1979 Fastnet Race

BUILD-UP

The 605-mile race started on 11 August 1979. 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 '', was on course to break the Fastnet record set eight years earlier. However, the headlines the following day were not about his success.

THE DISASTER AND RESCUE MISSION

Over 13 - 14 August , 25 of the 306 yachts taking part were sunk or disabled due to high winds and "mountainous seas". ''Daily Telegraph'' (15 August, 1979, p. 1) described the situation, where " Royal Navy ships, RAF Nimrod Jets , helicopters, Lifeboat s, a Dutch warship and other craft picked up 125 yachtsmen whose boats had been caught in force 11 hurricane 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 storm Force 9.

FINISH LINE

There was an accusation that because the race was not officially called off soon enough, some competitors were lost at sea because they kept on racing "for the honor of the race" instead of running for a port.

The winner of the race was the 77-foot SV ''Condor'' which gained around 90 minutes on the leader at the Fastnet rock, the SV ''Kialoa'' . Jim Kilroy of the ''Kialoa'' had broken his ribs and there was damage to the yachts runners. The ''Condor'' broke the existing Fastnet record by nearly eight hours (71h25m23s).

Vessels that did not finish

23 vessels were lost or abandoned, the rest retired.

Main source: ''Daily Telegraph'', p. 3, 16 August, 1979.

SV ''Accanito'' of France, broken rudder. Towed.

SV ''Allamader'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Alpha II''

SV ''Amanda Kulu''

SV ''Andiano Robin''

SV ''Angustura''

SV ''Animal''

SV ''Ariadne'' . Abandoned. ---

SV ''Arkadina''

SV ''Asteries''

SV ''Battle Cry''

SV ''Billy Bones'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Blue Dolphin''

SV ''Bonaventure'' of Britain. Abandoned.

SV ''Cabadah Ocean Wave Option''

SV ''Callirhaex 3'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Camargue'' of Britain. Abandoned.

SV ''Casse Tete''

SV ''Charioteer'' of Britain. Sunk.

SV ''Corker''

SV ''Crazy Horse''

SV ''Detente''

SV ''Double O Two''

SV ''Enia''

SV ''Fiestina Tertia'' . (Abandoned.) ---

SV ''Finndabar'' . (Abandoned.)

SV ''Gan'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Gekko''

SV ''Golden Apple'' of Ireland, disabled. Abandoned. Crew rescued by helicopter.

SV ''Golden Leigh''

SV ''Good Intentions''

SV ''Gremalken'' . Sunk. ---

SV ''Gringo'' . Reported as 'believed sunk'.

SV ''Hestral'' . (Abandoned.)

SV ''Hoodlum''

SV ''Impetuous''

SV ''Juggernaut''

SV ''Kestel'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Korsar''

SV ''La Barbarelle''

SV ''Little Ella''

SV ''Magic'' of Britain. Sunk.

SV ''Maligawa III'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Marionette VII''

SV ''Mexxanini''

SV ''Morning Cloud'' of Britain, broken rudder.

SV ''Morning Glory''

SV ''Mulligatawny''

SV ''Mutine''

SV ''Pachena''

SV ''Pegasus''

SV ''Pepsi'' of England

SV ''Pepsi'' of Holland

SV ''Pinball Wizard''

SV ''Polar Bear'' of Britain. Sunk. Crew rescued.

SV ''Regardless'' of Ireland, broken rudder. Towed by lifeboat.

SV ''Samurai II''

SV ''Scaldis''

SV ''Scaramouche'' . (Abandoned.)

SV ''Schuttevaer'' of Holland

SV ''Sinndkabar''

SV ''Skat''

SV ''Sophia''

SV ''Tam O'Shanter''

SV ''Tarantula'' of France

SV ''Tiderace IV'' . Abandoned.

SV ''Wild Goose'' of Singapore

SV ''Yachtman'' of Spain

SV ''Zap''

SV ''Mulligatawny'' (not competing)

Craft that assisted the rescue mission

Over 4000 people aided in the rescue efforts. The Royal Navy coordinated efforts with the success of finding around 80 vessels and rescuing 136 crew members.

Key contributers to the rescue:

Royal Navy

HMS ''Anglesea'' , minesweeper

HMS ''Broadswood'' , frigate

HMS ''Dasher'' , yacht

HMS ''Sultan'' , yacht

One other RN vessel

Eight Royal Navy helicopters from RNAS Culdrose and RNAS Prestwick , including Sea King s, Lynx Helicopter s and Wessex Helicopter s

Four Nimrod s from RAF St Mawgan

Dutch Navy

HNLMS ''Overijssel'' , destroyer

Irish Navy

Entire service.

Lifeboats

Baltimore lifeboat

St Mary's Lifeboat

REFERENCES

Fairchild, Tony (1979) Kiaola heads for Fastnet record '' Daily Telegraph '', p. 26, 14 August, 1979.

Rais, Guy and Bramwell, Christopher (1979) 10 die in yacht race havoc '' Daily Telegraph '', p. 1 & 32, 15 August, 1979.

Fairchild, Tony (1979) Killer wind gives Condor record '' Daily Telegraph '', p. 29, 15 August, 1979.

Fairchild, Tony (1979) Fastnet may be limited to fewer Yachts ''Daily Telegraph'', p. 3, 16 August, 1979.

Roy, Amit (1979) Last of the Fastnet race yachts found '' Daily Telegraph '', p. 1, 17 August, 1979.

Wettern, Desmond (1979) Fastnet race rescue operation involved 4,000 people '' Daily Telegraph '', p. 2, 20 August 1979.

EXTERNAL LINKS

BBC News - "Freak storm hits yacht race"

{Link without Title} - BBC Radio 4 Archive Hour offers a one hour documentary about the fatal 1979 Fastnet Race. Presented by journalist and sailor David Lomax.

	CATEGORIES ABOUT 1979 FASTNET RACE

	yachting races

	fastnet, 1979 fastnet race

	shipwrecks of the isles of scilly

	1979 in the united kingdom

	fastnet race

	maritime incidents in the united kingdom

	fastnet

	maritime incidents in 1979

	APPAREL
	BABY
	BEAUTY
	BOOKS
	CAR TOYS
	CELL PHONES
	DVD'S
	ELECTRONICS
	GOURMET FOOD
	GROCERIES
	HEALTH & PERSONAL
	HOME & GARDEN
	JEWELRY
	MUSIC
	MUSIC INSTRUMENTS
	OFFICE PRODUCTS
	SOFTWARE
	SPORTING GOODS
	TOOLS & HARDWARE
	TOYS
	VIDEO GAMES
	SHOPPING HOME

	MORE SHOPPING...

Information About

1979 Fastnet Race