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][3]
Build-up
The 1979 race started on 11 August. The
BBC RadioShipping Forecast, broadcast at 13:55 that day predicted "south-westerly winds, force four to five increasing to force six to seven for a time."[4] 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,[5] 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.[2][6] The lowest pressure was 979 hPa.[7]
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,[8] and tankers. Rescue efforts began after 6:30 am on 14 August, once the winds had dropped to severe gale Force 9.[9]
Fifteen sailors died, at least 75 boats capsized and five sank.[10] 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,[11] but the official inquiry makes no such conclusion.[2] One Fastnet participant,
John Rousmaniere, wrote that
If there is a fault in this debate, it is that the factions sometimes say that one tactic or piece of gear is always right, regardless of the boat and the conditions. There is nothing always about a storm at sea except its danger.
The disaster resulted in a major rethink of racing, risks and prevention.[2][10]
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.[2]
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, the
SV Kialoa, after rounding the Fastnet rock, by the calculated risk of setting a
spinnaker sail in the high wind conditions.[12] 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).[12]
Handicap results all classes (first three in each class)
Golden Apple of Ireland, disabled. Abandoned. Crew rescued by RAF Lynx helicopter.
Golden Leigh
Good in Tension A High Tension 36. Two Knockdowns. Retired from race. Sailed to Crosshaven, Cork. Towed within the harbour by Fishing vessel Mona Lisa[16]
Griffin Abandoned - crew rescued from liferaft by Lorelei
Grimalkin. Abandoned and subsequently recovered. Read John Rousmaniere's Fastnet, Force 10 and Nick Ward's Left for Dead.
Gringo. Reported as 'believed sunk'.
Gunslinger Broken rudder stock
Hestral. Abandoned. Crew of 6 rescued by Royal Navy helicopter.
Hoodlum
Impetuous
Innovation
Jan Pott of Germany, Flensburg. Broken mast.
Juggernaut
Kamisado a
UFO 34, apart from two knockdowns Kamisado coped effectively with the storm and retired to Plymouth.[17]
Kestel. Abandoned.
Korsar
La Barbarelle
Little Ella
Magic of Britain. Sunk.
Maligawa III. Abandoned.
Marionette VII
Mexxanini
Mordicus Belgique won 1981
Morning Glory
Mulligatawny
Mutine
Pachena
Pegasus
Ocean Wave
Option2 of France, Granville
Pepsi of Scotland. Broken rudder stock. Retired no steerage. Several knockdowns. No communications. After 24 hrs towed by a French Trawler into Kinsale.
Pepsi of Holland
Pinball Wizard
Polar Bear of Britain. Sunk. Crew rescued.
Polyhymnia. Retired and made own way back to Plymouth.
Sandettie, a
UFO 34 which was rolled, dismasted and swamped. However, Sandettie's crew were able to jury rig emergency rigging and sail to Lands End, where they were towed to Penzance[18]
Scaldis
Scaramouche. Retired and made own way back to Plymouth. Steve Cross [who?] remarked: "Although we hadn't the satisfaction of being one of the 88 which rounded 'the rock' we were content in knowing that we had brought the boat and ourselves back in one piece."[citation needed]
Schuttevaer of Holland
Silver Apple of Howth: lost steering, assisted by
LÉ Deirdre (P20), made a jury steering rig, retired to Courtmacsherry under own power.
Sinndkabar
Skat
Sophia
Sophie B
Tam O'Shanter
Tarantula of France
Thunderer RAOC
Trophy. Abandoned.
Tiderace IV. Abandoned.
Wild Goose of Singapore
Yachtman of Spain
Zap
Also
Mulligatawny (not competing)
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
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, HMCG Lands End, UK
Morningtown, Rodney Hill's
Oyster 39 acted as the
RORC escort and radio relay boat and was responsible for relaying the positions of the racing fleet.[10]
Yachtsmen killed
Paul Baldwin
Robin Bowyer
SLt Russell Brown
David Crisp
Peter Dorey
Peter Everson
Frank Ferris
William Le Fevre
John Puxley
Robert Robie
David Sheahan
SLt Charles Steavenson
Roger Watts
Gerrit-Jan Williahey (Gerrit-Jan Willering)
Gerald Winks
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[21] 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.[22][23]
^Pardey, Lin (2008). Storm Tactics Handbook, 3rd Ed., Modern methods of heaving-to for survival in extreme conditions. Arcata, California: Pardey Books. p. 97.
ISBN978-1-92921-447-1.
Tregoning, Martin, Acting District Controller, Senior SAR Mission Controller HMCG Lands End.
Corin, John; Farr, Grahame (1983). Penlee Lifeboat. Penzance: Penlee & Penzance Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. pp.
120.
ISBN0-9508611-0-3.
Fairchild, Tony (14 August 1979) Kiaola heads for Fastnet record The Daily Telegraph, p. 26
Fairchild, Tony (15 August 1979) Killer wind gives Condor record The Daily Telegraph, p. 29
Fairchild, Tony (16 August 1979) Fastnet may be limited to fewer Yachts The Daily Telegraph, p. 3.