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Published on 07/20/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altan wins transpacific yacht race - single-handedly

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

Finding the right loan program for a client requires a lot of determination, and Bob Cranmer-Brown, of Online Capital, has that self-control to accomplish it. But sailing the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii single-handed in 12 days requires undeniable determination and courage.

This was Cranmer-Brown's year to win. Last month, sailing the Online Capital-sponsored yacht, Etosha, he won the 11th biennial Transpacific race from Tiburon to Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, with a time of 11 days, 19 hours, 26 minutes. Sailing day and night and taking catnaps, he kept flying his spinnaker through the tradewinds of the Pacific in challenging fashion.

In Cranmer-Brown's three previous attempts aboard Etosha ('88, '90 and '92), he ran into a variety of equipment failures and at times stalled by head winds.

This year wasn't without problems. When Cranmer-Brown arrived at the dock June 27, he found Etosha aground in mud. Using a commercial tug to free his yacht, he had to use his engine to get to the starting line, where he found out everyone had left an hour and 21 minutes earlier.

"Three days after I arrived in Hawaii, I was assessed a five-hour time penalty for using my engine to get to the starting line," Cranmer-Brown said. "I've had my fair share of adventure to Kauai, but this came before I started."

The longest Cranmer-Brown ever slept was a period of one hour and 15 minutes during the 12-day race.

"I would try to wake up every 18-20 minutes to reset my direction. I would lie on my bunk looking at the wind instruments and think I was a wild horse shaking his head with the sheer exuberance of speed," Cranmer-Brown said.

The Etosha was built in South Africa. She sat unused in San Diego for six years and had most of her gear stolen. She was refurbished with a new bow section and geared for open-ocean sailing. During those six years, Cranmer-Brown only sailed on two occasions, having retired to take up scuba, skiing and dirt-bike riding with his two sons.

But his nautical interests resurfaced, and he remembered how to put up a spinnaker. Using his navigational GPS and a sextant, his Alpha 3000 auto pilot, some strenuous courage and tenacity, he made it.

For food, Cranmer ate a lot of fresh fruit and precooked meals. He ate munchies at night and a high carbohydrate diet during the day.

"Sailing the Pacific single-handed is an experience to savor and remember. It takes time, money and a lot of experience to do it. I never questioned why I was doing it," Cranmer-Brown said. "Getting to the starting line needs the support of many people, and I had that support from my partner Sam Hadder and the rest of the staff at Online Capital."