The Rolex Fastnet Race and CCYC Participants
At least nine CCYC members took part in and completed this year’s race to the Fastnet Rock and back. Three very different boats took part in the race.
‘Jackdaw’ a J39 based in Cowes Yacht Haven is owned by club member David Walters and was crewed by fellow club members Jasmine Light, Jonathan Nash, and Ken Gilpin. ‘Jackdaw’ was helmed by Paul Bowen, (brother of club member Vern). Other crew were Henry Bagnall (club member Ursula’s son), Tim Smith, Graeme Spence, Garry Grimshaw and Byron Leversuch.
David Walters said that the crew gave great commitment in the preparation for the race. Since the disastrous 1979 Fastnet Race the skipper and crew have to sail in a number of RORC offshore races of over 24 hours duration with a total distance of over 300 miles covered. The skipper and 30% of the crew also have to have sea survival and first aid qualifications so this involves a big commitment of time and effort from all which paid off in the amazing result of Class 2A winner, Second Overall Class 2, Line Honours Class 2 and 45th overall.
Jasmine who is a nurse at the Applegate Breast Care Unit at St Mary’s Hospital was competing in her first Fastnet and she said that she would not have missed it for the world. She is now preparing for crossing the Atlantic about the time that this edition of the Ark is published. Good luck to her and we hope she has a good crossing.
‘Eric the Barbarian’ is a Bavaria Match 35 owned by club member Derek Blancké. He had been forced to retire from the race in 2007 due to the bad weather and he and his crew of John Clark, Roger Griffiths, Will Ayliffe, Dan Bean and Andy Haffenden were very keen to make it this time. They were seen in the club on the day prior to the race having a last beer and purchasing extra food in town in case it proved a long race in the predicted light airs.
This year Derek’s aim was to get round the rock and complete the race anything else he viewed as a bonus! They had a good start and made good time through the Solent at which time the wind rounded onto their nose where it remained for some time. At Portland the wind died and with the tide against them as well not much progress was being made. They made a decision to head south in a search for wind – a strategy that did not pay off losing them precious time in the process. However, they were still in contention and had some excitement in a tacking battle with a number of other boats at Lands End. The wind remained on the nose all the way across the Celtic Sea amidst rain, mist and fog – not a great deal of fun.
At this time they realised that they would be passing the Fastnet Rock during the night so the longed for photos of the Rock would not be possible. As they rounded the Rock with several other boats a few morbid jokes were shouted out regarding the wind changing direction so that they would have to tack all the way back to the finish line! They must have tempted fate because sure enough the wind came round to SE so they were back on the wind again all the way back to Bishop’s Rock.
Finally the wind came round to the aft quarter, the sun shone and at last after five and a half days they were able to hoist the spinnaker and blast back towards the Lizard surfing on the nice Atlantic rollers.
They entered Plymouth in the dark, handed in their declaration and went straight to a local bar where they stood in a queue ‘festering’ as they had not had a shower for seven days! They were just in time for a Guinness but were too late for any food. A big breakfast was eaten the following morning. Derek and crew had fulfilled their wish of completing the Fastnet. They came 38th in Class 2B against boats such as Winsome and Jumping Jellyfish and 207th overall.
Eighty-year old Kenneth Newman was the third, but by no means the least, person from CCYC to enter a boat in the Fastnet Race. He chartered a Swan 46 named ‘Marinero’ in which to make his challenge. Amazingly Ken has entered and completed every single Fastnet Race since they started. This was to be no exception. The crew included club members Dave Ross and Rudi Jurg and Pauline Tilson’s son Ben. ‘Marinero’ came 11th in Class 2A and 147 overall.
CCYC congratulates all their members who competed in the Rolex Fastnet 2009. Well done and especially we are looking forward to seeing Ken compete in 2011 at 82.