Fastnet Race 2009 - join our crew

• Book A Berth
• Cruises
• Round the Island Race
• Fastnet Race 2009
  • Safety
• Cowes Week
• Our yachts
• More information
• About us

To make a booking or to find out more about our events, click on the email link at the bottom of each page, or call us on 0333 4440 477.

---

To be kept informed of new developments as the season progresses - new events, new boats, special discounts - sign up for our occasional email newsletters by clicking on the button below.

---

---

We also operate corporate events – take a look at our main site reached via the About us page.

9 August 2009

The Fastnet race is run in alternate years. It is the most famous offshore yacht race in the world - first run in 1925, when 7 yachts came to the start line off Ryde IOW to race to the Fastnet Rock off Ireland and back to Plymouth. The modern race, over a course of 608 miles, starts at Cowes and attracts up to 300 entries. You can join the crew of our smart, stable but speedy First 47.7 for this exciting race.

The race follows immediately after Cowes Week, in mid-August, but even so conditions can be challenging – the 2007 race was sailed in gale conditions that forced most of the fleet to retire before reaching Lands End. But it was nothing like 1979, when 15 sailors lost their lives in freak storm conditions. That tragedy led to many improvements in equipment and procedures, among them stringent requirements about crew qualification (see below).

The race itself starts on Sunday 9 August, the day after Cowes Week ends. We expect to finish on Wednesday or Thursday, and to be back in the Solent by the end of Sunday, a week after the start.

The package

We still have one or two places on our First 47.7, Azzurra, at a temptingly low price, reflecting the fact that you have already missed our introductory weekends in April and May.

The package consists of:

three qualifying race weekends
the race itself, taking about four days
the return passage from Plymouth to the Solent
embroidered crew jackets and shirts
use of lifejackets and oilskins
all meals on-board.

The campaign

The boat, skipper and half the crew are required to do 300 miles of offshore racing together before the Fastnet race itself. Although it is possible if all goes well to do the necessary offshore qualifying miles in two races, we take the view that it is better to plan on doing three races. We have deliberately chosen races that finish back at Cowes, so that no time is ‘wasted’ on return passages from France.

The timetable is:
23 May Myth of Malham round Eddystone race
13 June Guingand marks race
25 July Channel marks race
9 August Fastnet start at Cowes
13 August parties in Plymouth
16 August back in the Solent

The campaign extended

We are considering offering the option of adding a fifth RORC race for those who wish to compete in the RORC championship (five results are counted for the championship):
4 September Cherbourg race
If only some Fastnet crew members want to add this race, we could offer spare places to other sailors.

The cost

The basic package costs £2,250. This is by a mile the cheapest Fastnet campaign you will find on a decent boat. It results simply from the fact that we are late in bringing this campaign to market, so we have to price it attractively.

The RORC requires 30% of the crew to have undertaken Offshore Personal Survival Training, which in the UK means the RYA ISAF Offshore Safety Course. We would like all crew members to undertake this training, but it is not actually compulsory. It is not included in the package, because many keen sailors already have the training or parts of it, or will find it easier to undertake it near their home. We will arrange the necessary training at advantageous rates for those who want to do it in the Solent area.

Click to download a pdf event summary:
Fastnet09