A Grand Adventure Across the Pacific
Atalanta will sail to Hawaii and back in summer 2026!
Crossing the Pacific Ocean on a sailboat is a bucket list item for many. Some do it on their own boats, which can be a very daunting undertaking, and some crew on other people’s boats. Some make the crossing from California to Hawaii as crew in a race while some opt to make a mellow, cruising passage. This article is about the crossings I have made on racing yachts, and the outcome of a poll I took in 2023 for people to tell me about their wishes for making their own Hawaii crossing on board Atalanta.
Atalanta ready to take on the Pacific!
The opportunity: Hawaii aboard Atalanta
With many thousands of ocean miles under my keel and a keen interest in making Pacific crossings available to more sailors, I am pleased to announce that Atalanta will make a Pacific crossing this summer, in August of 2026.
I had originally polled prospective clients about doing this crossing as either a race such as part of the Pacific Cup Race from San Francisco to Kaneohe Bay, or as a more relaxed crossing on our own, depending on what clients desired.
I invited interested sailors to contact me to talk about what they would hope to get out of a major offshore undertaking such as this.
Was an organized race appealing? That would be sailing hard day and night in order to be competitive. Or, did a more leisurely passage hold greater allure? As a cruise, we would take the spinnaker down at night for easy and low-stress sailing and star gazing in the dark.
I received many responses and the vast majority said they wished to cross the Pacific as more of a cruise than a race, so I have made that option available in the summer of 2026.
Atalanta: a comfortable and capable offshore yacht
Original post, February 2023:
What gets you excited about a crossing to Hawaii? A race? A cruise? A delivery home? Contact me and let me know! In the coming months, with your input, I will make a decision about what kind of passage Atalanta will make, and encourage sailors of all experience levels to sign up as we take on this ultimate West Coast offshore sailing adventure!
Racing to Hawaii
The now 117 year old Transpac Yacht Race from Long Beach to Honolulu, and the Pacific Cup from San Francisco to Kaneohe Bay, are some of the longest ocean races in the world at over 2,000 nautical miles. Large fleets, consistently excellent sailing conditions, and a beautiful landfall in Hawaii make this a must-do for West Coast racing sailors.
2019 Transpac brochure featuring the Santa Cruz 70 Buona Sera
After several years racing in the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic in the Caribbean. I eventually returned to California and turned to my dream of sailing across the Pacific, possibly as crew in a race to Hawaii. This was the ultimate offshore challenge right in my own back yard!
At the helm of Cipango on final approach to Diamond Head, 2005 Transpac
ln 2005, I was excited to have the opportunity to participate in my first Transpac race on the Andrews 56 Cipango, based out of Richmond. The all Corinthian (amateur) crew of 11 battled a division of similar 50-60 footers and ended third in our division. Finishing off Diamond Head was a spectacular culmination to what had been a year of preparation and training, fulfilling one of my sailing dreams.
Cipango crossing the finish line at Diamond Head, 2005 Transpac
The feeling of accomplishment! Transpac 2005
My next Hawaii race was in 2018 (two kids and a career later), when I participated in the Pacific Cup, billed as the “Fun Race to Hawaii,” on the Grand Soleil 50 Alessandra, with a mix of professional and amateur crew. This luxurious racer-cruiser had a similar layout to Atalanta, including electric winches, comfortable bunks and a refrigerator/freezer.
Pre-start dial up on Alessandra, Pacific Cup 2018
Arriving pumped in Kaneohe, Pacific Cup 2018
We ate very well on this trip, Pacific Cup 2018
In 2019, I had the opportunity to join the well-traveled Santa Cruz 70 Buona Sera with a mix of professional and high-level amateurs. For me, doing the Transpac on a Santa Cruz 70 was a dream come true. The original ultralight displacement boat, affectionately known as a “sled,” the 70 was built with one thing in mind: winning long, downwind races like the Transpac, and in so doing it inspired an entirely new era of yacht design.
Concentrating on sail trim in the early stages of the race before reaching the steady winds, Transpac 2019
We experienced drifting conditions at the start trying to get offshore, but despite the calm, we got little sleep. Too much competition and excitement around us!
Organized chaos and few creature comforts on a Santa Cruz 70, Transpac 2019
Buona Sera in reaching conditions just before we set a reef, early in the 2019 Transpac
A3 spinnaker and genoa staysail in the early, reaching stages of the race, Transpac 2019
Once we reached the trade winds and set our running spinnaker, the boat surfed its way down the waves, making sustained speeds in the teens and low 20s. With a modern keel and rudder configuration, the 70 was a delight to steer with a feather-light helm and high-speed gearing on the primary winches connected to a “coffee grinder” pedestal for constantly trimming the spinnaker sheet.
Sunrise halfway across the Pacific, Transpac 2019
Spectacular sunsets during the running portion of the race, just days from cold Mai Tais, Transpac 2019
Racing or sailing to Hawaii is a unique endeavor, full of anticipation, beauty, adventure, and excitement. It is the natural progression for west coast sailors as they take on bigger and more demanding challenges.
Buona Sera at her spot on Sled Row, Honolulu, Transpac 2019
This year, I again joined Buona Sera for the 2023 Transpac Race, and we again placed well in our division.
I am excited for the future when Shearwater Sailing will expand its offerings to include long, blue water passages. Open ocean sailing is challenging, but the rewards are immense.
Dream a little, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Atalanta, rail down and over the horizon
