Rolex Fastnet Race Start

And they’re off!!

The Sailing Logic fleet has started racing - 7 skippers, 7 teams and 7 yachts all away safely from Cowes this lunchtime.

After yesterday’s postponement, all crews took a welcome extra day preparing their yachts for the race, and the expected high winds that have been forecast. Safety equipment has been checked and re-checked, weather forecasts have been poured over and many a conversation between skippers has been noted on the pontoons, each wondering what the best tactics will be in the unpredictable weather lying ahead. The mood was calm, and very collected this morning on the dock, and the yachts slipped quietly from their moorings at 9am.
A few last minute mini dramas behind them, teams headed down Southampton Water to join up with the rest of the race fleet heading towards Cowes and the Royal Yacht Squadron start line.

After the delays from yesterday, the race started with the Open 60 class powering away including old friends Dee Caffari (Aviva) Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) and Johnny Malbon (Artemis), heading west down the Solent towards The Needles in a steady 20-25 knot South westerly breeze. Bongani, our Pronavia 38 in IRC Class 2 was the first of the Sailing Logic yachts to start. They got away well and were sailing steadily in conditions that were suiting the boat down to the ground.

Next away was Class 1, with the 4 Reflex 38’s and Sidney, the Match 42. Class 1 is the biggest class in the race with 71 entries and the start line was a jumble of brown and gold sails, all jostling for the best position to cross the line. A recall was called for 3 yachts, but in general all went smoothly. Jaguar Logic, Puma Logic, Sidney and Lion were all together after the first mile taking the island side, with Pink Panther staying in the middle hedging their bets amongst a throng of Beneteau 40.7’s. Puma Logic, in a competitive mood, had a interesting tussle with French X40 yacht OptimeX which saw them cross tacking many times trying to edge ahead. Jaguar Logic were keeping Puma in their sights at all times, whilst Lion and Sidney were having their own private battle not far away.

The final Sailing Logic yacht to start was Exabyte 3 in Class 0, taking a mid-route line as per Pink Panther, and settling down nicely mid-fleet. A broken kicker during the pre-start period gave the shore team a few minor worries, but a high speed rib ride in the M12 Rib for Nick the Skipper, back to Hamble for another part was successful, which was quickly fitted and all is now well onboard.

The weather forecast this evening is predicting winds to increase form the south west, which will give the Sailing Logic teams some interesting conditions and mean that they will be tacking backwards and forwards down the Channel heading for the first milestone in the race, the Bishops Rock at The Scilly Isles.

We will be monitoring their progress every step of the way, and will be keeping you updated as often as we can.