2025 Pacific Puddle Jump Rally Notice
Tahiti, December 1, 2024
What?
Inaugurated in 1997, the Pacific Puddle Jump is a loosely structured sailing rally that typically attracts cruising sailors from many nations and backgrounds. The common thread between them is a longtime ambition to safely sail from the West Coast of the Americas to French Polynesia. The PPJ rally is open to international cruising vessels that were designed and built for rigorous offshore conditions, and have been maintained and equipped appropriately. Singlehanding is allowed, although not particularly encouraged.
Where & When?
Registered PPJ vessels typically jump off independently or in small groups from various ports between San Francisco and Panama, with Banderas Bay, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama, being the most popular ports of departure.
Most fleet members begin their westbound passage between early February and late June, with the median start date being right around April 1. In addition, a few boats usually jump off as early as January, and a few as late as July. In some years, several PPJ boats will also depart for French Polynesia from the Hawaiian Islands.
• Obligations of Skippers and Crews:
Show Respect & Leave a Clean Wake:
As any circumnavigator will tell you, the archipelagoes of French Polynesia comprise one of the most idyllic cruising grounds on earth, with a friendly population that takes great pride in its rich cultural heritage. As your charts will confirm, the five Archipelagoes that comprise this French Overseas Territory occupy an area larger than Western Europe. We think you will agree that it is truly a privilege to sail these waters. And with that privilege comes serious obligations: We implore you to do your best to help preserve the delicate ecosystems of the islands and atolls, and always be respectful of the local population’s property and customs.
• Check-ins:
We request that all boats check in daily with the rally committee via some type of satellite communication device, giving position and status. (This happens automatically when using tracking through PredictWind, a longtime PPJ supporter.)
• Self-reliance:
If you were to circumnavigate the world beginning on the West Coast of the Americas, the so-called Puddle Jump passage would probably be the longest stretch of open ocean you would face without a possible rest stop. So, careful preparation and the necessity of crews to be self-reliant is of the utmost importance.
Sailing as part of the PPJ fleet with your track being monitored offers an additional measure of security. But before committing to this 3-to-5-week, 3,000-to-4,000-mile voyage, we think it’s wise for each crew to do an honest self-assessment of their experience and abilities, and ask themselves: “If there were no rallies, would I have the confidence to make this trip independently?”
• Vessel Readiness:
If you have concerns about the seaworthiness of your vessel, its rigging, or equipment, we strongly recommend that you obtain a trip survey from the most highly recommended surveyor you can find.
The Rally Committee will soon be sending you a boatload of pertinent info and advice about making the passage and inter-island cruising afterward. But we DO NOT do boat inspections. Nor do we distribute comprehensive lists of every item you might need during your crossing.
Emergency Resources:
As mentioned above, thanks to the ongoing support of PredictWind, each registered PPJ vessel will be offered free tracking on the PPJ’s fleet monitoring webpage. This graphical info will also be accessible to friends and family back home, while enhancing each vessel’s safety profile.
In addition, due to the long history of the Pacific Puddle Jump, we have a close working relationship with the US Coast Guard’s Rescue Coordination Centers in Alameda, CA, and Honolulu, HI, as well as with French Polynesia’s JRCC Tahiti, in Papeete.
Discounts, Seminars & Swag:
In addition to receiving a durable, two-sided-printed PPJ burgee, Pacific Puddle Jump entrants are eligible to receive a variety of special offers and discounts from PPJ partners and supporters, including:
• A 15% discount on all services of the TahitiCrew yacht agency, including paperwork issues, bond exemptions, duty-free fuel certificates and boat-watching. (See details here.)
• A 20% discount on subscriptions to PredictWind weather services, plus free automated tracking during the Puddle Jump season.
• A 10% or greater discount on most products at French Polynesia’s largest chandleries, Sin Tung Hing.
And a wide variety of other (product and services) discounts through the TahitiCrew’s discount program.
With our partners from the South Pacific Sailing Network, we will co-host at least two South Pacific Bon Voyage seminars at Shelter Bay, Panama (in Feb) and Banderas Bay, Mexico (in March). Exact dates to be announced soon. We also anticipate offering at least two online webinars soon about Puddle Jump-related issues.
Event Participation Fee:
PPJ 2025’s participation fee of $125 USD per boat is kept low to encourage a wide range of participants from many countries. Click here to register. (Skippers age 35 and younger pay only $100.) |
