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1979 Fastnet Race
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1979 Fastnet Race
50°33′00″N 6°58′16″W / 50.550°N 6.971°W
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-nautical-mile (1,120 km; 696 mi) 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. Immediately, and ever since, the 1979 race has been known worldwide as the deadliest in yachting history.
A worse-than-expected European windstorm on the third day of the race wreaked havoc on the 303 yachts that started the biennial race, resulting in 21 fatalities (15 yachtsmen and 6 spectators) during the early morning hours of 14 August in the Celtic Sea. 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.
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, and 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.
A large depression named "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 (370 km; 230 mi) 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 UK Meteorological Office assessed the maximum winds as Force 10 on the Beaufort scale; the majority of race competitors estimated the winds to have reached or exceeded Force 11. The official inquiry reported wind speeds reaching 60 knots (110 km/h; 70 mph) with little or no advance warning, and wave heights reaching 50 feet (15 m) in conflicting directions, conditions that were especially destructive for the smaller sailboats. The lowest recorded pressure was 979 hPa.
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 (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, and tankers.
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 HMS Broadsword was ordered to the scene, taking over as the Scene of Search Coordinator on arrival at 17:30 on 14 August.
Fifteen competitors died in the race; 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:
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1979 Fastnet Race AI simulator
(@1979 Fastnet Race_simulator)
1979 Fastnet Race
50°33′00″N 6°58′16″W / 50.550°N 6.971°W
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-nautical-mile (1,120 km; 696 mi) 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. Immediately, and ever since, the 1979 race has been known worldwide as the deadliest in yachting history.
A worse-than-expected European windstorm on the third day of the race wreaked havoc on the 303 yachts that started the biennial race, resulting in 21 fatalities (15 yachtsmen and 6 spectators) during the early morning hours of 14 August in the Celtic Sea. 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.
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, and 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.
A large depression named "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 (370 km; 230 mi) 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 UK Meteorological Office assessed the maximum winds as Force 10 on the Beaufort scale; the majority of race competitors estimated the winds to have reached or exceeded Force 11. The official inquiry reported wind speeds reaching 60 knots (110 km/h; 70 mph) with little or no advance warning, and wave heights reaching 50 feet (15 m) in conflicting directions, conditions that were especially destructive for the smaller sailboats. The lowest recorded pressure was 979 hPa.
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 (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, and tankers.
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 HMS Broadsword was ordered to the scene, taking over as the Scene of Search Coordinator on arrival at 17:30 on 14 August.
Fifteen competitors died in the race; 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:
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