This page covers the final two days of Brown Sugar's epic Transpac voyage, along with the post-race debauchery that unfortunately occurred in Honolulu. We begin this last update on...

Saturday, July 23

Sent from Russ on Sat 7/23/2005 at 9:40 AM

We are now less than 300 miles from the finish. funny how thats seem so close and only a couple of weeks ago-I thought a trip to San Diego was a long trip and its less than a hundred miles. Sailed about 170 miles yesterday. Not great or bad until we compare it to our competition. We heard on the radio that Morning Glory is calling in for a 9:00 am finish today. Maybe we will see their wake ... An interesting thing happened this morning. Dustin saw a white flare shot into the air. We noted the time place etc and radio-ed it in. Co-incedentily at the same time Morning Glory was anoucing there arrival. Perhaps it was them in all the excitement. Concern was not too greaty since it was a white flare (non-distress). Roll call is in a few minutes and then I will check for emails. Russ

From Paul on Sat 7/23/2005 at 9:08 PM

They are projecting us to finish at 4 am on Monday. I think this info is a little off since its based on our last 24 hr run which was poor yesterday. We have not been able to crack a day's run over 200 miles, which makes for a slow race. I predict an early evening Sunday arrival based on the fact of reported sightings of crazy California chicks doing wind dances on the docks for us. Wish I was there to catch that spectacle.

We're just under 300 miles to the finish of the Tour De Transpac. The same day that Lance [Armstrong] will be finishing the Tour De France. We've both covered roughly the same distance in the same amount of time. He's riding his best for 3-5 hrs a day while our team is at it 24/7. We're all getting as much rest as possible before the big nonstop push to the end where the winds hopefully will be increasing as they funnel toward Diamond Head between Molokai and Ohau. Looks like Morning Glory will be the first to finish around 3:30 am Sunday with Pyewacket only minutes behind after 2300 miles.

We've of course had a little chat today on what went right and some of the mistakes we made. Overall an exciting adventure and learning experience for all involved including our familys, friends and yes Jean Wong. I hope and believe that it proves to be a very positive experience once we all get time to digest it all. So far we haven't broken anything, blown out any sails or hurt anyone (well perhaps our egos a bit) and the chat is now about the "next" time so this would have to rate as a very positive experience for all invloved who would like to rise to the challenge and do better next time.

The weather has been terrefic the last 24 hrs with a constant 15-18 kts: still not enouth for us to sail this surfing beast to its potential but who knows what the next 24 hrs will bring. The fishing gear will be coming in soon and we'll be cleaning up the boat and organizing it for our final approach.

Russ is still playing with his sextant (its the engineer in him) trying to to get it right. Bill just wants to do it next time on a FAST boat (good idea). Mike how about borrowing Valsheda and the new 200' tender to go with it? You have all been incrediable in your support and emails; with words of encouragement and rather insulting but enjoyed and sometimes deserved remarks. You know who you are! We've heard all the way from Caifornia to Hawaii, Tahati, France, Florida (thanks Mike), Nevada, Bulgaria, Australia, Argentina......

We're currently in a strong second with the Hobie 33, Soap Opera ahead of us. You have to hand it to those guys since there is only 2 of them on that small light weight speedster. The race in our class has been between us, Soap Opera and Super Gnat. As Bill's sister emailed us its time to swat the gnat and turn off the soap opera. We're not giving up until the finish. Look for the final results for us sometime Monday.

From Russ on Sat 7/23/2005 at 9:11 PM

Talk about motivational drivers. This mornings' position report put the fear of a third place in us all! We have stepped up the arms race. No more two man crews for three hours! three man crews and four hour shift til the finish!!! We are bouy race mode for the next 250 miles. gone are days of steering to the trim. We cannot afford to lose those precious miles by not steering the most direct route to the barn. With some luck (good wind) and dillegent effort we may have our best run yet!t

As much as we all hoped to finish in the daylight (Sundays), the predicted finish time is now 04:00 am monday. We are looking to move that back a few hours but it may be impossible to get there before dark. Squeezing out every knot we can. Thanks for all your support everyone especially Jodee. The crew would be lost without you! Russ

Here's a position map showing the progress of Brown Sugar (green star) and its competitors as of the morning of July 24, hours before they finished the race:

Click here to view Michael Cummins' final blog page for Brown Sugar on July 24.

From Jodee on Sun 7/24/2005 at 9:52 AM

Dear BS Devotees: Their closest competitor for 2nd place (Super Gnat) looks like they're coming in earlier than expected. That probably means that the wind is cookin' & BS will come in earlier, too. BS' predicted ETA is now 11:21 PM (Hawaii time, which is 3 hrs earlier than Pacific)....it could move up to as early as 5PM. CHECK www.transpacificyc.org to see their progress as they pass the 100 mile mark. "Finish Reports". No more reports until after the race. I'm on my way to Hawaii!

From Russ on Sun 7/24/2005 at 12:31 PM

We just posted our 100 mile report. We have been busting butt for the last 24 hours. WE are too close to Super gnat to lose second place. They must be doing the same we still have them by a little more than 2 hours. Our estimated finish time is 8:00pm Hawaii. Jodee should have just landed. The last 24 hours were are fastest and hardest. Although the approach to the channel is not letting up at all.

Last night we blew up our favorite .75 oz spinnaker. right now its blowing 20-30 knots and the seas are rough making it an exercise in concentration and endurance. We are moving fast lots of 12-15 knot sets. This is the place we have to make sure we do not push too hard and break something. (very easy to do!) Incredible is about 10 mile in front of us and is having steering problems. ouch! I will try and check email again later if it settles down some. Russ

From Jodee in Honolulu on Mon 7/25/2005 at 10:56 AM

Russ called me from his CELL phone about 50 miles out. His friend Ted had told him there's cell phone reception around the lighthouse way out there. Sure enough, it worked. The boys sounded like they were having the best time...Brown Sugar was planing...routinely hitting 12 -13 knots in 20-30 knots of breeze. It was great. This is what this boat was built for. Shortly after that I guess it got INTENSE. The breeze (I call it "gale", but they call it "breeze") which built to 30-40 knots, along with their determination to hang on to second place gave them an exhausting and eventful "last leg." They held it all together & worked their butts off, but arrived victorious, boat and crew in tact. They are the winners of 2nd place for their Class! Even though their competition, Super Gnat, had kicked it in to overdrive also Brown Sugar emerged about 4 hours ahead on corrected time.

The wives were able to go out in a boat to greet Brown Sugar and escort their men to shore. The really amazing thing is that the crew survived all of the partying once they reached shore. Brown Sugar's hosts, Barbara and Dennis, arranged a beautiful party complete with hula dancers, ukele, leis, and of course, MAI TAIS. Our beloved crew will e-mail with more details when they recover (hopefully within the next day or so). Aloha from Honolulu! Jodee

From Paul on Mon 7/25/2005 at 11:07 AM

Everyone up the last 24 hrs now we're just getting back to some rotation in the bunks for our FINAL 12 hrs to the finish. Last night was our 1st blow out. 3am (that's when all the crap hits the fan regardless of what day it is) Yours truly was driving with our 3/4 oz FULL size kite up making GREAT time. This kite had been up for over 36 hrs and was pressed hard. It was blowing 25, surfing down the waves consistently in the low teens when the chute collapsed and filled one 2 many times and the head EXPLODED! Those of us on watch for the last 3 hrs called for our 1.5 full runner but someone had another idea and made us put up the new 1.5 Asymmetrical kite. Bad call. We lost 2 kts of speed while we sailed with the mother for over 3 hrs which cost us about 5-6 miles progress.

At 6:30 we prevailed to change to the full 1.5. Everything went to hell quickly. The ASO only uses a single sheet and guy system. When we tried the take down we were not turned down wind enough and Bill who was in the hatch and Rick on the fore deck couldn't handle the kite as it went into the water dragging behind the boat. Bill got the damn thing wrapped around him and besides almost taking the family jewels almost got yanked out of the boat. We were "shrimping" way to long but eventually got it back and down the hatch (where I hope it stays FOREVER) and the new 1.5 up and drawing on the other gybe and took off again in a fast and controlled condition. All in all it probably cost us about 10 miles last night.

We've fully recovered and yes Pam everything is intact though I have not personally inspected the jewels. Most of us are fighting mad now and we JUST reported our 100 mile position and hope to cross line in about 12 hrs or 8pm Hawaii time. Again everything is up and running except the head is getting a little cranky and no women on board to blame. I guess last night scared the s--t out of us so close to the finish and we've plugged things up a bit. Incredible the Swan 53 just a couple of miles ahead of us has reported a major steering failure and are preparing to deploy their emergency steering and proceed to the finish.

Looks like we can do no better than second which we still have to fight for the last 100 miles but who knows anything can happen as witnessed by Incredible just ahead and our adventure last night. Yes; the Rip Van Winkle contest has now resumed and Dustin still holds the lead with Steve closing rapidly. Dustin WILL win the food consumption contest without question. Thanks to one and all; you on your end and to the team mates on this end. Aloha!

The final race commentary comes from Paul, who managed to squeeze some time in between the many lavish parties in Honolulu to recap their finish for the BS Nation:

Yes, Brown Sugar and her bears have officially finished. They crossed the finish line off of Diamond Head at 18:39:23 on Sunday evening July 24. They sailed for 320:39:23 hours = approximately 13 days, 12 hrs., 39 mins., averaging 6.94 kts from start to finish and placing 2nd in Division 5.

A great adventure was had by all and a LOT was learned of the Transpac, the boat, ocean and crew. The race culminated in the slide down the Island of Molokai into the Kewai Channel towards Koko Head and to the finish off of the Diamond Head Lighthouse towards a beautiful evening setting sun. We were greeted by our escort boat with family and friends aboard and the same on shore (where some had slipped in from distant lands - ok states and announcing themselves by radio to surprise us even before we had finished) who followed us along the Oahu shoreline from Makapu to the Diamond Head finish where all regrouped and met us at the reception when we docked in the Ali Wai harbor to an arousing greeting as we passed the Hawaii Yacht Club.

The sun had set as we tied up and had our Transpac inspector, Jim, come aboard to inspect our paperwork and boat for compliance. Having Care Bear once again at the top of his game we were in excellent order and released from our cage and sent ashore to maul our friends and loved ones in record time. And did they ever SMELL better than those we were caged up with for almost two weeks. Their flesh was also much sweeter!

The highlight of the sail may have been the ride from Molokai Lighthouse where we had set a GPS waypoint for making our final approach. As we neared Molokai we could smell land before we could see it which is a common perception in these adventures. The wind started building from 20 - 25 -30 and eventually more but who was looking. We had up a full main and the BIG 1.5 runner surfing in the teens when we lost it! We rounded up, on our side and heading for an early arrival in Molokai when we blew the spinnaker halyard, guy and sheet and tried to get BS back on her paws.

Though the spinnaker was now streaming from the top of the mast and to leeward we with GREAT Bear power were successful in pulling the kite back aboard we threw in a quick reef in the main and starting running down wind again at 9+ kts with reefed main alone. BS then gybed to starboard away from the rocks. The next step was what sail combo to select next. Some thought that 9+ kts under main alone was good enough this close to the finish.

Another thought we should go with the BIG new 1.5 ASO spinnaker (vetoed quickly by all but one - I think its ready for the dump anyway) I'm sure he was thinking photo op at the finish but didn't he want the mast in the picture as well? We settled on hoisting a chute we had not used yet and had only flown for 5 minutes in light air in Long Beach, a 2.2, 80% chicken chute made by Ken Watts in the 70's. Wow! We took off again into the HIGH teens.

After rounding the tip of Molokai's Iilio Pt. the call was made once again for the 1.5 ASO and AGAIN vetoed - we had enough on our paws and were barely fetching the finish as it was. We did get a lull towards Koko Head and shook out the reef and went back to full main for the finish which probably looked good at the finish but was a bit overpowering. We had the Swan 53 Incredible in our sights and were hoping to catch her by the line but failed by only a couple of minutes but a fun time was had by those on both boats who knew each other.

Let the partying begin!

The awards dinner on the 29th at the Ilikai was tremendous with a special tribute to our friend and competitor Roy Disney who had announced his retirement from racing and the stand-down of the Pyewacket racing program before the start of this year's Transpac. A video produced by none other than Roy and Leslie Demuse captivated the astute audience. I hope you all get a chance to see this year's video with footage of BS especially at our magnificent start engineered by Brown Bear and Papa Bear.

Our host and friends have taken such good care of us since arriving in Honolulu that I don't know which has been more enduring the sail or the hospitality. I can't wait to get home and back to work to relax. Stay tuned from the BEAR DEN. When they aren't hibernating they are dangerous competitors! Thanks to one and all - ESPECIALLY the wives of the Bears! Five Bears and Cubby

Here are some additional photos taken at the Transpac awards dinner:

Congratulations, Gentlemen!

You Sailed Swiftly AND Safely!