TransPac in the early early days

Rita Gardner's memoir, The Coconut Latitudes, is now on Amazon. Rita was involved in the first Singlehanded Transpac races in Hawaii and in San Francisco. A compelling memoir as her dad moved her family to the Dominican Republic during the time of Rafael Trujillo. Read it!

Nearby to WILDFLOWER here at Anacortes, WA. is SOLITAIRE, Santa Cruz 27 #3, that was First-To-Finish and Overall winner of the first Singlehanded Transpac in 1978. Norton Smith was her skipper that year, and did most of the race without a working autopilot. In its place, Norton spent long hours at the helm, and slept while employing sheet to tiller steering.

I dare say the timeless and nearly indestructible Santa Cruz 27 could again win a SHTP, and would provide an excellent and inexpensive platform for any aspiring SSS sailor.

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Originally Posted by sleddog

Nearby to WILDFLOWER here at Anacortes, WA. is SOLITAIRE, Santa Cruz 27 #3, that was First-To-Finish and Overall winner of the first Singlehanded Transpac in 1978. Norton Smith was her skipper that year, and did most of the race without a working autopilot. In its place, Norton spent long hours at the helm, and slept while employing sheet to tiller steering.

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Skip, where is Norton Smith today?