Game changer for navigation

Peter Isler, a two-time America’s Cup winner and navigator aboard Pyewacket in the 2025 Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, reports how the upgraded technology is changing his job.

“Starlink opens up the satellite imagery game—being able to read the clouds and trying to infer from above what’s happening down below,” he said, referring to the fast and cost-effective satellite-communication kit that all but one boat in the fleet carried in the 2025 Transpc.

While Isler, a past holder of Transpac’s outright course record, reported that he wouldn’t have looked at different weather models prior to Starlink, the system affords the ability to study high-resolution satellite imagery of coming clouds.

“That can be a game-changer if you understand how to put your weather knowledge together and how to read it,” he said.

Event information – Race details – Results – Tracker

The 53-boat fleet began the 2025 Transpac Race with staggered starts on July 1, July 3 and July 5 for the 53rd edition of the biennial 2225 nm crossing from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

Elapsed records:
Monohull: 2017, Comanche, VPLP 100, Jim Clark – 05d 01:55:26
Multihull: 2017, Mighty Merloe, ORMA 60, Hl Enloe – 04d 06:32:30

Source: TYC