Skipper: Joe and Sue Dazey

Our first official multihull entrant is Presto. 

Joe and Sue have owned Presto, a 48’ X 25’ Chris White design since 2015. Since then they have logged over 5000 miles, raced Presto successfully many times, spent considerable time in Alaska and cruised extensively on the West Coast. 

Skipper: Steve Somliske

True Love was originally owned by Steve’s in-laws in the late 80s, early 90s. The next owners horribly neglected the boat and True Love fell into severe disrepair. Steve and his wife bought her back  in December 2014. After a 4 year long refit, basically everything was replaced with the exception of the anchor, two winches and the pulpits. 

Skipper: Scott Campbell

The crew has been active since 2003. Most Oregon Offshore races, three Pacific races including Pacific Cup/Transpac and river racing.

Scott and crew started with a J45, then morphed to our current J121.

Skipper: Jim Calnon

Pathfinder has been racing on the Columbia River in Portland and did the 2021 PNW Offshore.  The crew is looking forward to continuing to restore and rehabilitate the boat, and learn more about how the boat handles.

Skippers: Ben Emery, Naja Di Pilla

This will be Penelope’s third PNW Offshore. In last year’s race we were so dedicated to honing our performance that we dumped the contents of our water tank overboard (via the bilge) before hitting the start line. This admirable exercise in weight-saving was only somewhat offset by the ambitious amount of alcohol the crew smuggled aboard to celebrate the end of the race. We’re looking forward to even more shenanigans (though hopefully less bootlegging given the Canadian finish) in the 2023 race!

Skippers: Eric Hopper, Doug Schenk, Matt Davis

Will they make it? That’s the big question. Won’t be for lack of effort and support including our title sponsor Schooner Creek putting the “new Soup” back together after leaving Mexico just on 4/19. With the J/105 (ex)Soup for sale (Offshore proven/capable!) Full focus is on the new boat and trying to make Ilwaco and the starting line.  

Skipper: Richard Elstrom

Joining us for the 14th year, from the Astoria Yacht Club Skipper Rich Elstrom on Aja, a Erickson 35 MK II.

All members of AYC and multi-year participants of the PNW Offshore, Rich and crew, have been racing together on the Columbia river for many years.

Skipper: David Sherperdson

We sailed our Rose City Yacht Club based Ericson 33 "Margaret" to a first place finish in our Division in the 2019 Oregon Offshore.  Since then we have moved to Bellingham, purchased J120 "Margaret II" and joined the Bellingham Yacht Club.  Our crew from Oregon and Washington are super excited to see old Columbia River friends, share another adventure up the Washington Coast and reconnect in Victoria.

Skipper: Philip Lewis

In Soufflé’s first Offshore race in 2013 we set the yet to be broken record for being the slowest last place boat to finish, crossing the line at about 71 hours, 55 minutes. The following year we set the record for being the fastest last place boat to finish. Since then, we continue to strive to have the most fun of all competing boats.

Skipper: Gary Brown

This will be the second NW Offshore for Get Set Go, a Beneteau First 35, skippered by Gary Brown out of Rose City YC. We’ve been racing on the Columbia the last few years and decided based on our experience at last year’s NW Offshore that racing cold, wet and sleep deprived takes “fun” to the next level, so we’re giving it our best shot again. This year we’ll be combining crew members from River Weasel and Get Set Go and are looking forward to having a great time together.

Skipper: Tom Keffer

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, Velocity and her long-time crew have entered the race a dozen times, finished 2nd three times, but have never won her division, let alone the race.

It's a good thing we sail for the friendship, comradery, and good times, and not the fame and fortune of an Offshore winner. 

John Colby skippered Iris in last year's Offshore and raced in the Offshore on 3 other occasions.  John completed a Singlehanded Transpac in 2018 and has about 65,000 sea miles. Iris won the PYC 2022 Mauni Elliott series.

This years crew include, Mark McCuddy won the race on his Bums Rush about 12 years ago.  He has periodically crewed aboard Iris since 2016 and has done many Offshores.

Ron Hodgson has done one Offshore aboard Iris.  He has crewed aboard Iris for at least 3 years.

Alexx Johnson crewed aboard Iris all winter in the SOS races.  He served in the Navy for 6 years.

Rob Kloft crews aboard Misty.  He worked in the Bering Sea for 3 years aboard a fish boat.

And Kent Picknell  presently owns and races a Melges 24.  He has raced in several overnight long distance races.

Previous participant of Swiftsure and Anacortes Race week, this will be Jugo’s second PNW Offshore. But this 40-footer is no stranger to Pacific NW waters, having cruised in the San Juan Islands, and prior to that Alaska. Diligent safety and performance preparation by her crew - half dinghy sailors - also prioritized a powerful cabin heater and stripping the dodger. The 1994 J/120 design is a proven performer and her crew is looking forward to both the overall and level competition against her sister ships.

Pacific High is crewed by adventurous sailors that enjoy cold coffee, wet sandwiches and multiple meaningless sail changes. The bulk of the  team are rooted in the mountain lifestyle of riding mountain bike descents beyond the skill level, praying for avalanche awareness in the backcountry of Garibaldi Park , and playing in the vigorous breezes that Howe Sound and Squamish can offer. We are very much looking forward to the challenge of the PNW Offshore and look forward to meeting everyone in IlWaco.

Tenacious and crew are looking forward to our first Offshore together.  While we all have many years racing and sailing around the buoys, the opportunity to experience exhaustion, hypothermia and frustration together will be fun. 

Meet the Crew:

Julia Strong: Foredeck

• On the Water DJ and most likely to be featured in a Snickers candybar advertisement

• Started sailing in 2005 on Vancouver Lake (photo below)

• Can pack a wet Olson 34 spinnaker in under 50 seconds

• Favorite Beverage:  Anything from Pfriem Brewing

Mark Hampson: Cockpit

• Sake expert

• Started sailing in college when he borrowed a Navy ROTC laser to impress a date and forgot the top spar

• Races dinghies on Vancouver Lake, avid paddler and ranger on Mt Rainier

Jeff Stong: Helm, Cockpit, Cook

• Started racing in 1974 on San Francisco Bay- El Toros, FJs, Laser, Rhodes 19, J24, Santana 20… 

• Head Instructor San Francisco Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program

• Sailed several national and regional regattas including 2018 Lightning Nationals in San Diego

Mike Quigley: Cockpit & Tactical Guru

• Offshore Winner!  Competed “at least 19 or 20 times”

• Professor of Offshore-ology, Keeper of Offshore Wisdom & “We did that it didn’t work” information

Micah Berry: Foredeck, Mast, Helm

• Safety Guru…  If you see a big crane in Portland, Micah probably had something to do with it

• Ask him about moving equipment (and a lot of beer) out of the Buoy building collapse

• Started sailing over 15 years ago in Cascade Locks- as foredeck on a Santa Cruz 27 and J35

David McCallum (not pictured): Cockpit & Helm

• German beer expert & master diesel mechanic

• Learned to sail with family in Klamath Falls, Oregon in the 1970s

• Raced several big boats in Seattle and competed in national and regional regattas

• Looking forward to suffering.  Has a wooden boat!