1979 Fastnet Race Explained

The 1979 Fastnet Race was the 28th Royal Ocean Racing Club's Fastnet Race, a yachting race held generally every two years since 1925 on a 605-mile course from Cowes direct to the Fastnet Rock and then to Plymouth via south of the Isles of Scilly. In 1979, it was the climax of the five-race Admiral's Cup competition, as it had been since 1957.

A worse-than-expected storm on the third day of the race wreaked havoc on the 303 yachts that started the biennial race,[1] resulting in 19 fatalities (15 yachtsmen and four spectators). Emergency services, naval forces, and civilian vessels from around the west side of the English Channel were summoned to aid what became the largest ever rescue operation in peace-time. This involved some 4,000 people, including the entire Irish Naval Service's fleet, lifeboats, commercial boats, and helicopters.[2]

Build-up

The 1979 race started on 11 August. The BBC Radio Shipping Forecast, broadcast at 13:55 that day predicted "south-westerly winds, force four to five increasing to force six to seven for a time." By 13 August, winds were reported at Force 6, with gusts of Force 7. Forecasters were predicting winds of Force 8. The leading boat, Kialoa, trailed closely by Condor of Bermuda,[3] was on course to break the Fastnet record set eight years earlier.

Meteorological history

A large depression, known as "low Y", formed over the Atlantic Ocean during the weekend of 11–12 August. On 13 August it began to intensify rapidly and turn northeastwards, reaching about 200 nautical miles southwest of Ireland. By the 14th, the low was centred over Wexford. Land-based weather stations reported gale-force winds, with the strongest winds out to sea over the race area. The Meteorological Office assessed the maximum winds as Force 10 on the Beaufort scale; many race competitors believed the winds to have reached Force 11.[4] The lowest pressure was 979 hPa.

Disaster and rescue mission

Over 13 - 14 August, of the 303 yachts that started, 24 were abandoned, of which five were lost and believed to be sunk, due to high winds and severe sea conditions.[1] The Daily Telegraph (15 August 1979, p. 1) described the situation, where "Royal Navy ships, RAF Nimrod jets, helicopters, lifeboats, a Dutch warship HNLMS Overijssel and other craft picked up 125 yachtsmen whose boats had been caught in Force 11 violent storm strength gusts midway between Land's End and Fastnet". The effort also included tugs, trawlers,[5] and tankers. Rescue efforts began after 6:30 a.m. on 14 August, once the winds had dropped to severe gale Force 9.[6]

Fifteen sailors died, at least 75 boats capsized and five sank. Adopting heaving to as a storm tactic proved to be a good preventive of capsize and turtling during the race. Lin Pardey wrote that none of the yachts which hove to were capsized or suffered any serious damage,[7] but the official inquiry makes no such conclusion. One Fastnet participant, John Rousmaniere, wrote that

The disaster resulted in a major rethink of racing, risks and prevention.

The coastguard requested support resulting in a Nimrod aircraft from RAF Kinloss being ordered to the scene to act as the Scene of Search Coordinator. As the scale of the disaster became apparent other rescue assets were requested and was ordered to the scene taking over as the Scene of Search Coordinator on arrival at 17:30 on 14 August.

Finishing yachts

The handicap winner was the yacht Tenacious, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and owned and skippered by Ted Turner. The winner of line honors was the 77-foot SV Condor of Bermuda, skippered by Peter Blake, which gained around 90 minutes on the leader, the SV Kialoa, after rounding the Fastnet rock, by the calculated risk of setting a spinnaker sail in the high wind conditions.[8] Jim Kilroy of the Kialoa had broken his ribs and there was damage to the yacht's runners. SV Condor of Bermuda broke the Fastnet record by nearly eight hours (71h 37m 23s).

Handicap results all classes (first three in each class)

Class Position Yacht Designer/Type/LOA
(yacht type) 		Owner
(sailed by) 		Corrected time
hh:mm:ss
0 1 Tenacious SS 61 93:44:19
0 2 Condor of Bermuda Sp 77 R. Bell 97:57:24
0 3 Kialoa J. B. Kilroy 98:03:40
1 1 Red Rock IV Fr E. Mandelbaum 98:35:05
1 2 Acadia Fr B. Keenan 99:17:53
1 3 Gregal M. Peche 99:52:39
2 1 Eclipse PtR39J. C. Rogers 97:05:27
2 2 Jubile VI Pt 42 H. Hamon 97:40:15
2 3 Impetuous Hd G. Lambert and J. Crisp 97:53:53
3 1 Revolution Fn 37 J. L. Fabry 97:42:53
3 2 Blue Bird NI 34 A. Gerard 110:48:52
3 3 Ceil III MW 40 W. Turnbull 116:33:18
4 1 Black Arrow Royal Air Force S.A.110:35:10
4 2 Samsara Fr 33 Madame O. Trans-Van-Dom 110:44:19
4 2 Lorelei SSH36 M. Catherineau [9]
4 3 Mahuri G. M. Lowson 122:03:38
5 1 Assent[10] W. and A. Ker 116:58:55
[11]

Notes

Vessels that did not finish

Of the 303 starters, only 86 finished. There were 194 retirements and 24 abandonments (five of which were "lost believed sunk").[1]

Early press reports were often confused. The Daily Telegraph (16 August 1979, p. 3) reported that 69 yachts did not finish.

Mordicus Belgique won 1981

Also

Craft that assisted the rescue mission

Over 4000 people aided in the rescue efforts. The Royal Navy coordinated efforts to find around 80 vessels and rescue 136 crew members.

Key contributors to the rescue

Coastguard
Royal Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
Irish Naval Service
United States Navy
Lifeboats

These RNLI lifeboats spent 75 hours at sea in 60knot winds:

Royal Air Force
Irish Air Corps
Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC)

Yachtsmen killed

The Fastnet Race Memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Cowes, Isle of Wight lists 19 fatalities: the 15 above and Olivia Davidson, John Dix, Richard Pendred, and Peter Pickering[16] who were aboard Bucks Fizz, a yacht shadowing the fleet to view the race. Denis Benson and David Moore were lost from Tempean, which was not a competitor. Their names were added to the Fastnet memorial at Cape Clear Island harbour.[17] [18]

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. 1979 RORC Fastnet Race Inquiry report p7 table 1.2
  2. News: Hell and high water: The Fastnet disaster . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/sailing/hell-and-high-water-the-fastnet-disaster-1748093.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription . live . Tony . Paterson . . 18 July 2009 . 17 April 2015.
  3. Web site: Yachts and boats on Internet Video . Sunzu.com . 17 April 2015 . 22 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230722161335/https://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=76448 . live .
  4. Web site: Exceptional Weather Events: The Fastnet Disaster . Met Éireann . 28 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120522195733/http://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/weather-events/Aug1979_Storm.PDF . 22 May 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20160326041355/http://www.yachtingworld.com/fastnet79/see-a-map-of-the-rescue-10526 yachtingworld.com: "Fastnet 79 See a map of the rescue"
  6. News: Fastnet 79: The Disaster that Changed Sailing (Eye witness accounts) . . 24 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151223095135/http://www.yachtingworld.com/yw/fastnet . 23 December 2015 . dead . dmy-all .
  7. Book: Pardey, Lin. Storm Tactics Handbook, 3rd Ed., Modern methods of heaving-to for survival in extreme conditions. 2008. Pardey Books . Arcata, California . 978-1-92921-447-1. 97.
  8. Web site: Windley . Chris . Fastnet 1979 - Condor of Bermuda - Chris Windley - The Deadliest Yacht Race . 12 April 2022 . 3 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160803105349/http://mandarainmaker.co.uk/2011/09/06/fastnet-1979-condor-of-bermuda-chris-windley-the-deadliest-yacht-race/ . live .
  9. place awarded by Race Committee under rule 12 for loss of time in rescuing crew from yacht Griffin.
  10. Assent was the only Class 5 yacht to finish
  11. 1979 Fastnet Race Results & Season Point Winners, Royal Ocean Racing Club
  12. https://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/2238176-reliving-the-ill-fated-fastnet/ thespec.com: "Reliving the ill-fated Fastnet"
  13. Personal
  14. News: The day we fought for our lives. 19 May 2019. Dorset Echo. 14 August 2004. 23 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232318/http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5362848.The_day_we_fought_for_our_lives/. live.
  15. Web site: UFO News: The place for sailors and everyone else interested in the UFO 34.. UFONEWS. 19 May 2019. 23 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180323080558/http://ufo34news.blogspot.com.au/. live.
  16. Web site: Cowes : Holy Trinity Church – Fastnet Race Memorial . Memorials & Monuments on the Isle of Wight . 16 April 2015 . 17 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150417131618/http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/churches/cowesholytrinityfastnet.htm . live .
  17. Web site: Fastnet Tragedy Memorial Service. Extract from Southern Star newspaper. Humainst Association of Ireland. 12 May 2017. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106020659/http://humanism.ie/2015/08/fastnet-tragedy-memorial-service/. dead.
  18. News: Cowes Week 2009: Kieron Kennedy admits he was 'lucky to survive' 1979 Fastnet Race . Kate . Laven . 4 August 2009 . The Daily Telegraph . 16 April 2015 . 17 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150417141004/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/5972349/Cowes-Week-2009-Kieron-Kennedy-admits-he-was-lucky-to-survive-1979-Fastnet-Race.html . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1979 Fastnet Race".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.