John Sedgwick - Race

Crossing the Pacific under sail has been a lifelong dream. As a kid growing up here in the Bay Area I followed the TransPac races and the adventures of legendary boats like Merlin, Ragtime and Windward Passage. Having the opportunity this year to compete in the Pacific Cup represents a lifelong goal realized. Sailing has been part of my life since childhood. I first learned on El Toros rented in Lake Vasona, Los Gatos , Ca. In high school I learned about racing on fast beach cats, Hobie 14s and 16s off Kailua Beach on Oahu. Then later more serious competition in Tornados, screaming around the Bay in heavy fog at 20+knots! More recently I have crewed on buoy racing boats in the Bay; Catalina, 36, J105, C&C 34 and Express 37. In addition, my 19 year old son and I completed the ASA Bareboat Charter series in 2005 and are now qualified to charter monohulls up to 50’.

On a more personal note, my life has been closely associated with waves. I have been involved in a number of start-up companies in the wireless industry, harnessing and using electromagnet waves. Recently, I have transitioned to waves of considerable higher frequency. In 2002 I co-founded a solar electricity company called Solaicx. Solaicx is involved in the solar electricity industry. All of which leads back to sailing; sailing is the most enduring and best practical application of solar energy. It is the sun’s rays that energize our atmosphere creating the winds that we will ride to Hawaii this July.