What boat for the Fastnet Race?

I'd suggest that for 2015 Fastnet this thread is a tad late.
Assuming the hyopthetical finances are not such that the £100k budget is loose change, and therefore that you really want to "go for it", then as well as choosing a boat which is capable of winning, you need time to

a) learn to sail it well
b) optimise it along the way
c) get your crew trained

IMHO the ideal phasing for this kind of project is to buy the boat ahead of a non-fastnet season, so you have had a whole season plus a winter to get some foundations laid ahead of the Fastnet campaign itself.
 
BlueSkyNick said:
I've not sailed on a Prima38 but have liked the look of them in the past, however I seem to remember reading on here that they struggle to sail to their IRC rating.
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I believe that an upgrade package was mooted with Jason Ker designed foils that would improve the rating/boat's ability to sail to it. Not sure what happened there, but I imagine this would take it well outside the £100k budget

Delivered one from Falmouth to Crosshaven for Cork Week (2002 I think), - and thought it was a cracking boat to sail
 
Good point by Alan Ashore about timing, but i did start by saying it is a hypothetical question whilst day dreaming!!

I am surprised nobody has mentioned a J. 105's are available sub £60k, but the more comfortable 109 in good condition is probably in the region of 100k.
 
BlueSkyNick said:
I am surprised nobody has mentioned a J. 105's are available sub £60k, but the more comfortable 109 in good condition is probably in the region of 100k.
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105s are a bit cramped and as you say, any larger J is outside your budget. There must be lots of older X-yachts, Firsts as well as some out and out racers whose value has plummeted that would do the job. Sea berths/pipe cots are the one thing I look for on these longer races - a bit like a Sigma 38 then.
 
J-109s are changing hands in the £60k to £75k range. For any boat you need to look closely at the sail wardrobe since there are a lot of possible wind strengths and directions that might be encountered. For IRC classes you are going to need 7 or 8 racing sails plus storm sails. If you go in a one-design class like Sigma 38 the rules will limit the number of sails that can be carried and hence the potential cost. Of course, the bigger the boat the more expensive the sails. You would probably have to have ordered them already to get them in time for the qualifying races next year.
 
It really depends what you want to do. A Starlight 39 will get you around the course. As will a Sigma 38. But that's about it. Do the Sigma 33s still meet the stability criteria?

J109s will probably have a good number in class, so it'll give you a serious attempt at competitive sailing when you realise you're not going to win. 40.7s will come into the same category. If I do it it'll probably be on a Jason Ker design. I suspect his more modern IRC friendly designs will have way more chance than us.

You really need to get going very quickly. You need your crew to gel and you need to know that they all have confidence in each other. And you! You don't want the teamwork falling apart when the going gets tough. So, in the absence of an established crew, you'll need to campaign hard from the start of the season.
 
£100K would just about cover the cost of the race in a decent boat with a chance of winning.let alone the boat cost.
Kerr 50 with 12 professional crew complete with all the kit plus support van & shore crew, support rib, traveling, accommodation, new sails for the race, race training, breakages etc etc
Come to think of it £100K would not even get you to the line
Dream on
 
Daydream believer said:
£100K would just about cover the cost of the race in a decent boat with a chance of winning.let alone the boat cost.
Kerr 50 with 12 professional crew complete with all the kit plus support van & shore crew, support rib, traveling, accommodation, new sails for the race, race training, breakages etc etc
Come to think of it £100K would not even get you to the line
Dream on
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I suggest you look at the overall IRC results and put down whatever it is you are smoking. ;)

http://fastnet.rorc.org/results/2013/rfr-irc-overall02.html
 
To state that all Prima 38's "are tired" is nonsense, there may be issues with their rating compared to newer "optimised" designs but all Prima 38's built are still racing.
As for doing well in the race, in heavier weather the biggest boats will be contenders. In F3-5 conditions Classes 2 or 3 will be competitive. In light weather it's a lottery. As for a boat in the price range, I would suggest a J109.
 
Perhaps the best way to get a good race might be to buy/charter/get on a boat where there are other boats of the same design raced by similar people on similar budgets?
If there are half a dozen Prima 38's and you can get in the top half, that might mean more than picking the right boat on yardstick?
A J109 sounds a good choice. Some good people to race against.

A few things need to be thought about.
For instance, if it blows F8 for the first day, do you all want to carry on regardless, or would you draw a line and come back in two years?
Who do you have lined up to crew?
It seems easy to find people who want to tick the Fastnet box, not so easy to pick the people you really need and can get on with for a long race if it doesn't go quite right...
I can see the appeal of doing it shorthanded or on a smaller boat.
 
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