Transpac: the Los Angeles to Honolulu records
The Transpac is one of the oldest offshore races in the world: since 1906 it has linked Los Angeles and Honolulu, from Point Fermin to Diamond Head, over 2,225 miles. Held every two years, in odd years, it is known for long downwind legs in the Pacific trade winds. Both race records were set in the same edition, in 2017.
The multihull record: Mighty Merloe
The trimaran Mighty Merloe, H. L. Enloe's ORMA 60, finished in 4 days 6 hours 32 minutes and 30 seconds. According to the Transpacific Yacht Club, it took 26 and a half hours off the record set by Commodore Explorer in 1997. That catamaran is the one Bruno Peyron sailed in 1993 to set the first Jules Verne Trophy record.
The monohull record: Comanche
The same year, Jim Clark's 100-foot supermaxi Comanche, skippered by Ken Read, took 5 days 1 hour 55 minutes and 26 seconds, about half a day faster than Alfa Romeo II's 2009 record (Transpacific Yacht Club). The same boat has also held the Sydney Hobart record since 2017.
Records that last
No edition since, up to 2025, has beaten them: the two 2017 records remain the benchmark (2025 results). As in most handicap races, the most prized trophy is not elapsed time but the overall ranking on corrected time, here under the ORR rating.
Further reading
The track is on the Transpac page of the globe. The next edition starts on 6 July 2027, and registration is open (Latitude 38). Find it with the year's other starts in the 2027 calendar.