The Boat
VENTANA – Beneteau 46.1
Follow our journey on Facebook: Gary Troxel
The 2026 Pacific Cup will be my sixth race to Hawai'i and my first after a ten-year hiatus. My last Pacific Cup in 2016 was one of the most challenging offshore passages I have experienced, with heavy winds, rough seas, and weather influenced by the remnants of Hurricane Darby. Like many Pacific Cup veterans, I stepped ashore wondering if I would ever do it again.
As time passed, the memories of the difficult days faded while the memories of the camaraderie, adventure, and beauty of the Pacific remained. When I transitioned from my Beneteau 42 to a Beneteau 46.1, conversations with former crew members turned into planning sessions. Before long, many of the same sailors who had crossed the Pacific with me in previous races were ready to do it again.
Some of us have now crossed the 70-year threshold, and we understand that time does not wait for anyone. Rather than talking about another Pacific Cup someday, we decided to commit and signed up for the 2026 race.
Ventana, our Beneteau 46.1, provides a larger and more capable offshore platform than my previous boat. The twin-rudder design and modern hull shape offer improved control and performance, particularly reaching and sailing upwind. We have upgraded the sail plan to improve downwind performance and are looking forward to what every Pacific Cup competitor hopes for—steady trade winds, warm weather, surfing down Pacific swells, and the simple privilege of being at sea.
The Pacific Cup has always been about more than racing. The friendships forged offshore are lasting and meaningful. Crew camaraderie remains one of the most important parts of the experience. On previous crossings, we have honored family members and friends by spreading their ashes at sea, moments that remind us of both the vastness of the ocean and our own mortality. Those experiences reinforce the importance of embracing adventure, spending time with good friends, and appreciating the opportunities we have.
For the 2026 campaign, Ventana and her crew have completed extensive preparation to meet the safety and equipment standards established by the Pacific Cup Yacht Club. We have upgraded equipment, refined systems, trained together, and prepared ourselves for the challenges and rewards of another Pacific crossing.
Most of all, we are looking forward to the journey itself—the start off San Francisco, the trade winds, the night watches under the stars, and ultimately arriving in Kaneohe Bay. After thousands of miles at sea, there are few better traditions than stepping ashore at Kaneohe Yacht Club and being greeted with a fresh Mai Tai.
We look forward to sharing our preparations and adventure with the Pacific Cup 'Ohana as Ventana heads west once again toward Hawai'i.