Rolex Fastnet Race Update

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Sunday start on the Solent was a “drift-a-thon” for most of the fleet trying to float across the line in the westbound current.  Big crowds packed the Cowes and Western Solent shoreline in the afternoon as the record-sized fleet of 356 set off on the 90th anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race, organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. With a complete lack of wind in the central Solent, the boats ghosted across the start line starting their 605nm voyage to the Fastnet Rock and on to Plymouth with a whimper.

The six IRC fleets set off in ascending size order with IRC 4 first and IRC Z and the canting keel class last at 1340 BST. For the most part, the boats at the island end of the line got away best, but had to make a costly tack across towards the mainland shore. The boats that started at the mainland ‘pin’ end, found themselves punching flood tide in no wind. As an indication of the misery the faster boats faced in the first few hours- at Hurst Narrows, the leading IRC 4 boats were hanging on to the IMOCA 60s and Class40s!!

While the forecast remained largely light, according to navigator Ian Moore, it improved slightly. A localized area of high pressure was now sitting over Cornwall. This was due to move south on Wednesday by which time, Moore says southwesterlies would be building along its western to northern perimeter.

By Monday, the fleet had made some progress overnight with the majority of the fleet having been lured out into the middle of the Channel following the temptation of stronger winds.  At the time, the southerly lobe of an area of high pressure was extending across Cornwall and south into the Channel.  Consequently, the forecast for Monday was not good with the lobe of high pressure due to expand creating a windless zone between the Scilly Isles and the Lizard and perhaps further southeast.

For the IRC fleet, the first issue was getting around the first Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) box, keeping the fleet away from the thousands of ships that ply the Channel each day.  A lack of wind meant some boats even kedged to stop going backwards as they made their way around the TSS Channel box’s northern perimeter.

The next issue was getting by the two enormous “tide gates” that were forming into the overall strategies off Start Point (Dartmouth) and Land’s End (boatspeed/ VMG dependent, of course).  The boats that gained the most gybed and went inshore for localized breezes and tide/current relief.  Once there, most boats crept along the coastline as they meandered there way out to the hair-raising currents that boil in massive whirlpools off Land’s End.

By Tuesday morning, the weak, dying front across southern Ireland and the Celtic Sea combined with an absence of isobars anywhere in the UK made it a most frustrating night for crews. The GRIB files for the race area showed winds of no more than 5 knots between the Fastnet Rock and Start Point and a large hole in the breeze to the west of the front and another hole between the Scilly Isles and the Lizard.

However, while the race has largely been light so far, there was light at the end of the tunnel for competitors. A southwesterly breeze is forecast to fill in from the southwest in the Celtic Sea late Tuesday afternoon ahead of a front. By the early hours of Wednesday morning 20 knot southerlies are forecast at the Fastnet Rock, spreading across the race track over the course of the morning.

Leading the charge amongst the J/Teams after the first two days were the J/111s BLUR (Peter Gustafsson) and XCENTRIC RIPPER (John van der Starre & Robin Verhoef, also sailing double-handed).  They were closely linked with the J/122s that kept trading places with them; Chris Revelman & Pascal Bakker’s JUNIQUE RAYMARINE SAILING TEAM (a double-handed entry) from the Netherlands, Alain Catherineau’s LORELEI from France, Clive Mile’s new J/122E JANGLE, and Scott Miller’s RESOLUTE (top American double-handed Bermuda 1-2 champion).  The three J/133s kept “rubber-banding” with this grouping as well depending on which wind patch they were in- Angus Bates’ ASSARAIN IV, Dave Ballantyne’s JINGS or Gilles Fournier’s PINTIA from France.  Also, lurking amongst the fleet leaders were the amazingly well-sailed J/105 JESTER, skippered by the double-handed team of Kelvin Rawlings and Stuart Childerley.  Nearby to them were a gaggle of J/109s- Paul Griffiths’ JAGERBOMB, Alain Bornet’s JAI LAI and also the top J from the 2013 Fastnet- the J/120 RHAPSODIE V skippered by Jean Jacques Godet from France.

Only time will tell how it all shakes out in one of the more tactical Fastnet Races in recent history.  Christian Ripard, four-times winner of the famously light air race- the ROLEX Middle Sea Race- offered his inputs to the various J/Teams:

“You can win or lose in light winds so I teach my crew when it goes light this is where you win the race.  Everybody can sail in a good wind but you have to strive very hard to make sure you perform well in the light. If the boat is going just a fraction of a knot more than a competitor, you get ahead and when the breeze does kick in, that lead multiplies. In the light, we can sail 5 or 10% better than the opposition and that is difficult to achieve in a true wind.

Patience in light weather is the key with very few movements of the crew on board and even off-watch; you have to be aware of where to put your weight. Sail selection and development is a key area. For example using a wind seeker, which is actually a very small sail, but keeps its shape well and keeps the boat steering a course.

Spotting wind on the water is very important. If we see a gust, we sail for it, regardless of heading and sail from gust to gust. At night, I use normal binoculars and with a trained eye, you can see the zephyrs coming down. It is much easier if there is little swell during. Contours, ripples and dark patches in the water are the telltales of wind.

After dusk, I don't allow any light on board except for the navigational lights. I have been on boats that light up the sails for the trim but I can't steer like that and it has got to be dead quiet, just one guy calling the breeze. However the real skill is simply patience – it is easy to concentrate for two hours, but all night takes patience. Picking a nearby boat and competing with it, also keeps the crews adrenalin level up.“  Let’s hope the 48 J/Teams sailing in the race are mindful of Christian’s pearls of wisdom— after all, he had to put these ideas to good use winning the Middle Sea Race twice on the J/122 ARTIE!  Sailing Photo Credits- ROLEX/ Kurt Arrigo.  For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information