With the Transpac Yacht Race looming, adman Gib Black of Kane'ohe was desperately seeking a cool shirt for his crew.

As the skipper of a Santa Cruz 50 named Stags' Leap Winery (nee Chasch Mer) he wanted to have his crew all decked out in matching shirts for some of the pre-race events in California before the vessel departed on the race to Honolulu on Thursday, and he also wanted the crew to look the part at a victory party in Honolulu at the end of the race.

Black was frustrated with what he found. Nothing seemed to resonate. Then he ran into Pua Rochlen, president of Jams World and Surf Line, who had a suggestion: Why not create a shirt that embodies the spirit of the race?

Though he's not a sailor like Black, Rochlen and Black bonded immediately. Rochlen does just about everything else in the ocean: kite surfing, board surfing, bodyboarding, fishing, you name it.

"Our chemistry was good," Rochlen said.

In a "six degrees" sort of moment, Rochlen learned that Black had worked as advertising art director on the Surf Line account, under Rochlen's late father, Dave, in the 1960s.

"I could tell Gib knew what it took" to create a textile design, Rochlen said.

Black saw the opportunity as "a challenge to work on something different."

Within a matter of weeks, Black presented Jams World with artwork and a color scheme (blues, of course) for a new textile design.

He created a collage of meaningful images evoking the feeling and history of the Transpac Yacht Race. With a background of nautical and weather charts from previous races, he artfully placed images of King Kalakaua (founder of the race), archival sailing photos, flying fish, the Diamond Head lighthouse, insignia flags, names of previous race winners and, of course, his own boat with its colorful rainbow spinnaker in the pattern.

Rochlen was amazed at the ease with which Black caught on to textile design.

"Gib understands things," he said. "We needed icons and images, and every one he came up with was great. We both have an affair with the ocean, so I guess that helps."

Jams World graphic designer Cedric Fujita worked with Black to engineer the artwork into the appropriate format to be printed as yardage on crushed rayon. In a matter of weeks the art was sent to Japan for printing, and voila! A new Jams World print was born.

Black's crew will wear the shirts with Jams World blue Tencel walking shorts for special events surrounding the race, both on the West Coast and in Honolulu.

Jams World liked the print so much that it was added to the company's line, turning into a men's retro shirt ($87), women's cropped top, sizes XS to XL ($76) and XXL ($82) and sarong ($82).

The line will be sold at the Waikiki Yacht Club gift shop and at Jantzen in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Information: 847-5985.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.