For those who are seasoned Rolex Fastnet Race Competitors, we have assembled a list of the main changes for the 2023 edition of the race. We assume that you are checking this with the intention of competing in the same boat and with a similar crew as in 2021 - so we are skipping through all the boat and crew eligibility here. But whether a "Veteran" of the race or not, you are - of course - still subject to all the criteria. Have a look at the "Complete Guide" if in doubt.
Important Dates and Entry Information
| Event | Date (2023) | Competitor Info |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Opens | Wed 11 Jan 12:00 hrs UTC | From this date you can log into your SailRaceHQ account and add your boat to the Registration List for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2023. After Sunday 15th Jan, all registered boats will be sorted and places offered on a first come, first served basis, with RORC members receiving priority over non-members. Boats registering after this date will allocated places on a first come, first served basis regardless of membership. |
| 50% fee | Within 10 days of entry | Once you have been allocated a place in the race, the RORC Race Team will inform you and officially enter the boat. From that date of entry, 50% of the entry fee must be paid within 10 days. This part of the entry fee is non-refundable. |
| Proposal | As soon as possible after entry | You must email the Race Team detailing your plan to meet the crew mileage qualification requirement. |
| Qualification | As per proposal | You must email the Race Team once your crew have completed the mileage qualification as per your proposal. |
| Closing Date | Thursday 22 June | Make sure you have paid the full Race Entry Fee by the Closing Date so as not to incur the Late Payment Charge. By this date send in your completed OSR Checklist, completed to Category 2. |
| Rating Deadline | Thu 13 July | Your yacht must hold a valid rating/class certificate by this deadline. After this date any changes are in exceptional circumstances only and at the discretion of the RORC. |
| Race Check-in | Wed 19 July - Sat 22 July | At the RORC Office, The Disrespect, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Sailing Instructions are available only after completing registration. |
| Skippers Briefing | Fri 21 July, 12:00BST | RORC Cowes Clubhouse & broadcast through RORC Social Media Channels. |
| Start | Sat 22 July | Start times and starting groups will be detailed in the Sailing Instructions. |
Summary of significant changes for 2023
Closing Date
In addition to settling the balance of the entry fee, by Thursday 22 June, we also require that your OSR Checklist is completed to Category 2 in SailRaceHQ. If you have already completed an OSR Checklist to Category 3 (as you would have had to for most of the preceeding RORC Offshore Races) then please ensure that by this date you have submitted the Category 2 checklist.
Rating Deadline
All yachts must hold a valid rating/class certificate by end of day, Thursday 13th July 2023. Only non IRC yachts must submit a copy of their class certificate to the RORC (Certificates are still required to be carried aboard the boat). After the deadline any rating changes are in expectional circumstances only and at the discretion of the RORC.
SailRaceHQ
All entries for the Rolex Fastnet Race must be entered via SailRaceHQ and all crew lists must be added, ensuring invites have been accepted. In exceptional circumstances and at the RORC's discretion, entries or crew lists may be accepted by alternative means.
Boat and crew safety equipment - possible amendments
There may be further amendments to World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations for 2023 which will be published by World Sailing in due course and made available on the RORC website; this document will then be updated.
Entry Fees 2023
Entry Fees 2023 - shown in £ Sterling
RORC members are entitled to a discount of 30% of the entry fee, up to the equivalent value of a Full UK Ordinary subscription (2023 - £377). This fee discount structure is applied to all RORC Offshore races so, as a RORC member doing your qualifying mileage, you can expect to have saved more than your subscription rate through fee discounts over the course of the season!
| LH (LOA) (m) | Non-Member | RORC Member (discount) |
|---|---|---|
| Below 9.00 | 564 | 395 (169) |
| 9.00 - 9.99 | 641 | 447 (193) |
| 10.00 - 10.99 | 721 | 505 (216) |
| 11.00 - 11.99 | 842 | 589 (285) |
| 12.00 - 12.99 | 949 | 664 (358) |
| 13.00 - 13.99 | 1192 | 834 (377) |
| 14.00 - 14.99 | 1385 | 1008 (377) |
| 15.00 - 15.99 | 1813 | 1436 (377) |
| 16.00 - 16.99 | 2357 | 1980 (377) |
| 17.00 - 17.99 | 3028 | 2651 (377) |
| 18.00 - 18.99 | 3613 | 3236 (377) |
| 19.00 - 19.99 | 3932 | 3555 (377) |
| 20.00 - 20.99 | 4264 | 3887 (377) |
| 21.00 - 21.99 | 4582 | 4205 (377) |
| 22.00 - 22.99 | 4851 | 4474 (377) |
| 23.00 - 23.99 | 5051 | 4674 (377) |
| 24.00 - 24.99 | 5250 | 4873 (377) |
| 25.00 - 25.99 | 5478 | 5101 (377) |
| 26.00 - 26.99 | 5680 | 5303 (377) |
| 27.00 - 27.99 | 5874 | 5497 (377) |
| 28.00 - 28.99 | 6066 | 5689 (377) |
| 29.00 - 29.99 | 6300 | 5923 (377) |
| 30.00 and above | £210 / metre | £210 / metre (377) |
Summary of other requirements
Below is a list of other requirements that have not changed since 2021 but will have to be considered:
Crew Qualification
The basic requirements of the crew to qualify have not changed from 2021. A brief description follows; further information can be found in the Complete Guide:
- Minimum experience requirement of 300 miles of offshore racing completed by 50% of the crew (but not less than 2), including the Person in Charge, and within 12 months preceeding the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race
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At least 30% of the boat's crew (but not less than 2), including the Person in Charge, must have completed training to Section 6 of the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations within 5 years of the start of the race
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Minimum of 1 member of the boat's crew must hold a in-date First Aid Certificate completed within the last five years. Please note that some first aid certificates only have a validity of three years.
Boat Suitablity
The basic requirements of the boat's suitability have not changed from 2021. A brief description follows and further information can be found in the Complete Guide:
| Monohull | Multihull | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed |
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| Length |
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* The Committee may make an exception to the minimum or maximum lengths on application. |
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| Hull Construction | See Complete Guide if in doubt | |
| Stability |
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| Boat Equipment |
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Help and Support
We understand that going through the entry procedures and meeting all requirements can seem a daunting task. However, undertaking a challenge such as the Rolex Fastnet Race requires a great deal of preparation - which takes some time and effort. With this in mind be sure to regularly check the 'Overview' page in your SailRaceHQ account and try to work through all the items in good time. The earlier you invite your crew, the earlier you can see who has and who hasn't got Offshore Survival Training or First Aid. The earlier you send in your World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations Checklist, the earlier you will receive feedback and advice should it be required. The earlier you think about your qualification, the more opportunity there is to meet the requirements - should you not manage to compete in one of your qualification races, for example.
We are here to help you
We are always just on the other end of the phone or an email away if you have any questions. You can discuss with us the possibility of scheduling an inspection of your boat, you could talk through any queries on requirements regarding particulars of your boat, qualification plans or if you need help choosing the right training courses or boat equipment. And, of course, regarding any other topics that we have forgotten to explain in detail here.
Call the Race Team on +44 (0)1983 295144 | Email the Race Team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.