In celebration of the 53rd Transpacific Yacht Race, and the launch of our official 2025 Transpac collection, we sat down with Alli Bell, a third-generation sailor preparing for her first race as skipper.
This year marks Alli’s fifth Transpac race, and her first in command. She and her six-person crew will race Restless, a Cal 40 designed by Bill Lapworth, across 2,225 miles of open ocean from Los Angeles to Honolulu – with a target finish time of just 12 days.
“When we get to put our downwind sails up, it’s just sailing with your friends and fun,” she says. “The phone doesn’t ring, you’re not responding to emails, and it feels really free. Everyone looks forward to disconnecting.”
A Legacy on the Water
Alli’s sailing story isn’t just her own—it’s deeply rooted in the Bell family legacy. Raised in San Diego, she grew up on the docks of the San Diego Yacht Club, where she now serves as Vice Commodore.
Her early years on the water were spent aboard her grandfather’s Lapworth 50, Westward, a classic yacht and one of only six of its kind ever made.
Her grandfather and uncle both competed as skippers in their own Transpac races, charting a course that Alli now follows, becoming not only the third generation of the Bell family to take on this legendary race, but also part of the third generation of Bell women to compete.
Alli's grandfather and his Lapworth 50, Westward
Carrying the Tradition Forward
While the race is long, grueling, and often unpredictable, a clear sense of purpose is guiding Alli and her crew. They’re not just racing against the clock – they’re honoring a family tradition, pushing their limits, and soaking up the kind of joy that can only be found hundreds of miles offshore with the wind in your sails.
“There’s no better feeling than arriving in Honolulu to the Aloha welcome,” Alli shares. “It’s really a special feeling to sail past Diamond Head and know you’ve completed the race. But the fun really starts when you tie up your boat at either the Hawaii or Waikiki Yacht Club.”
As Restless charts her course across the Pacific this summer, she’ll carry with her decades of memories, legacy, and Aloha.
Reyn Spooner is proud to be the official Aloha shirt of the Transpacific Yacht Race.
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