Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign

RORC Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign from Ondeck Sailing

The RORC Fastnet Race offers the novice and experienced sailor alike, a reat sailing adventure!

Join the fleet of 300 yachts as they battle each other, and the elements, to compete in one of yachting's greatest offshore races. The Fastnet Race leaves Cowes and heads down the English Channel, before rounding Land's End and heading across the exposed Irish Sea.

Once around the Fastnet Rock, the final leg circles the Scilly Isles before the dash to Plymouth and a welcome celebration ashore.

The Fastnet Race Route - Part of the RORC Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign from Ondeck Sailing

In total the Fastnet Race covers just over 600 miles of challenging offshore conditions. The Fastnet Race really is for the truly adventurous and consequently, as with other offshore races, is not without an element of risk.

To prepare you fully for this race, Ondeck has put together a full programme of training, far in excess of the minimum requirements of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. This training includes fully RYA accredited Sea Survival, First Aid, and ISAF Offshore Safety Courses, a race training weekend, and 3 RORC qualifying races.

Two of the qualifying races will be exclusive to Ondeck, with our prestigious Pete Anthony Challenge and Williams Cup Races. At the end of the race, you will get to join the celebrations and prizegiving ashore, perhaps receiving a little of the silverwear in the process.

Our Fastnet Campaign culminates in our return to Portsmouth, in our own race, to compete for the Ondeck Spirit Trophy. In total our campaign offers you approximately 1300 miles of offshore racing, in the excellent hands of our racing skippers and instructors. All aspects of the campaign will be carried out on our Farr 65 Ocean race boats, which meet the most stringent of MCA requirements for ocean racing. This ensures that you are in the safest possible hands. These boats were designed to sail around the world and as such handle offshore conditions such as those potentially experienced on the Fastnet with ease. These boats are raced with a compliment of 22 including the skipper, 1st Mate and 2nd Mate.

Description

Fastnet 2009 Race Campaign - comprising of 1 training weekend, 3 RORC approved qualifying races 2 of which are exclusive to Ondeck, ISAF Offshore Safety Course, RYA Sea Survival, and RYA First Aid Courses. The campaign also includes the exclusive Ondeck Spirit Trophy during our race back from Plymouth to Cowes.

Recommended Previous Experience

None required, however, before completing in the Fastnet Race itself, all crew must have completed a minimum of 300nm in RORC Offshore Racing, and have completed the ISAF Offshore, RYA Sea Survival and RYA First Aid Training Courses as a crew.

Main Points

The schedule comprises of the following:

1) Race Training Weekend will take place on 13th and 14th June 2009
2) The RYA First Aid Course will be held in Gosprt on June 19th 2009
3) The RYA Sea Survival will be held in Gosport on June 20th 2009
4) The ISAF Offshore Safety Course will be held in Gosport on 21st June 2009
5) The Pete Anthony Challenge Race will take place on 27th and 28th June 2009
6) The RORC Cowes - Dinard - St Malo race is the 9th to 13th July 2009 (date TBC)
7) The Williams Cup Race will be held on 25th and 26th July 2009
8) The 2009 RORC Fastnet Race occurs directly after Cowes Week, 8-13 August 2009 (dates TBC)
9) The Ondeck Spirit Trophy is our own race following the Fastnet award ceremony, and takes approximately 24hrs from Plymouth to Portsmouth, 14th to 15th August 2009. (Date may change if Fastnet delayed)

Dates: 8th August 2009 - 13 August 2009

Departs from: Cowes Yacht Haven

Cost: £3,300

Click Here to download these details in PDF

For further information please call the office on the number above or Click Here to check availability and book online.

As part of Ondeck’s Fastnet Campaign, you will compete in two of our own exclusive RORC approved Qualifying Races, as well as the RORC Cowes to St Malo Race.

The first qualifying race is:

The Pete Anthony Challenge Race.

The Pete Anthony Challenge Route - Part of the RORC Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign from Ondeck Sailing

The course will go from the Ondeck Gillkicker buoy, leaving Bridge to port, Casquettes to Port, Round Alderney, Nab Tower to Port, with the finish line between No Mans Land Fort and Horse Sand Fort.

The course is a minimum of 190 miles and will take in the challenging Needles Channel and Alderney Race.

The second RORC approved qualifying race is:

The Williams Cup Race

The Williams Cup Route - Part of the RORC Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign from Ondeck Sailing

Ondeck Gillkicker buoy, leaving West Princessa to Port, Round Royal Sovereign, with the finish line between No Mans Land Fort and Horse Sand Fort.

The course is a minimum of 122 miles and will take you past the spectacular Beachy Head.

The third RORC qualifying race is:

The Cowes – Dinard – St Malo Race

TheCowes - Dinard - St Malo Race - Part of the RORC Fastnet Race 2009 Campaign from Ondeck Sailing

The course is from the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, Casquettes to Port, Les Hanois to Port, finishing at St Malo.

Covering a minimum of 164 miles this course will take you past the challenging Needles Channel, and the rocky outcrops of the Channel Islands, before heading into St Malo, for the prize giving and then the quick return dash.

The 2009 RORC Fastnet Race occurs directly after Cowes Week.