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In the Balboa Fun Zone

600 East Bay Avenue

Newport Beach, CA 92661

(949) 675-8915

Stay Tuned for the Next Race in July 2011!

NHNM Welcomes the Transpacific Yacht Club

TPYC logo

The Transpacific Yacht Club and the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum have recently reached an important decision that will significantly change the course of each institution. The Museum is now the official home of Transpac and the custodian of its history and memorabilia.

The Newport Harbor Nautical Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the nautical heritage of Newport Harbor, southern California and the eastern Pacific through stimulating exhibitions, and inspiring education programs pertaining to nautical arts, artifacts, events and customs.

The Museum is in the midst of a major transition that when successful will establish the organization as a major force in the world of nautical/maritime museums. The organization is set on a course to become a prominent regional museum that captures the imagination and lures the visitor into the world of ocean activities ranging from cruising to competitive sailing tied with the romance and glamour of great sailing ships.


photo: Geri Conser

Both groups look forward to working together to bring the wonderful history of 100 years of racing across the Pacific to the Public. Currently the Museum is the permanent home of the Elapsed Time Trophy donated to TPYC by Roy E. Disney and created by artist Andrea Favilli. On the horizon look for a full time exhibit at the Museum dedicated to the Transpac Race.

Transpac: The Great Race to Hawaii

The Transpacific Yacht Race, 2,225 nautical miles from Los Angeles to Hawaii, is sailed in odd-numbered years as the oldest and longest enduring ocean race in the world. Originally, it was the vision of Hawaii's King Kalakaua as a way to build the islands' ties with the mainland U.S., although he didn't live to see his dream come true when Clarence MacFarlane organized the first race in 1906. The many famous celebrities who have sailed and won the 44 Transpacs include Roy E. Disney, actor Frank Morgan and such business tycoons as Hasso Plattner, Larry Ellison, Richard Rheem, Jim Kilroy and Philippe Kahn.