SAILING : Transpac Starters Have Trouble at the Line

Richard Compton’s Alchemy was first across the line in a scrambling start off Point Fermin, but Mike Campbell’s Victoria was first past Santa Catalina Island as the 16 largest boats started the 37th biennial Transpacific Yacht Race Saturday.

Twenty-six smaller boats had started the 2,225-nautical-mile race over the previous three days.

The wind was a light 6 knots as the boats drifted toward--and several over--the 100-yard-long starting line between two flag buoys. Alchemy, an Andrews 70 sled from Santa Barbara, timed the gun perfectly at the favored left end while three others--Roy Disney’s Pyewacket, Fred Kirschner’s Kathmandu and Peter Tong’s new Orient Express--were hailed by radio to return and restart because they were beyond the line before the gun.

Ed McDowell’s Grand Illusion, Bruce Chandler’s Taxi Dancer and Blake Quinn’s Holua weren’t hailed but also restarted because they feared they might have been over and would be recalled later. America’s Cup veteran Chris Dickson, steering Victoria, had to dip the Long Beach boat back below the line but recovered nicely.

Their task is to catch Jerry Montgomery’s 40-foot Patriot, which started Wednesday and was already about 525 miles out by Saturday’s start, and Bob Lane’s Friday starter, Medicine Man, which was about 225 miles in front.

Barbara Colville’s Schock 55 Harlequin from Newport Harbor Yacht Club, a Friday starter, returned to Long Beach because of a rudder bearing problem.