Saratoga News

Elizabeth and Jim Ryley

Saratogans battle elements, finish second in yacht race

By Michelle Alaimo

Patricia Ryley had reason to worry when her husband, Jim, and 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, left July 5 from Long Beach for Honolulu in the 1997 TransPacific Yacht Race. A hurricane was brewing over Cabo San Lucas, causing rough seas and winds over the Pacific Ocean.

"The race was very grueling," Jim said.

The nine-member crew came in second in the 39th biennial race by making the trek in eight days and 15 hours. First place in Ryley's division was won by Joe Jaconi of Los Angeles with his yacht Kathmandu. He arrived just 17 minutes before Ryley.

"This was the fastest race in TransPac history," Chip Evaul, waterfront director for the Long Beach Yacht Club, said.

The old record of 9 days, 11 hours and 1 minute, set in 1977, was broken by several yachts during the race, Evaul said.

"The crew spent the entire 2,225-nautical-mile course working in shifts of four hours on and four hours off on the 70-foot monohull ultralight grand prix racing boat called Mirage. No one slept much, Ryley said, because each time the sail needed to be changed, all crew members were needed.

Ryley's daughter, Elizabeth, was the only female on the crew, where ages ranged from 19 to 60. It was Elizabeth's second TransPac race with her father. In 1995, she was part of the crew that led the Mirage to a first-place win in the TransPac.

The TransPac, as it's known to the racing community, began in 1906 and is the oldest yacht race in existence. The race entry fee is $900, but total racing costs are between $40,000 and $100,000, Evaul said.

This was Jim's fourth TransPac race; he said he loves racing much more than recreational boating. "The TransPac is more of a challenge than fun," the Saratogan said.

Besides taking up to a year to get the Mirage ready for the race, crew members must also make sure they are in great shape in order to keep up with demands of changing sails and driving.

Elizabeth said her dad is the "workout king" because he exercises almost every day to keep in shape. Elizabeth said she did a lot of upper body exercises and walking to be in shape for the TransPac.

"We held our own and did really well," the 1996 Saratoga High School graduate said.

The tired crew arrived in Honolulu on July 14 at 2 a.m., where they began a weeklong stay in Hawaii at a rented home near Diamond Head. Mirage is currently on its way back to the Bay Area, courtesy of a delivery crew that Jim hired.

[ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ]