Rolex Fastnet 2013 Race

Not trying to be a downer, honest, but for info to MoodyNick & others suggesting following the Fastnet in cruisers, in the 1979 disaster 4 of the 19 people lost were in a cruising catamaran doing just that.

I'm not suggesting it's a likely end, just that people have tried following before.
 
While most of the fleet that have not yet rounded the rock appear to be able to lay the mark comfortably, thanks to the wind having shifted south of west, that is not the case for poor old Duet - who (on a perpendicular course) do not appear to be getting any closer to their target.

My suggestion to them would be to carry on in the direction they are headed, which should carry them nicely into the Chenal du Four. Then spend a week or two cruising South Brittany. I hope they remembered their Euros. :)
 
'Duet' seem to have made some ground over night and are now at 4.5kts and travelling in the right direction. Best of luck to 'em.
 
Boreades said:
Err, yes. Is it me, or does there seem to be an epidemic of AIS failures as they cross the shipping lanes around the IoS?
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I think the Yellowbrick Tracker works differently to MarineTraffic. MT relies on individual ground based receiving stations to upload the info and hence west of the IoS would be out of range but I think YB may be a satellite based system.

Happy to be corrected though.
 
Fire99 said:
Great to see Duet is now past the 'point' and heading towards the Emerald Isle. :)
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Only 40nm separates Duet and Foggy Dew (the leader of IRC class 4) - ignoring the minor technicality that Duet is outbound and Foggy on the homeward leg.

At a combined closing speed of c.13 knots they will pass each other in about 3 hours.

If I were onboard Duet, seeing the leader of my class passing me in the opposite direction, whilst still close to the IoS, would be a real test of my perseverance. I think I would probably be seriously considering mutiny if I was unable to talk my skipper into retiring and making a holiday of it. Explains why I am a cruiser. I just don't get this racing lark, but I admire them (in a "good for them even though they are a bit nuts" sort of way).
 
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I've got a couple of friends aboard a Class 40 who are about 40 miles from the finish now. Every time I check on them they seem to have gybed - yellowbrick is amazing for sailing vicariously!
 
Giblets said:
As they have only done 200ish miles of 600ish in 3 days I would be looking at at least another 6ish days or Monday/Tuesday-ish.

All depends on the "ish"! :D
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I think they had some pretty unfavourable winds (or lack of 'em) for a fair while. I'm hopeful that the remaining 400 allow them to stretch their legs a little more than the first 200 or so.
 
Fire99 said:
I think they had some pretty unfavourable winds (or lack of 'em) for a fair while. I'm hopeful that the remaining 400 allow them to stretch their legs a little more than the first 200 or so.
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And, initially at least, they were tacking, so distance through water/over ground is far more than the measure of distance made good. So long as the wind doesn't shift to the east when they round the rock, progress on the homeward leg should be a bit better.

Reckon they'll miss much of the partying, though.
 
Fire99 said:
'Duet' pulling 6.5kts now. Quite a contrast from 0.8kts last night. :)
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"Hey guys, would you believe this? I have just discovered that if you pull on this rope, attached to that flappy thing at the front it stops it from, er well, flapping."

"Would you please put it back the way you found it? Those mackeral can't keep up with us". ;)
 
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