To be the first person to sail a production beach cat, with no fixed cabin & solo unsupported, across Southern California to Oahu in Hawaii.
Watch this 3 minute video to learn more!
In 2025, we built a custom 20ft full-carbon semi-foiling beach cat for one purpose:
To achieve something never done before: To sail a production beach cat solo, unsupported and fully exposed to the elements, with no fixed cabin or shelter, across the Pacific Ocean, from California to Hawaii, over 2,600 nautical miles.
Last year was about building and testing limits. Endless innovation, training, testing, overnight runs, multi-day missions and brutal exposure to sun, cold, wind and ocean, 24 hours a day.
In June 2025, Chris sailed more than 200 nautical miles offshore and back over three days, gaining critical insight into the systems, safety and upgrades needed for the next phase, to complete it successfully.
Now, in 2026, we return stronger, smarter and fully prepared.
Once we start, we always finish!
Another World First Adventure: Welcome to the Trans Cat Expedition 2026.
An expedition completely Powered by nature, for nature.
This is more than a record setting ocean crossing, the Trans Cat Expedition 2026 will fund:
- A CIRCULAR ECONOMY SCHOOL CLASSROOM BUILD IN NORTHERN KENYA
- Plant more than 4000 trees globally
- Coral restoration in Hanauma Bay, Hawaii
A mission driven by passion and powered by purpose, all centered around education, conservation and sustainability
In June and July 2026, Chris Bertish will start on another world-first expedition- Sailing his open, production, Nacra 20ft beach cat, solo and unsupported across the Pacific Ocean.
No fixed cabin. No support boat. No shelter. Just him, the Wild open ocean
& a purpose greater than self, to give back and positively impact the world!
Chris Bertish is a globally recognized Ocean Pioneer- Mavericks Big Wave Champion, Guinness World Record adventurer, best-selling author and keynote speaker.
Chris is no stranger to World firsts and World Records:
- The first person to paddle into giant waves at Jaws, Peahi, Hawaii
- Winning the Mavericks Big Wave surf event in the biggest paddle in waves in history
- Setting the 12hr Stand up paddle world record & Guinness World Record
- The first and only person to still ever to stand-up paddle solo and unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean
- The first and only person to still ever to wing foil solo and unsupported across the Pacific Ocean
Now, he returns for his next and most ambitious challenge yet.
The Trans Cat Expedition 2026.
KEY EXPEDITION FOCUS:
World First Expedition, to sail an open beach cat solo and unsupported from California to Hawaii.
Education, Ocean Conservation & Sustainability at its core.
This entire Expedition is exclusively driven by Wind and Solar, representing complete sustainability.
Powered by nature, for nature!
THE MISSION:
Sailing an open Beach Cat, 2,600 nautical miles, solo and unsupported across the Pacific from Mission Bay, San Diego and finishing in Oahu, Hawaii, mid-June through mid-July 2026. A solo journey on an open beach cat, never done before!
TRACKING & SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT:
Chris will be tracked live daily throughout the expedition via multiple trackers and satellite communication systems, with recorded ocean updates shared directly from the Pacific Ocean.
A real-time journey allowing people around the world to follow and feel part of the TransCat Expedition 2026 from start to finish.
Please follow the live tracking link currently positioned at the top right of this page.
GLOBAL REACH & IMPACT:
Chris’s world-first expeditions generate significant global reach and engagement across social, digital, print and international news media, creating sustained worldwide visibility for partners, sponsors and conservation initiatives.
WHY:
All of Chris’s expeditions are rooted in purpose, using adventure and global exposure to give back through education, conservation and sustainability initiatives.
The TransCat Expedition 2026 turns global visibility into real-world impact for people and the planet.
- Sept – Dec 2026:
- Building a circular economy classroom in Kenya
- Planting 4,000+ trees globally through the SeaTrees and Word Forest initiatives
- Supporting coral restoration in Hanauma Bay, Hawaii through the SeaTrees initiative
- Dec 2025 (completed):
- Paying for Ocean Education initiatives through the 2 Oceans Education Foundation in South Africa
- Paying for Mobile Ocean Aquarium & Educational Sessions for the Nine Miles Project, Waves for Change & the Sentinel Alliance
Please note that our intention is for a large proportion of the fundraising to happen during the journey. However, there are two additional fundraising events that will take place after the expedition has finished, between August 2026 and March 2027.”
EXPEDITION TIMELINE:
- April to 10 June 2026: Testing & Training for departure
- Completed:
- Craft building & shipping: July 2024 – Feb 2025 (Europe)
- Upgrading: April 2025 – March 2025 (San Francisco )
- Testing & Upgrading: April – July 2025 (San Diego)”
WHEN:
- Expedition weather window: June 10 – June 22, 2026
- Expected expedition duration: 23 – 28 days
THE PLANNED ROUTE:
Sailing from Mission Bay, San Diego to Oahu, Hawaii.
The route skirts the southern part of the North Pacific high-pressure system, utilising the predominant wind and current to his advantage, to be able to traverse the Pacific, from California to Hawaii in the shortest time possible.
The first five days are expected to be some of the most challenging, navigating the acceleration zones between the Channel Islands leaving San Diego before reaching the trade winds. The final five days approaching the Hawaiian island chain are expected to present similarly intensified conditions and acceleration zones. Chris is certain there will be many additional challenges along the way, but these two sections are expected to be amongst the most extreme.
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Meet the TransCat Expedition 2026 Oceans Without Borders Team:
It takes a dedicated team to turn a vision into reality, and the TransCat Expedition 2026 is a testament to the incredible individuals who make it all possible. Their hard work, passion, and commitment fuel this journey, and we are immensely grateful for each and every one of them. Thank you for being the wonderful humans you are, and for bringing this expedition to life!
- Chris Bertish – Expedition Lead
- Heather Reed– EA & Partnerships Coordinator
- Kealeboga Djaje – Social Media
- Evelyn O’Doherty – Media Liaison
- Ashley Eckenweiler from ACE PR Agency USA
- Kelly Burke from Flux Com PR Agency SA
- Andrew Watts from Urchin Design
- Leven Brown from Northwest Passage – Routing & Navigation Project Lead
- Mark Sponsler from Stormsurf – Weather Forecaster
- Maryke Musson from SAAMBRE – Conservation & Education Consultant
- Dale Staples from Staples Productions – Video Editor
- Cree Partridge from Berkeley Marine Centre
