In 1976, two Portland sailors, Jack Gainer and Richard Kipp, decided it was time that Portland have its own ocean race to rival the famous races held in Seattle, Canada and down south.  The race was called the Oregon Offshore (now Pacific NW Offshore) and it went from the mouth of the Columbia River, 100 miles South to Newport, Oregon. Jack and Richard paired up with the Corinthian Yacht Club of Portland as the Organizing Authority and sponsor of the race. This first race had 10 competitors and was won by Jim Christianson on his boat Destiny.  

After a few years of running various courses of varying lengths, in 1980, the current course was run for the first time. Competitors gathered in Astoria, Oregon and headed to Buoy 2 off the mouth of the Columbia, then up to Cape Flattery taking the Duntze Rock buoy to Starboard and finishing at the entrance to the Victoria, BC harbor.  One of the reasons for the change was to facilitate boats going north to participate in the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, which led to decades of a relationship with The Royal Victoria Yacht Club. 

Over the years, the Oregon Offshore has enjoyed the participation of boats from all over the Pacific Northwest and Canada. The race is always a challenge, with a variety of wind and sea conditions that test the competitors with light, heavy winds both upwind and down, and a variety of sea states. The race usually takes about 36 or so hours over the 193 miles with the current race record of 14 hours set by Kevin Welch and his crack crew on the Bob Perry design “Icon.” The previous record was held for 15 years by Steve Rander’s, now Dave Raney’s, Rage, built by Schooner Creek Boat Works the title sponsor of the race.

In 2019, a new host city was chosen, Ilwaco, Washington. The city welcomed the race with open arms, incredible hospitality, and Mermaids!! In 2020, the first and only cancellation of the race occurred due to Covid 19.  In 2021 the name of the race was changed to PNWO and because of lingering issues with entry into Canada, we finished the race in Port Angeles (also in 2022), with the cooperation and welcome of the Port Angeles Yacht Club.  We will be forever grateful to those wonderful folks for their help and their courtesy. 

Since 2023 we are back to a finish in Victoria. The 2024 race had some of the most testing conditions the race has ever had, reminding us that we really are in the Ocean. Beginning this year and going forward, the Organizing Authority for the race will be the Portland Yacht Club. While the Corinthian Yacht Club has managed the race through thick and thin for 49 years, the future of the race will benefit from the resources available from a much larger, long established Pacific Northwest club. It goes without saying, also, that 2026 race will be a very very special event because it is the 50th annual running of the race. See you in Ilwaco!