Fastnet race start Delayed
- Thread starter CliveG
- Start date
Clarky
New member
I wonder what will happen if the bad weather is delayed as often happens and the following day then has the worse weather.
Difficult dilemma for the organisers.
Difficult dilemma for the organisers.
FullCircle
Well-known member
Very interesting. In other races, the Skippers met round the back of the dinghy sheds and agreed to cross the start line and retire, as there was no rule allowing cancellation due to weather. Isuppose that the Fastnet is such a big event that if all retired just after the start, they wouldn't have anything. Also the dinghy shed would have to be fairly large, and someone would be bound to be a bit Cavalier and have a go at it.
Good decision, I wonder what the RORC decision matrix is based on?
Good decision, I wonder what the RORC decision matrix is based on?
nigelhudson
New member
The start is delayed until 1100 BST Monday - the latest Met Office synoptics show a deep low centred over Southern Ireland at 1200 UTC Tuesday with the associated fronts sweeping up the Western Approaches and Channel. I'm no expert but it would seem to me that the start has been re-timed to ensure that most of the fleet will be between Lands End and Fastnet just as the worst of the weather hits. Perhaps I'm missing something here?
douglas_family
New member
thats how i see it !
doris
Well-known member
Smaller boats stuffed??
Having a quick look round various weather sites it appears to me that the big boats are going to fly out to the rock and the smaller ones will be stuck beating a serious distance. Seems to me that RORC have blown it, (plus ca change one might say!). Also I can't see where the really heavy weather is coming from. Only the Met seems to be talking 40kts +
Having a quick look round various weather sites it appears to me that the big boats are going to fly out to the rock and the smaller ones will be stuck beating a serious distance. Seems to me that RORC have blown it, (plus ca change one might say!). Also I can't see where the really heavy weather is coming from. Only the Met seems to be talking 40kts +
pyrojames
Well-known member
A bad precedent to set, I think. It suggests that the race organisers are taking the role in deciding whether or not the weather is suitable for an offshore race. In the future I feel this leaves other race organiser in the unenviable position of having to judge whether the conditions are suitable for all of the fleet. It won't be long before some inexperienced skipper who runs into trouble tries to blame organisers for starting a race in dangerous conditions. The decision of whether to go to sea should always be in to the skipper. Any suggestion that this decision should be taken by someone else other than the skipper is idiotic.
flaming
Well-known member
I have a number of friends waiting to start the fastnet, in a variety of boats, and several of them doublehanded. All of them became very quiet once the forecast was issued. Talking to a number of them the plan seemed to be to start and to monitor the forecasts very closely and simply stop racing if the forecast continues to make it clear that the conditions will be beyond the point which they are prepared to accept, making that call no later than Falmouth.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
FullCircle
Well-known member
Hear,hear.
Call 0800-RORC-To-Blame for your free information pack.
Call 0800-RORC-To-Blame for your free information pack.
Dave99
Member
I think if I was sailing shorthanded and had seen the forecast - I would consider taking some more crew
[ QUOTE ]
I have a number of friends waiting to start the fastnet, in a variety of boats, and several of them doublehanded. All of them became very quiet once the forecast was issued. Talking to a number of them the plan seemed to be to start and to monitor the forecasts very closely and simply stop racing if the forecast continues to make it clear that the conditions will be beyond the point which they are prepared to accept, making that call no later than Falmouth.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a number of friends waiting to start the fastnet, in a variety of boats, and several of them doublehanded. All of them became very quiet once the forecast was issued. Talking to a number of them the plan seemed to be to start and to monitor the forecasts very closely and simply stop racing if the forecast continues to make it clear that the conditions will be beyond the point which they are prepared to accept, making that call no later than Falmouth.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
[/ QUOTE ]
flaming
Well-known member
[ QUOTE ]
I think if I was sailing shorthanded and had seen the forecast - I would consider taking some more crew
[ QUOTE ]
I have a number of friends waiting to start the fastnet, in a variety of boats, and several of them doublehanded. All of them became very quiet once the forecast was issued. Talking to a number of them the plan seemed to be to start and to monitor the forecasts very closely and simply stop racing if the forecast continues to make it clear that the conditions will be beyond the point which they are prepared to accept, making that call no later than Falmouth.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
[/ QUOTE ]
[/ QUOTE ]
Can't, they've qualified as a doublehanded entry, not fully crewed.
I think if I was sailing shorthanded and had seen the forecast - I would consider taking some more crew
[ QUOTE ]
I have a number of friends waiting to start the fastnet, in a variety of boats, and several of them doublehanded. All of them became very quiet once the forecast was issued. Talking to a number of them the plan seemed to be to start and to monitor the forecasts very closely and simply stop racing if the forecast continues to make it clear that the conditions will be beyond the point which they are prepared to accept, making that call no later than Falmouth.
The South coast is not exactly short of all weather bolt holes and I thought that to be a very seaman like approach.
[/ QUOTE ]
[/ QUOTE ]
Can't, they've qualified as a doublehanded entry, not fully crewed.
Pinnacle
Well-known member
I wish I had known...........
.........cos then I would not have been off the RYS at 09:00 this morning, wondering where everyone was! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Having experienced 1979, I commend the RORC for their actions.
.........cos then I would not have been off the RYS at 09:00 this morning, wondering where everyone was! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Having experienced 1979, I commend the RORC for their actions.
Dave99
Member
bugger - they must be thinking hard - its one thing getting caught out in a bad blow or going out racing in a F8; 10 men up, but to go out doublehanded with a bad storm brewing - I certainly wouldnt envy them
BlueSkyNick
Active member
this would be my approach too..... but there again 300 boats all looking for a bolt hole at once could cause a problem.
Neraida
New member
Perhaps it's also a question of rescue resources once the fleet is past Land's End, should things get really nasty. Bearing in mind that a lot of boats will not have experienced anything worse than a Channel gale, it makes sense to me to give them enough time to consider the situation before heading out into the Irish Sea.
I'm not sure it'll blow up that much tho. If it does however; I'll happily watch from home ta!
I'm not sure it'll blow up that much tho. If it does however; I'll happily watch from home ta!
BrendanS
Well-known member
there is a huge amount of experience amongst the boat communinity of what they consider rough conditions, on a variety of vessels. I'm not sure we have any way of communicating what we consider rough in the variey of vessels we use.
Neraida
New member
Yeah, I agree Brendan, but the Fastnet Rock is a long way from a safe port and the delay I believe was to give skippers and crew enough time to decide whether to contemplate going there once the bad weather arrives, if it arrives.
Woodlouse
New member
Not true actually, from the Fastnet it's a mere 12 miles to Crookhaven which would provide a bolt hole for all but the biggest boats.
Neraida
New member
My point being a safe port once away from Land's End. Bearing in mind that bad weather is forecast to kick in from Tuesday and the second bout on Wednesday, many boats, aside from fast racing yachts would have already have been somewhere inbetween and a long way from either the Irish or the English coast.
billreilly
New member
Check out PassageWeather.com for the latest Fastnet Race forecast maps.
http://www.passageweather.com
http://www.passageweather.com
