SAILING / TRANSPAC RACE : Chance Takes Winning Course

About half the remaining fleet of 40 boats had completed the 36th biennial Transpac race to Hawaii by midday Wednesday, and the crew from the first boat to finish took credit for the unbeatable combination of sound strategy and a fast boat.

Bob McNulty’s Chance, with Dale Nordin navigating and Dennis Durgan as alternate helmsman and crew chief, took the most direct route rather than sailing south looking for the usual trade winds.

Instead, the stronger northeast winds were found along the shortest route in the 2,216-nautical mile race, which the Santa Cruz 70 from Los Angeles Yacht Club completed in 10 days 8 hours 59 minutes 35 seconds.

Chance’s strategy was similar to that employed by Windward Passage in 1971 when that boat set a record of 9:09:06:48, surpassed in 1979 by Merlin in 8:11:01:46.

Three boats--all SC 70s--finished before sundown Tuesday. John DeLaura’s Silver Bullet followed Chance by less than 2 1/2 hours, with Roy Disney’s Pyewacket passing Diamond Head 1:23 later.

Ed McDowell’s Grand Illusion finished 11th in IOR-A class after dropping off an injured crewman on Maui. Patrick O’Brien broke five ribs in a fall.