Transpac Race Gets Off to Rocky Start

The Transpacific (Los Angeles-to-Honolulu) yacht race got off to a rocky start Thursday with instances of hull-bumping, premature starts, protests and one minor collision.

Several of the big Class-A boats were jammed gunwale-to-gunwale with no place to go but straight ahead a few seconds before the starting gun at 1 p.m.

Seven boats were officially over the line early and were recalled, and at least a half-dozen others were over early but were able to dip back and restart without being recalled.

The early starters were identified as Pyewacket, Mystery, Hana Ho, Pandemonium, Cheetah, Jano and Blondie.

Despite a late start, the first boat around the west end of Catalina Island at 3:47 p.m. was the Santa Cruz-70 Blondie, followed five minutes later by Pyewacket. Others were Cheetah, 3:53; Pandemonium, 4:08; Tigris, 4:15; Chash Mer, 4:20, and Elusive, 4:22.

Merlin, the favorite and elapsed-time record-holder for the 2,225-mile race, stayed out of trouble and won the start but was not among the first boats to clear the west end.

Boats involved in protests were Wings against Swiftsure III; Drumbeat against Citius; Upbeat against Swiftsure, and Swiftsure against Cheetah. Wings sustained minor damage in its collision with Swiftsure III but remained in the race.