The final list of entries for this year’s Transpacific Yacht Race have been released, with 12 boats from Orange County participating.

The Transpac race - which only happens every other year - is one of the oldest and longest distance yacht races on the West Coast.

The first set of boats will be taking off Monday. There are about 75 boats that are entered.

This year’s race should be especially exciting, as Roy Disney tries to reclaim the record on his spruced up “Pyewacket,” which he donated and leased back from Orange Coast College.

Disney announced his retirement from sailboat racing before the 2005 Transpac race, but after Morning Glory took his 1999 record, he decided he couldn’t go out like that.

I had the chance to chat with Disney before this year’s First Team Invitational Regatta, which is a warm-up for the Transpac held here in Newport. Here’s what he had to say:

Our goal is to be the first boat there,” he said. “And maybe break the record again.”

He has also put together one of the youngest crews to sail the 2,225 mile race for a documentary called “Morning Light.”

The festivities for the race kick off July 7 at the Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach. There are a ton of activities planned, including the unveiling of 11 “Walk of Fame” monuments - one for each decade of the race - to be placed around the harbor.

Check back here before the race for the latest news and a daily blog during the race written by one of the sailors.

– Laylan

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