Aluminium-hulled Kialoa II, originally a sloop,
was designed in 1963 for Californian Jim
Kilroy by Sparkman and Stephens. She won
the 1965 Transpac, was converted to a yawl
in 1968 and won the Sydney-Hobart in 1971.
Around 1973 Kialoa II was donated by Kilroy
to the United States Coast Guard Academy
but in later life she became a family cruiser.
Australians Patrick and Keith Broughton
bought the 73-footer in 2016 with the aim
of competing in the classic ocean races,
as Kialoa II did under her first owner.
Broughton said: “After her Hamble refit we
raced in the 2017 Fastnet and then sailed via
Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin to
Sydney to compete in 2017 and 2018 Sydney-
Hobarts. Our crew have over 200 Sydney-
Hobart’s between them. No Transpac’s, but
we do have Lindsay May, the most successful
Sydney-Hobart navigator. Kialoa II raced in the
four classic ocean races [the Fastnet, Sydney-
Hobart, Transpac and Newport-Bermuda]
under her first owner Jim Kilroy, including three
Transpac races. Taking part in the 50th Transpac
almost seems like bringing Kialoa II home.”
Tom Eddy, Vice-Commodore of the Transpac
Yacht Club, is sailing an American classic: “My
brother and I are co-skippers of Callisto, a Cal
40 and we have seven Cal 40s this race, pretty
good for a 54-year-old design. Cal 40s won first
overall in the 1965, 1967 and 1969 Transpacs.
“The Cal 40s race with amateur crews and
have always been a special part of the Transpac,
bringing a family-oriented spirit to the fleet.
“To help perpetuate this tradition, we have
added a trophy this year for the best corrected
time by a boat crewed with all amateurs.
“The volunteers in Hawaii are amazing andgive each boat an unbelievable Aloha welcome.
The race itself is all about surfing down the
Pacific swells and hitting big speeds in the
tradewinds – an experience like no other.”
How the race unfolds depends very much
on the weather. This year’s record 100-boat
fleet is split into 12 divisions. There are three
start dates. The slowest of the boats, in
Divisions 6, 7, 8, and 9, along with the Cal 40s
and the Multihulls in Class 0A – 41 boats in
all – will start at Point Fermin in Los Angeles
on Wednesday, 10 July. Two days later on
Friday, 12 July, a further 28 boats in Divisions
3, 5 and the Santa Cruz 50/52s will start.
On the following day, Saturday 13 July,
the 28 fastest monohulls from Divisions
1 and 2, along with the elite entries in the
Multihull class 0, will blast into the Pacific.
Follow the fleet on transpacyc.comBRINGING HER HOME
SHARON GREEN/ULTIMATE SAILINGAugust 2019 Yachts & Yachting 43