Fastnet 2023 Sunfast attrition

[chrisclin]

Reading the new copy of YM and its report on this year's Fastnet race, I am struck by the fact that one Sunfast 3600 sank and one 3600, one 3200 and one 2600 were dismasted. The only other dismasting reported was a Swan 55.
I don't know the Sunfast range, although I have sailed on a Sunfiz in the past but is there any reason why the Sunfasts suffered so much?

 

[lustyd]

Probably because they are bought by race heads who push them hard

 

[chrisclin]

Probably because they are bought by race heads who push them hard

Surely that applies to most of the entrants

 

[B27]

There were a lot of Sunfasts in the race.
How many of the failures were 2 handed entries?

I think some of these boats are well used, with very experienced crews, but maybe some of the equipment is getting on a bit?

Three dismastings is possibly below the record for a Chew Valley Lake open meeting.

To make any sense of it, you need to look at each individual case and see what happened.

Them Nicholsons look like dodgy accident prone boats, this month one dismasted and one up the beach in Lyme....

 

[lustyd]

Surely that applies to most of the entrants

I think it's a race that attracts all sorts, most just want to take part in the big race and have fun but won't necessarily push their boats hard

 

[MisterBaxter]

How many boats in total pulled out with gear failure? How many Sunfasts in total entered?
The question is, what percentage of Sunfasts experienced gear failure, and how does that compare with other boats?

 

[flaming]

Reading the new copy of YM and its report on this year's Fastnet race, I am struck by the fact that one Sunfast 3600 sank and one 3600, one 3200 and one 2600 were dismasted. The only other dismasting reported was a Swan 55.
I don't know the Sunfast range, although I have sailed on a Sunfiz in the past but is there any reason why the Sunfasts suffered so much?

There's no such thing as a 2600....?

By my maths it was 1 3600 sunk and 2 dismasted. And one 3200.

Scuttlebutt has it that the one that sank did so because the engine mounts failed causing the saildrive to part company with the boat leaving a big hole. The dismastings I haven't heard any detail on. But yes these boats are pushed hard. And to be honest also have a reputation for being very strong, so perhaps give their crews a bit more confidence to push hard... And there are a lot of them....

Worth saying that whilst the 3600s suffered 1 sunk and 2 dismasted, they also went 1,2,4 in their class.... So a mixed fastnet!

There have also been a few dismastings in the more numerous 3300 fleet this year, there was one this weekend in fact. A point of failure seems to be the runners failing in the clutch when running hard downwind, with the core of the rope separating from the cover. For that reason most of the fleet are changing over to "constrictor" type clutches on the runners.

 

[flaming]

There were 16 3600s, 15 3200s and 17 3300s in the race. The majority sailed doublehanded.

 

[Lightwave395]

So by the above, there were 48 Sunfast raceboats taking part, all pushed very hard and in pretty tough weather, with 4 boat casualties. I'd say that's a pretty good record TBH !

 

[flaming]

So by the above, there were 48 Sunfast raceboats taking part, all pushed very hard and in pretty tough weather, with 4 boat casualties. I'd say that's a pretty good record TBH !

Not quite - quite a few more retired than that...

But overall I don't see the sunfasts having a significantly worse RET rate than other makes with significant numbers of boats sailing. I still wouldn't swap my JPK for one though....

 

[onesea]

Nothing like one design racing to push boats harder. In the back of your head there is no excuse for them to be in front of you. It’s easier to justify pushing harder than you normally would do.