Rolex Fastnet Race Archives

Blogs 2009

The race so far for Rosebud Team DYT

Tuesday 11^th AUG 1300 GMT

Boat Captain on Roger Sturgeon's STP 65, Rosebud sums up the Rolex Fastnet Race so far...

Fourteen boats were on our start line and we started the race at the leeward end of the line in good position with the rest our fleet. We were pulling bearing on Luna Rossa (who started at the weather end of our line) for the first 5 minutes after the start when we decided to gybe away to what we thought we be better pressure and let us escape the power boat wake from the boats chasing RAN.

What a mistake that gybe was. We found ourselves caught between the two different breeze directions and our competition sailing away from us. The run out the Solent turned into a beat for the last 2 miles to the Needles and our rhythm did not improve. In short, we were terrible getting out of the Solent.

Crew member on NJOS GBR9824

Ruderschaden in riesen kappelwellen ohne wind bei lizard point. Alle wohlauf aber sehr enttäuscht. Jetzt aufm weg nach falmouth in pub. Urlaub in cornwall. :( ph.

Crew member on GBR222 Aviva

1245hrs BST Having enjoyed breakfast at the Fastnet Rock, we are now enjoying aspinnaker lunch as we head straight for the Scilly Isles. With 110 milesto go and keeping our boat speed in double figures we were all happy, thatwas until a slight bump at 15 knots and a huge rushing of air into thekeel box. Everyone jumped up and Joff and I ran to check the keel.Tick the box it was still there, perhaps we have hit something and crushedthe front fairing plate, endoscope went down to check underneath." Meanwhile on deck, cool calm Brian suggested we sock the spinnaker and getthe boat going in reverse, so anything wrapped round our keel could getfree and float away. A few minutes of struggling with huge acres of sailcloth and we were moving backwards, far from ideal but the guys sawsomething float free and before we knew it all was well and we were backup to speed with all guns blazing and no nasty noises. It just goes to show how much rubbish there is in our oceans and also howsome rational thinking and a small sacrifice can reaps huge rewards.Scilly Isles, here we come!! Dee and Team Aviva

Artemis Ocean Racing at the Fastnet rock

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Crew Member on Playing Around

Skipper Pete Robson last night on the way to the Lizard said:

"JB and Ulle are singing Dancing Queen whilst bouncing down the reach here on the way to the Lizard. Michelle has never been to Ireland before, hope she doesn;t want to do any sightseeing. Its been a bit wet and wilder than our usual offshores; where else can you go to bed with one blonde aand wake up with another, sometimes you have no idea who you are sleepng with!!"