New Multihull Record for Transpac Race

(July 10, 2017) – HL Enloe and the crew of the ORMA 60 trimaran Mighty Merloe crossed the finish line today of the 49th Transpac Race, beating all entrants and eclipsing the 20 year old multihull record of Bruno Peyron’s Commodore Explorer by more than a day, previously set at 5 days 9 hours 18 min and 26 secs.

Mighty Merloe crossed the finish line under helicopter escort at 17:03:30 (HST) today, establishing an elapsed time of 4 Days, 7 Hours, 3 Minutes, 30 Seconds. Enloe sailed this year’s Transpac with his team of Steve Calder (Main Trimmer), Jay Davis (Bowman), Artie Means (Navigator), Loïck Peyron (Helm), Franck Proffit (Helm), Will Suto (Grinder), and Jacques Vincent (Co-Skipper).

Launched in 2004, Mighty Merloe was pressed hard by a pair of newer globetrotting MOD70s – Phaedo3 and Maserati. Mighty Merloe has been racing just about every west coast offshore event for the last few years, but often with no multihull competition to measure themselves against. But they got their measure this time, leading the field across the Diamond Head finish.

Event details – Entry list – Tracker – July 10 position report – Facebook

Background: First organized by the Transpacific Yacht Club in 1906, the Transpacific Yacht Race or Transpac is an offshore sailing race from Point Fermin in Los Angeles to Diamond Head, just east of Honolulu, a distance of 2225 miles. The 2017 edition attracted 55 entrants that will have staggered starts on July 3, 5, and 6.

Start Schedule
July 3 – Division 5, 6, and 7 (17 boats)
July 5 – Division 3 and 4 (16 boats)
July 6 – Division 0, 1, 2 (22 boats)