seen sparring at the start to gain better position on the first upwind leg to the West End.  More; AND THEY'RE OFF!