I have just returned from racing in my first Transpac, from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Previously my longest distance race was Newport-Bermuda, 800 miles and about 3-5 days. Transpac is about 2285 miles, and it took us 9 days. I am mostly a short course specialist, a sprinter, so this marathon of a race was a whole new experience for me.

And it was an incredible one. The combination of a sustained race, and an adventure, mixed together. Racing and pushing yourself and your team to remain focused. Pushing as close to 100% as you can all the time, even with no boats in sight, for days on end. This combined with the adventure, of going to sea with 10 other guys, cooking meals, sharing bunks, helping with tasks, and experiencing nature together. Yes, I will never forget it.

I was racing on HOLUA, a Santa Cruz 70. These boats are West Coast sleds, renown for sailing downwind. The design is now 20 or so years old, but they knew what they were doing. The driver stands on a raised platform at the very back of the boat, has a huge 10 foot wheel, and is perched perfectly to see the waves for the miles and miles of downwind surfing. The boat has pretty high topsides and remains mostly dry. And a full bow saw us rarely ever dig the nose in.

So what were the highlights? Coming on watch at 1:30 AM to a full moon. Driving on the moonless nights, like skiing downhill at speed with your eyes closed. Sailing downwind for 7 days straight. Surfing and surfing and surfing. Seeing the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Learning heaps about weather, clouds, and wind. Sharing the work and the whole experience with 10 other great guys. And then surfing across the Molakai Channel in 25 knots of wind and big waves, the sun rising as the moon was setting, and crossing the finish line at 7:27am after nine days of racing. Yes, an unforgettable experience.

I owe a special thanks to my team mates, who looked after me, tolerated me, and taught me what I needed to know about offshore racing. Brack, coach Ullman, my watch mate Doug- great guy, Bill- my old boss at Oracle who turned out to be an offshore legend, Bruce, Simms- always with that great attitude, Paul, Andy, Scott, and Wouter the router.