1979 Fastnet race


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 over 303 yachts that started the biennial race, resulting in 19 fatalities. 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.

Build-up

The 1979 race started on 11 August. 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, 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. 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. The Daily Telegraph described the situation, where "Royal Navy ships, RAF Nimrod jets, helicopters, lifeboats, a Dutch warship Hr MS. 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, and tankers. Rescue efforts began after 6:30 am on 14 August, once the winds had dropped to severe gale Force 9.
15 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, 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 17:30 on 14 August.

Finishing yachts

The handicap winner was the yacht Tenacious, designed by Sparkman & Stephens, owned and skippered by Ted Turner. The winner on elapsed time in the race was the 77-foot SV Condor of Bermuda, skippered by Peter Blake, which gained around 90 minutes on the leader at the Fastnet rock, the SV Kialoa by chancing a spinnaker. 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.

Handicap results all classes (first three in each class)

ClassPositionYachtDesigner/Type/LOA
Owner
Corrected time
hh:mm:ss
01TenaciousSS 61Ted Turner93:44:19
02Condor of BermudaSp 77R. Bell97:57:24
03KialoaJ. B. Kilroy98:03:40
11Red Rock IVFrE. Mandelbaum98:35:05
12AcadiaFrB. Keenan99:17:53
13GregalM. Peche99:52:39
21EclipsePtR39J. C. Rogers97:05:27
22Jubile VIPt 42H. Hamon97:40:15
23ImpetuousHdG. Lambert and J. Crisp97:53:53
31RevolutionFn 37J. L. Fabry97:42:53
32Blue BirdNI 34A. Gerard110:48:52
33Ceil IIIMW 40W. Turnbull116:33:18
41Black ArrowUFO 34Royal Air Force S.A.110:35:10
42SamsaraFr 33Madame O. Trans-Van-Dom110:44:19
42LoreleiSSH36M. Catherineau
43MahuriUFO 34G. M. Lowson122:03:38
51AssentContessa 32W. and A. Ker116:58:55

Vessels that did not finish

Of the 303 starters, only 86 finished. There were 194 retirements and 24 abandonments.
Early press reports were often confused. The Daily Telegraph reported that 69 yachts did not finish.
Also
Polar Bear was abandoned but remained afloat and raced again. She is berthed in Plymouth.

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
These RNLI lifeboats spent 75 hours at sea in winds:
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 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.