Solo TransPac Racers Cruise In

Each month from November through June, the Singlehanded Sailing Society is holding seminars for those who intend to cross the Pacific alone in this July’s Singlehanded TransPac. April is the exception; instead of a seminar, the singlehanders gathered for a cruise-in at Oakland YC on April 16-17. Ten entries were represented, and eight skippers brought their boats so that the competition could check them out.

It’s safe to say that none of these boats is stock, out-of-the-box, factory-direct (pick your favorite cliché). Rather, they’re all modified to some extent and carry equipment not found on typical Bay Area race boats (some are not even ‘race’ boats). For instance, Dirk Husselman bought the Beneteau First 30 demo boat, but then traded out the rig for an offshore mast and got a new suit of sails from Sylvain Barrielle at UK.

The two remaining Wednesday night SHTP seminars are scheduled for May 11 (Provisioning and Medical Considerations) and June 8 (Weather and Race Strategy). Everyone is invited to the free seminars, which are held in OYC’s Regatta Room at 7:30 p.m. See www.sfbaysss.org/shtp2016 for much more info.