FAST-NOT!!!

Sat 11th August

All goodbyes said and done at home it was time to head off for Southampton. The forecast on Friday didn’t seem to suggest too much to worry about, but this years weather has been fickle and produced some great boat speed but usually in wet conditions, so I had more kit with me than usual, to try and keep the wet out and the warmth in. Two of the best buys for the campaign were the Gul Auckland sailing jacket and salopettes which although unlined have kept the majority of the wet out (a little sweaty at times) and the Seal Skinz socks which being totally waterproof have kept my feet warm and allowed me to wear sailing shoes instead of boots much to the crews appreciation!

Arriving in Hythe I took the pier ferry over to Southampton and arrived in Cowes on the Red Jet around 5pm. Venomous was over at the GBR yard moored alongside a 60foot plus power yacht which brought out the lemming in all of us as we had to leap a 5ft gap between it and the dock!! Just one more risk to add to the growing list of potential hazards ahead of us, the main one I was to find out as I climbed on board being a nasty twin low pressure weather system off the West coast of Ireland.

Half of the crew were already on board, but it was apparent by the beer cans and relaxed outlook that something was going on that I hadn’t heard about.

Charlie (of the unpronounceable surname) explained that at the skippers briefing, RORC had postponed the race start by 25 hours, giving us a new start time of 1245 on Monday. The reasons given were the expectation for 40kn+ winds but of more concern a rough confused Celtic Sea off the Fastnet which the MCA had indicated would result in more cries for help than they could cope with and that additional equipment would need to be procured at RORC’s expense. For this reason RORC had made the decision to delay ensuring that as they said ‘all boats were within reach of a south coast port when they decide to retire!!” Obviously this wasn’t the news I’d wanted to hear after all the preparation we’d been through for the last 5 months, but as one of the bigger boats we should be in a better position than most to continue.

It was decided that we’d rig and provision the boat on the Sunday and sort out the necessary sails for the trip. The rules allow any number of headsails but only one main, which can be repaired by the boat crew (ie no outside help) but if changed will automatically incur a retirement. With the news we’d got shore leave, a few of us headed off for the remnants of the Cowes week beer tent and later to China China for some food, we were all tucked up by midnight on Venomous ready for an 0930 wake up call to start the boat preparation. Our two playboys, Jo and Charlie had been given the nod and managed to get the train to turn round and take them back to London (don’t ask me how) and Jim and Mark were also able to get an extra day with their families so all in all the delay was working out well for most.

Sun 12th August
By 1000 most of us were up and about, Ollie was hoisted up the mast for a visual inspection of the mast head, and fittings as well as fitting the staysail forestay. All of Venomous’ main sails were pulled out of the lock up and given a close scrutiny to decide which to take. Some debate suggested a Dacron sail may suit the extreme conditions expected but in the end a heavy full carbon/Kevlar main with one reefing point was chosen. Our newest crew member straight off the recently dismasted Pindar Open 60 set about rigging the reefing line pennants in the boom, which required the skills of Tessa Sanderson to launch a batten like a javelin the full length of the boom with a mousing twine attached. After the partial success with the javelin a contraption of 5 battens taped together was inserted into the boom and eventually the line appeared to be threaded through the clew and onto the reefing apron.

Other jobs included boat provisioning, waypoint setting into the deck computer together with safety line/lifejacket checking and Derek determined to fix the leak in the heads.

By around 5pm we were all done so headed off for a drink and something to eat. In Cowes there were lots of crews wandering around bemused by the anti climactic atmosphere on the high street which had the air of an out of season seaside resort. Skandia Cowes week was over, the stalls were being dismantled, the bands had packed up and yet there were over 1,000 visitors still waiting for the main event!! Very strange.

Monday 13th – Race day

Up at 0900 for a shower at Shepherds Wharf marina. I met up with Rob and Chris at the Cowes Yacht Haven for breakfast who were looking forward to racing on Bear of Britain but probably not sleeping for the next 5 days (theres only two windward bunks on Bear!!). The day started with strong sun and a light wind blowing from the Needles. In expectation of worsening conditions I’d started on the Stugeron early as it seemed had 50% of the rest of the crew.

By now we had our full compliment of 18 crew and with final provisioning completed, we slipped our lines just before midday and headed down the Medina into the Solent. With some of the slower fleets already started it was an impressive sight with 300 boats stretched from the Bramble Bank down towards Yarmouth with the 3 huge Maxi’s, Leopard, Alfa Romeo and Nimrod dwarfing even us on our 60 foot boat. First order of the day was to parade in front of the RIRC safety vessel with the storm jib and storm tri sail rigged. This done they were dispatched to the sail locker and we prepared the main ready for hoisting. With full main up we tacked and gybed between the Royal Yacht Squadron whilst we heard on the VHF the monotonous tone of the race officer counting down the various start times for each fleet sounding like the the guy off the civil defence advert ‘I am the last voice you will ever hear, do not be alarmed’. Gun after gun went off until with 10 mins to go Jane called the preparatory signal and with #2 heavy jib up we positioned ourselves at the Bramble bank end of the line alongside Alfa Romeo and Leopard. With helicopters hovering overhead we hit the line but the massive sail area of the maxis blanketed our route ahead taking power out of sails leading to a quick tack for clear air. Steadily we progressed up towards Yarmouth alongside Venom, Dereks old Vovo 60 which we would have done the Fastnet in if it wasn’t for the purchase of Venomous. As we approached the Forts we stsrted to see the beginnings of a retreat with 2-3 smaller yachts deciding the sea state was too much for them and deciding on an early shower. Estrella Dam one of the new Open 60’s also decided to return preferring to save the boat for less taxing conditions.

By the needles we were well into the middle of the fleet of slower boats where the sea conditions had built up with periodic crashes as we fell off the larger waves however being on starboard tack hard on the wind lessened the motion. We made good boat speed at around 8 knots VMG up wind in about 12 knots of breeze. After a couple of headsail changes as the wind first died off then increased, Mark decided to put in a reef as the afternoon wore on so all hands made raedy with the main to pull in the equivalent of about 6 foot of sail, cleating off the new clew and then tightening the main halliard. All went well with Formidable 3 about ½ mile behind us closing fractionally, but the more upright stance of the boat now increasing our speed further.

At 6pm the first watch went down below for 3 hours of kip, during which I had my first opportunity to drive the boat. The wind speed started to increase from 11knots to 16knots, however its still wasn’t that strong and the sea conditions had improved so off Portland we hoisted full main again and we were powering along on a course 270 for Eddystone light at about 12knots. There were still a lot of boats visible there appearing to be two schools of thought, those who hugged the coast line to stay out of the tide, and those who took the direct line like we had.

Dee and Jane at around 8pm did a great job of getting curry up to the on watch party by which time a few rain squalls started to come through, and the expected weather front loaded with extreme wind could be seen rapidly approaching, I think at this point Derek said ‘What are we doing sailing straight into that!!’ At 9pm I went down below ith 5 other crew for 3 hours of zzz’s but the sea state had started to build such that it was difficult to stay engaged to the pipe cot, so it just became a case of getting as much rest as is possible when you are being rolled, left right up down on a 2 second interval.

At 11pm there was a loud crash quickly followed by the shrieking of winches and drum of feet on the deck head. Apparently the wind had picked up to over 35knots so Derek and mark decided it was best to get the main down totally. Not being on deck at the time I can only imagine the Herculean task involved in controlling that much flogging sail but somehow with great difficulty the main was lashed to the boom which was lashed to the deck. Coming up on deck at midnight the rain was lashing down with the wind howling in the stays, with white teethed waves rolling past regularly lit up in the powerful beam of the Eddystone light off the Starboard quarter. Looking at the 20/20 clocks for our course and then the faces of those on deck I realised that the inevitable retreat had begun and we were heading North for Plymouth.

Its very difficult to explain just how I felt at that point, theres no doubt there was a great degree of relief because even under headsail only we were crashing along at over 11knots in a very confused sea however although nothing had been said I felt this was the end of our Fastnet. All that we had worked for, the dream of rounding the famous rock, the disappointment from those at home and my friends who had supported my challenge, meant I felt devastated by this seeming failure. Still there was job still to be done so by 0130 we passed the Plymouth outer breakwater, and headed for the Queen Annes Battery Marina, arriving 3 days earlier than expected having completed only 100 miles of the 608 mile course. RORC officers and marina staff were on hand to show us to a berth big enough for Venomous, where we arrived the second boat into Plymouth after one of the Open 60’s. We were closely followed by a succession of boats appearing out of the fog of war exploding out in the Plymouth sound.

Work started clearing away the sails on deck and packing the main and jibs into their bags. The damage to the main seems to have been done from the headboard (holds the main onto the halliard) chewing a large section out of the cloth below it and at the same time cutting the bolt rope which is why the sail was so difficult to bring down. With the boat secure most of put on what dry clothes we had left and slept until about 0830 at which time QAB was deemed full, and was directing boats to Sutton, Mayflower and marinas further down the river.

Even though RORC had sowed the seed of retirement in most skippers minds they weren’t prepared for the influx of boats at such an early hour, however by 0900 they had breakfast being cooked in the club house and the bar open (even though it seems the beer tent had been raided during the night by unknown thirsty sailors).

Looking around it was clear the relief but sense of loss on most of the sailors faces and feeling similarly empty, I decided I didn’t want to hang around Plymouth any longer and with Dee, Charlie and Bob, hired a car back to Southampton to collect the kit we’d left in Cowes and our thoughts. I guess it was all put in place when the faceless voice at the GBR yard gate asked ‘shouldn’t we be out sailing’? Quite.


Epilogue

So was it worth it? Yes, to experience big boat sailing is an adrenaline rush whatever your final goal. It also makes you a better sailor in the long run, as theres nothing like racing to improve your sailing ability. Also I met some great people who I hope I’ll sail with again, you know who you are.

Would I do it again? When I left Plymouth I said definitely no, but 2 weeks later I realise I cant not do 2009. We didn’t complete the task, and that’s not something that easy to live with so in mind its just on pause and the play button will be pressed in April 2009 for the next one. By that time maybe Leopard will be taking paying guests!!!!