Transpac The Race of a Lifetime
In 1886 King David Kalakaua, the King of Hawaii set forth an idea of a race from San Francisco to Honolulu. It took twenty years later for a group of sailors to take on this epic adventure which is now known as the Transpac Race. When the great San Francisco earthquake hit in April of 1906, the Transpac organizers moved the original start from San Francisco to Los Angels off of Point Fermin. Starting on July 10, 2019 with over 100 boats hailing from around the world, will set sail on the 50th running of the Transpac yacht race.
Zero Gravity Racing
Ivan Batanov and his Soto 40 High Performance Racing Sailboat called, Zero Gravity is entered to race more than 2300 nautical miles and will fulfill the team’s desire to experience a Journey of a Lifetime!
What would make a person jump on a boat and sail for a week or two with nothing but what you bring with you on this boat ride?
Why would you want to go to one of the most remote places on the earth where the closest human beings will be your fellow competitors or the International Space Station above you?
Some do it for the race, some take it as a challenge, others to get back with nature and a few to get away from it all. Whatever may be the reason, Transpac is an event of unmatched adventure.
What started out as a gentleman’s adventure in 1906 has now turned into a full out race where the very best boats, sails, equipment and sailors come to challenge themselves and their competitors to create the fastest rhumb line to get to Hawaii. Ivan’s boat, Zero Gravity, a Soto 40 is a 40-foot rocket ship and even though it may not be the first boat to cross the Diamond Head finish line, it is a boat that will provide him and his crew a lifetime of memories. That in itself is why most sailors dream of sailing Transpac and any other offshore races. Ivan and his boat will be free from the bonds of cell phones, traffic commutes, deadlines, PTA meetings and our everyday activities.
Zero Gravity is equipped with:
- Satellite communications to download weather maps into a laptop
- Technically advanced instruments to tell the crew how strong the wind is blowing or how fast the boat is moving
- A vast inventory of racing sails which allows for adjusting sails to meet wind and sea conditions
- Fast hull performance which creates driving the boat 24/7 with all crew members skilled/expert
- Advanced safety devices to allow to handle diverse weather conditions
- A fresh water maker to reduce over weight and produce faster boat speeds
- Minimal crew members who are able to perform all boat crew positions
Yet, something else comes out of experiencing the moments of racing. Sailboat racing creates a deep reconnection of the body and soul to the sea and wind. These treasured moments gives the crew time to build relationships and create memories of a lifetime. The bonds experienced we create together on our expected 10 day Journey become defining moments in our lives. Only when you are out of sight of land with only the horizon around you will you find your soul and mind becoming in sync with the our oceanic world.
Being in this sector of nature, you will feel the energy of the earth, you will get a better understanding of yourself and your outlook on life will be transformed forever. What started off as a transoceanic race and all of the competitive facets will slowly become a spiritual journey of a lifetime and at the end, there will be a flower lei, tall cold Mai Tai, family and friends to greet you!
