The 2,225 nautical-mile race began Monday, July 9 for a first stream of 23 boats, out of a lineup of 74. Additional racers begin Thursday, July 12 and Sunday, July 15.

Before the start, several boats staged a flowery tribute to Wendy Siegal, a successful competitor and promoter of recent Transpacs who was found drowned Thursday near her Cal 40 boat, Willow Wind, in Long Beach.

Twenty-seven larger, faster-rated boats take off Thursday, and the 22 largest and fastest boats depart Sunday.

Roy E. Disney's Honolulu-based Morning Light team of young sailors on a smaller Transpac 52 is among the boats leaving Sunday. So is Disney's high-speed, powered-up Pyewacket.

Disney filmed the training sessions for Morning Light, held in Honolulu, for an expected documentary film.

The start line has been set approximately square to the west end of Santa Catalina Island 22 miles off the coast, the only required passing mark of the 2,225-nautical mile race.

The weather forecast across the channel is for variable headwinds of 10 knots or less with relatively smooth two-foot seas.

Down the course, south of the "Pacific High" zone of feeble breeze, there have been pockets of light air where the trade winds normally sweep the boats all the way to the islands. That could change, however, before the first starters get there.