Renowned South African adventurer Chris Bertish departed Mission Bay, San Diego, today, 25 June, on a 20-foot production catamaran, commencing a 2 800-nautical-mile unsupported crossing to Hawaii that combines extreme athleticism with tangible conservation impact.
The TransCat Expedition 2025 marks the first attempted traverse of this route on an open-deck beach catamaran, a vessel offering no cabin protection from storms, scorching sun, or 20-foot Pacific swells.
Bertish 49 aims to complete the journey in under three weeks while spearheading four major sustainability initiatives - planting 6 000 trees, restoring Hawaiian coral reefs, funding a Kenyan education centre, and hosting live ocean-streamed lessons for students globally.
The expedition builds on his 2017 Atlantic paddleboard crossing and 2021 wing-foil voyage but presents new technical dangers due to the catamaran's minimalistic design.
Engineering for extremesThe modified Gemini 20 catamaran underwent two months of sea trials to withstand the crossing. Key adaptations include: