fastnet yacht sinks 2023

Yachting Monthly

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Caro wins Fastnet, yacht sinks and four dismasted in treacherous race

Heather Prentice
July 24, 2023

It was a fast and furious start to the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race with four dismastings and one yacht sinking in the winds of 40 knots

The 52ft Swiss entry Caro, skippered by Max Klink wins the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race

Caro , a Botin 52 owned and skippered by Max Klink, is the overall winner of the 50th Rolex Fastnet in a punishing race that saw one yacht sink and four yachts dismasted in gale-force winds, with close to 90 yachts pulling out in the first 24 hours.

Four-metre waves, and gale-force winds gusting up to 43 knots hit the fleet shortly after the start from Cowes on Saturday as a record 443 yachts headed off on the famous 695-mile yacht race round the Fastnet Rock off the south coast of Ireland and across the Celtic Sea to Cherbourg, France.

HM Coastguard reported that they had responded to 28 incidents involving yachts participating in the Fastnet Race in the first few hours, with a search and rescue helicopter and RNLI crews from Yarmouth, Poole, Swanage and Weymouth responding to multiple incidents.

The winning maxi trimaran SVR Lazartigue from France was the first yacht to round the Fastnet rock Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

The most serious incident was the sinking of the Sunfast 3600 Vari in the western Solent. Only 20 minutes elapsed between the crew of Vari raising the alarm that they were taking on water and the yacht sinking. The two French crew were recovered from their life raft by an RNLI lifeboat at Yarmouth and taken ashore to hospital. They are both safe and well and now back in France.

Golden Globe Race skipper Tabio Lehtinen was dismasted on his Swan 55 Galiana , which is due to compete in the Ocean Globe Race, a retro edition of the historic Whitbread race, in September. Sun Fast 3200 Mirabelle was also dismasted as was Royal Naval Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Yoyo and Sun Fast 2600 Diablo

Oida ran around off Beaulieu after the anchor dragged and CF520 Oystercatcher XXXV suffered deck failure. There were several MOB/EPIRB distress alerts as devices got covered by water, proving to be false alarms.

The winner Caro also did not escape unscathed. ‘The first 12 hours we were just in survival mode, trying not to break anything, trying to keep the boat at 100 percent,’ said the Swiss owner. ‘I wasn’t thinking about any title or trophy, it was just about getting through the conditions.’

‘At one point we just had everyone in the cockpit, no one was hiking. And keeping the boat speed to no more than six knots and trying to just get through this really bad sea state.’

Strong wind against the tide led to heavy conditions early in the Fastnet Race Photo: Rolex/kurt Arrigo

Caro also sailed largely without instruments after damage to the top of the mast. Tactician Adrian Stead, twice a winner of the Fastnet, added: ‘We lost the wand off the top of the mast in the Portland tidal race and we lost all our wind instruments, so we were running blind.’

‘We pretty much straight lined it all the way (back from the Scilly Isles) and we realised we had a very good shot at winning IRC Zero so pulled out all the stops, got out some extra chocolate bars and had everyone hiking hard on the rail for the last few hours into the finish.’

Caro completed the course in 2 days, 16 hours and 40 minutes, two hours ahead of nearest rival Team Jajo on corrected time, although this may change as there ere are several yachts yet to complete the race.

Multihull line honours went to SVR Lazartigue under skipper François Gabart with a new record of 1 day, 8 hours, 38 minutes, beating the exiting multihull record by 30 minutes and reaching the finish line an hour before rival Banque Populaire under skipper Armel le Cléac’h.

The American yacht Warrior Won rounds the Fastnet Rock at dawn during the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race. Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

The new IMOCA 60 Macif , skippered by Charlie Dalin, was the first monohull home, taking line honours in an incredibly close race between the giant IMOCAs.

Macif beat Paprec Arkea , skippered by Yoann Richomme by only four minutes and Sam Goodchild, the skipper of For The Planet was only 13 minutes behind them.

Macif set a new monohull course record of 2 days, 7 hours and 16 minutes, shaving over an hour from the time set by Skorpios , a ClubSwan 125, in 2021 when the race first sailed this new course.

RORC Racing Manager Steve Cole said the committee had considered postponing the race but that there was another low pressure system developing to the west of Ireland and in a seven-day race for some yachts it is difficult to avoid bad weather.

‘The feeling was that, although it’s better not to have bad weather at all, if you have to have it, better along the English coast where there are places to shelter than, in the Celtic Sea,’ he told Yachting Monthly.

‘Undoubtedly the forecast would have put some people off, but our rules are flexible enough to allow people to take shelter and then resume racing later. A lot of people did that and good for them for taking the right decision at the time,’ Cole added.

‘We put the races on and hopefully people are well prepared and well informed and the ones that get through it are the ones that deserve to finish.’

Yarmouth RNLI Coxswain, Howard Lester said: ‘This weekend’s Fastnet race was the busiest one for Yarmouth lifeboat, responding to six incidents in some very challenging conditions in the western Solent and beyond.

‘We were very fortunate that all our call outs were to crews with means of calling for help and were equipped with either lifejackets or had life rafts accessible onboard.’

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Water crashes onto the deck of one of the vessels battling the elements in the Rolex Fastnet race

Dozens of yachts retire from Channel race due to ‘brutal’ gale-force winds

One crew evacuated before boat sinks as more than 80 vessels abandon world’s largest offshore race

Dozens of yachts have been forced to retire from the world’s largest offshore race due to “brutal” gale-force conditions in the Channel, with other vessels forced to seek shelter and one believed to have sunk.

Strong winds and torrential rain affected the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet race, which has been organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club since 1925 and takes place every two years. This year’s event set a new record of 430 yachts, surpassing the 388 that took part in 2019.

But organisers said about 86 had retired after a “brutal” first night of the 600-mile race. Competitors set off from Cowes on the Isle of Wight on Saturday heading for the finishing line in Cherbourg, north-west France, via the Fastnet Rock off Ireland.

One yacht, the Sun Fast 3600 Vari, sank off the Isle of Wight and its crew are said to be safe and well. In a statement, the Rolex Fastnet race committee said: “At approximately 16.30 yesterday afternoon the Sun Fast 3600 Vari began to take on water south-west of the Needles.

“Thanks to the swift response of the emergency services both crew members were evacuated to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, and are safe and well. The boat is believed to have sunk although the exact reasons are not yet confirmed.”

HM Coastguard reported involvement in 28 incidents, some involving injured crew. The race director, Steve Cole, told the BBC: “The strong winds last night were forecast well in advance.

“Now the front has passed, the wind and sea state have dropped, and conditions are even set to be light over the next 24 hours.”

The race’s official blog reported that the crew on Stuart Lawrence’s J/120 Scream II reported wind speeds of 46 knots on Saturday evening.

Poole lifeboat station said it had attended yachts encountering problems on Saturday evening in “lively” conditions during “relentless heavy rain”.

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An RNLI volunteer helm, Jonathan Clark, said: “With the challenging conditions out there tonight, RNLI lifeboats from Yarmouth, Swanage and Weymouth are being kept very busy helping to keep people safe and there are a lot of vessels in Poole tonight seeking safe haven.”

Boats of all ages, shapes and sizes participate in the historic race, which attracts amateurs and professionals.

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Published on July 26th, 2023 | by Editor

Overall winner set for 2023 Fastnet Race

Published on July 26th, 2023 by Editor -->

(July 26, 2023) – Max Klink’s Botin 52 Caro has been crowned overall winner of the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. After being confirmed as winner of IRC Zero yesterday, no other boat still racing on the 695 nautical mile course can catch the Swiss boat for overall honors in the 50th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s offshore classic.

It had been a record setting edition as François Gabart and his team on the 100-foot SVR Lazartigue established a new elapsed time of 1 day 8 hours 38 minutes 27 seconds, breaking the time set by Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier on Maxi Groupe Edmond de Rothschild two years ago by 36 minutes 27 seconds.

Additionally, Charlie Dalin and Pascal Bidegorry on MACIF Santé Prévoyance won monohull line honors, the first time an IMOCA has ever done so. Her elapsed time of 2 days 7 hours 16 minutes 26 seconds also established a new race record to Cherbourg, beating the ClubSwan 125 Skorpios’ 2021 time of 2 days 8 hours 33 minutes 55 seconds, an improvement of 1 hour 17 minutes 29 seconds.

For the overall winner, the fact that the opening 12 hours of the race were so bruising, with winds gusting close to 40 knots and boat-breaking seas off the south coast of England, made victory all the sweeter for Klink and his crew of professional sailors.

“This is a legendary group of sailors who I have been fortunate to sail with for a few years now,” said the Swiss owner, “but when we set out on this race I never expected that we could win. It’s a dream come true, and all the more special that this is the 50th edition of such an iconic race.

“The first 12 hours we were just in survival mode, trying not to break anything, trying to keep the boat at 100 percent. I wasn’t thinking about any title or trophy, it was just about getting through the conditions.”

Klink used to race a 65-footer but is very happy to have taken a step down in the size range, and arguably a step up in the level of competition.

“The 50-footers are so competitive now and the racing is so close,” said Klink, mindful of how close they might have been to suffering a similar fate as Rán 8, former Fastnet winner Niklas Zennström’s CF520 which pulled out of the first race due to structural problems.

“The line [between success and failure], it’s very close. But boats like Caro and Rán are built for the tough conditions. You just have to remember there are times to slow the boat down, not do anything stupid, and that’s where the experience of these guys comes in.

“At one point we just had everyone in the cockpit, no one was hiking. And keeping the boat speed to no more than six knots and trying to just get through this really bad sea state.”

Tactician Adrian Stead, twice a winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race with Zennström and past Rán campaigns, hadn’t competed in the race for 10 years. So the British professional was delighted to have come back with another victory.

Working with young Australian navigator Andy Green, competing in his first Rolex Fastnet Race, the extensive homework Stead had undertaken in researching the nooks and crannies of the Dorset, Devon, and Cornish coastlines more than 20 years earlier for the Admiral’s Cup had come back into play in Caro’s bid to make every second and every inch of the race course count in their favor.

“Things like being in under the Lizard in the back-eddy that might save you five minutes further up the track, we worked hard on those details,” said Stead, who paid tribute to Green’s ability to master the tricky race course at his first attempt. “Andy did great work around the course, particularly through the big current on the final run into the finish.

“Also I think the practice run we did on the Wednesday (July 19) before the race, out in the Solent in 25 knots of breeze, that was a useful preparation for everyone on the team to get our heads in the game. Practicing the starting, and then a full circuit of the Isle of Wight, a good seven-hour shakedown for all of us and the boat.

“We had all our rivals under control out of the start and it’s always good for the team spirit when you’re leading out of the Solent. But then we lost the wand off the top of the mast in the Portland tidal race and we lost all our wind instruments, so we were running blind.”

Then, when the bowman went up the rig to replace the wand, he discovered the cable had been mashed due to the earlier breakage, so the crew had to complete the rest of the race sailing by the seat of their pants, without critical instruments and mostly data-free. However, Stead admits they had the dream run back from the Isles of Scilly.

“We pretty much straightlined it all the way and we realized we had a very good shot at winning IRC Zero so pulled out all the stops, got out some extra chocolate bars and had everyone hiking hard on the rail for the last few hours into the finish. We were fortunate how the weather worked out for us, but I think we did a great job of preparation and keeping ourselves in the game for as long as possible and we are so pleased how it all paid off.”

The winning crew on Caro are: William Parker, Wade Morgan, Ryan Godfrey, Justin Ferris, Jono Swain, James Paterson, Harry Hall, Cian Guilfoyle, Andrew McCorquodale, Andy Green, Adrian Stead, and owner Max Klink.

Event information – Results – Tracking – Facebook

A record-sized fleet of 430 yachts got underway for the 50th edition of Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes on July 22, 2023. For a second consecutive occasion, the course departed from the UK but has a French finish in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin via a 695 nautical mile course via the Fastnet Rock.

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Yachting World

Digital Edition

Incident-packed first day for Rolex Fastnet Race fleet with rescues, retirements and one yacht sunk

Helen Fretter
July 23, 2023

Incident-packed first 24 hours for Rolex Fastnet Race fleet led to multiple rescues, retirements and one yacht sunk in early stages of the race

After yesterday’s strong wind start for the Rolex Fastnet Fleet , the number of boats that have retired from racing has continued to multiply. At 0700 this morning over 80 of the 445 entries had officially retired from racing, and by this afternoon that had increased to 112.

It was an incident-packed first day and night for many competitors in the fleet, and for rescue services along the south coast of England and Isle of Wight.

Wind speeds in the western Solent were particularly high, with data from Hurst Castle last night recording 38 knots, gusting 43 shortly after 2000 hours.

HM Coastguard reported that they responded to 28 incidents involving yachts participating in the Fastnet Race.

Lifeboats and coastal rescue teams from Yarmouth, Poole, Weymouth, Swanage, Portland and Wyke were all deployed to multiple incidents, with Yarmouth RNLI in the western Solent being called out six times alone. The Coastguard helicopter was also deployed to assist injured crew members.

Fastnet sinking and dismastings

The most dramatic incident was the sinking of a French double-handed yacht in the western Solent. A search and rescue helicopter and two RNLI lifeboats were deployed after reports that the Sunfast 3600 Vari was taking on water. The two crew members were found in their liferaft – both were safely recovered safely and taken ashore to Yarmouth.

The Rolex Fastnet Race race committee issued a statement saying: “At approximately 16:30 yesterday afternoon the Sun Fast 3600 Vari began to take on water southwest of the Needles.

“The boat is believed to have sunk although the exact reasons are not yet confirmed.”

With near back-to-back callouts for many rescue crews, the Coastguard and RNLI were tasked to assist included yacht Azora with steering failure, and another vessel with medical assistance for a head injury.

In other incidents, one yacht ran aground off Beaulieu (after the anchor dragged), and Richard Matthews’ CF520 Oystercatcher XXXV suffered deck failure.

Though there was at least one MOB/EPIRB alarm, it turned out to be a false alarm and all crew are accounted for.

There were also four dismastings. Golden Globe Race skipper Tapio Lehtinen was dismasted on his 1970 Swan 55 Galiana , which is entered in this September’s Ocean Globe Race – a crewed ‘retro’ style race being held in homage to the 50th anniversary of the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Lehtinen posted on Facebook: “ Galiana WithSecure was dismasted at 22.30 local time South East of Portland Bill. Main mast fell down at the lowest spreaders.

“Everyone onboard and the boat itself is sound and safe. We were able to get the rig and sails onboard. Coastguard and RORC informed.

“Now slowly drifting towards the Needles and waiting for the daylight to motor back to Gosport. 2/3 of the team are resting.”

The Sun Fast 3200 Mirabelle was also dismasted, along with the Royal Naval Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Yoyo ; and Nick Martin’s Sun Fast 2600 Diablo .

Meanwhile Gery Trenteseaux’s Sydney 43 Long Courrier retired after their mast suffered significant deformation near the base, though the crew rigged a jury system to support it (left).

“The strong winds last night were forecast well in advance,” commented Rolex Fastnet Race Race Director Steve Cole in a statement issued this afternoon.

“The club would like to thank HM Coastguard and the RNLI for their assistance. It is thanks to their effort and skill that the incidents were dealt with professionally and those who required assistance were recovered safely. Now the front has passed the wind and sea state have dropped, and conditions are even set to be light over the next 24 hours.”

Fastnet teams wait out weather

Other teams opted to take refuge from the conditions before restarting. Crew member Jaime Torres, who is racing aboard the First 40 Olympia’s Tigress , posted: “Fastnet update: We are a charter boat racing with an amazing mix of a top pro sailor and several intermediate and advanced crew members aged from 18 to 60 y/o.

“We started at 14:00 in 25 knots and slack tide. In prep for very tough conditions to come, we were sailing under storm jib and triple reefed main. That would turn out to be a wise choice. We went faster as the wind got stronger.

“We kept a very sharp lookout as the gusty conditions, fast current and the fact that we were surrounded by 450 competing yachts made for a lot of close crossings. We were doing 7.5s on the [boat speed] and up to 9 knots on SOG due to current.

“The wind continued to build as we worked our way west out of the Solent. On approach to the west exit just inside the Needles, our skipper noticed the massive breaking waves caused by the super strong winds against an outgoing tide.

“Safety is our number one concern so we made the call to temporarily turn back to Yarmouth and moor to let the worse of the weather pass.

“Conditions are close to extreme and several boats have suffered catastrophic damage.”

“WE ARE STILL RACING. We intend to reengage at dawn when the conditions are forecasted to improve.”

Moonbeam , the 1903 Fife-designed gaff yawl took this plan one step further. The classic, which is skippered by the Vendée Globe Race director and French offshore racing legend Jacques Caraës, waited the worst of the weather out in Cowes overnight before restarting on Sunday morning.

The Ultime SVR-Lazartigue was first boat around the Fastnet Rock. Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Line honours contenders

Meanwhile the hot competition for Rolex Fastnet Race line honours continues. Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue is leading the fleet, with less than 200 miles to the finish in Cherbourg after blasting back from Fastnet Rock at 30 knots. They are expected to arrive into Cherbourg late this evening

The 88-footer Lucky is in close contention with the IMOCA Arkea-Paprec for monohull line honours, and early predictions show the first monohull finishing early on Tuesday, 25 July.

86 boats retire as strong gales cause havoc at 50th Rolex Fastnet Race

Sunday 23 July 2023 at 4:12pm

WATCH the dramatic start of the 50th Fastnet race in Cowes. Video from Rolex Fastnet Race

Strong winds in the English Channel have forced at least 86 boats to retire in the 2023 Fastnet Race.

A record number of 430 boats set off from Cowes on Saturday afternoon, knowing they would be facing 40 knot winds overnight.

It's the 50th staging of the biennial race, which sees sailors travel more than 600 miles around the Fastnet Rock in southern Ireland, and back to Cherbourg.

Around 3000 sailors are taking part in the race this year, but within hours of setting off 50 boats had retired due to strong headwinds and a poor forecast.

Going into the first night at sea the trackers show yachts seeking safe refuge in Yarmouth, Lymington, Poole, and small harbours along the south coast.

On Sunday, race organisers confirmed that 86 boats had retired so far.

HM Coastguard said they responded to 28 incidents as a result of difficult weather conditions affecting vessels participating in the race.

In a statement they said it was an "extremely busy" night:

"Working closely with our partners from RNLI and South West Ambulance Service, our air and coastal rescue teams were deployed to aid multiple damaged vessels and to assist in the safe retrieval of crew members.

"Lifeboats and Coastal Rescue Teams from Yarmouth, Poole, Weymouth, Swanage, Portland and Wyke were all deployed to multiple incidents.

There have been no official reports of any serious injuries.

All vessels are fitted with trackers and accounted for.

The 32m Ultim Trimaran SVR Lazartigue , skippered by François Gabart , was the first boat to round the Fastnet Rock on Sunday morning with others in hot pursuit.

You can follow all the race action LIVE here

View Live Video Stream -->

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The 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes, England to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France via the Fastnet Rock proved near perfect as a celebration of the 50th running of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s flagship event © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

A worthy 50th Rolex Fastnet Race

A poignant moment for Will Le Fevre Jr on board Kali as he rounds the Fastnet Rock in memory of his late father, Bill Le Fevre

In honour of a father’s memory

Stormvogel, the van der Stadt/Laurent Giles 74-footer, rounds the Fastnet Rock© ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

Reminder of a bygone era

Emma, the Garcia yacht was sailed by a multinational all-female crew © Arthur Daniel/RORC

Multinational all-female team arrives back to home port

Caro, Overall winners of the Fastnet Challenge Cup in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

Winners and crews celebrate their Rolex Fastnet Race Challenge

50th Edition Grows the Legacy

Challenger 2 was the top Challenger yacht out of the 3 participating © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

An adventure to remember for young crew on board Tall Ships Youth Trust entries

Darkwood, Michael O’Donnell’s J/121, welcomed Matt Beecher as a late addition © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

A Fastnet veteran at 24

Live Updates ----- Start 1000 BST on Thursday 20th July

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Yachting Monthly

Digital edition

Caro wins Fastnet, yacht sinks and four dismasted in treacherous race

Heather Prentice
July 24, 2023