Cookie Jar

George McKay
Cookie Jar
Moore 24

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Age:

153
RYC
Santa Cruz, CA
Veterinarian
34

I started racing the Gulf of the Farallones in '86 on a Freedom 36, which inevitably led to Windjammers, then Catalina races and then to Pac Cup. I did Pac Cup in 92 and had a terrific time, but the boat that impressed me most was the Moore 24, Team Bonzi, with Jim Quanci and Frank Ansak. These guys horizoned the fleet by finishing in under 12 days. I had to get a Moore. In 95, I graduated Vet School and bought Cookie Jar, Moore 24 #98. I have been tweaking and fiddling to get her right for racing to Hawaii, and I finally realized that the only one who could put up with all my bad jokes and puns was me, hence the Singlehanded Transpac.

When I got married, my wife and I had a very untraditional wedding cake. There were 2 interlocking rings, hers had turf, jumps and horses, mine had ocean, Hawaiian islands and sailboats. That was 7 years ago, and now the race is finally coming together.

The other day I had a fellow Moore sailor ask me what type of boat Cookie Jar is! I guess I have made a few modifications as I have gone along. I have roller furling, a below deck autopilot, double lifelines and a highly visible, "Search and Rescue Yellow" paint job. There are 3 solar panels, one of which doubles as a dodger, as well as a laptop computer, SSB radio and Xaxero Weatherfax.

As far as sleep training, I am up all hours in my profession, and I have taken to working out from Midnight to 2 AM every other night. I had a sleep specialist (Dr. Claudio Stampi, who has worked with Ellen McArthur among others) give me a sleep seminar, teaching me techniques that help with my job as well as sailing.

My goals are to have fun, surf like hell, and maybe even do well in the fleet.

Navigation: Garmin GPS 76 x2, Garmin GPS III+, fixed mount Raymarine and an ancient GPS I won on the Pac Cup in 92. It's a bit clunky, but it gets a pretty good fix, and maybe it will bring luck too! As back-up, I have a Davis 25 plastic sextant , redux tables and almanac. It worked in '92 and I like the tradition of celestial sights, if not the math.

Steering: ME (12-16 hours a day as my body permits), a Raymarine 6001 below deck pilot run by a 150 G computer, 3 ST2000 tillerpilots as back-up. The rudder is new and beefier with new bearings. The emergency rudder came off my old Hobie 20 and attaches to a bicycle yoke attached to the outboard motor bracket ( looks like something off of Junk Yard Wars, which is where I got the idea)

Food: MRE's (heatermeals), Freeze dried food, some veggies (I would have killed for a salad after the LongPac) and some canned fruits. Power Bars and Coffee! My half way dinner is Trader Joe's Indian meals in pouches.

Special thanks: My Wife Gwen has been the most inspirational and selfless individual in this crazy endeavor of mine. She truly made this possible, and I will be forever grateful. My Mom Jacoba has provided so much assistance and help with my sailing over the years, all the way back to when she started me sailing at age 6. R.B. Ward has been my great friend and mentor, and will be out there on the Pac Cup (GO Moonshine GO). David Hodges has advised me well over the years, and he has cut great sails for me. Buzz Ballenger has offered sound advice and he has done tremendous work with rigging Cookie Jar, building a stout, sleeved mast for this race. Finally, everyone I have sailed with at SSS has impressed me with their skills, advice, and camaraderie. It is truly a pleasure to be in their company.