1979 Fastnet Race

1979 yacht disaster south of Ireland August 2014 August 2020 50.550 -6.971 title region:GB_scale:2000000_type:event thumb|Memorial to the 15 competitors who died in the 1979 Fastnet Race, Lios Ó Móine (Lissamona), Lios Ó Móine Townland, Co. Cork https://www.townlands.ie/cork/west-carbery-east-division/clear-island/cape-clear/lios-o-moine/ townlands.ie 5 June 2026 Cape Clear Island, Cork, Ireland; the 6 spectator names were added later. 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 nmi on in course from Cowes direct to the Fastnet Rock and then to Plymouth passing 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,Forbes Laing Myatt 1979 7 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.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/sailing/hell-and-high-water-the-fastnet-disaster-1748093.html https://archive.today/20150417181609/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/sailing/hell-and-high-water-the-fastnet-disaster-1748093.html 2015-04-17 subscription live Hell and high water: The Fastnet disaster Tony Paterson The Independent 18 July 2009 17 April 2015 Meteorological history 200px|thumb|The windstorm responsible for the disaster approaching the British Isles, as seen on August 13 from SMS-2 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."Siggins 2004 49–50 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,http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=76448 Yachts and boats on Internet Video SunZu 17 April 2015 14 August 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140814035648/https://www.sunzu.com/articles/yachts-and-boats-on-internet-video-76448/ usurped 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 nmi 2 in 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 knot -1 with little or no advance warning, and wave heights reaching 50 ft 0 in conflicting directions, conditions that were especially destructive for the smaller sailboats.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979Exceptional Weather Events: The Fastnet Disaster http://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/weather-events/Aug1979_Storm.PDF Met Éireann 28 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120522195733/http://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/weather-events/Aug1979_Storm.PDF 22 May 2012 dead dmy-all The lowest recorded pressure was 979 hPa.Knox Frye Durkee Fuhrmann 2011 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.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979 7 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".Rais Bramwell 1979 The effort also included tugs, trawlers,yachtingworld.com: "Fastnet 79 See a map of the rescue", 12 October 2009 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 Broadsword F88 6 was ordered to the scene, taking over as the Scene of Search Coordinator on arrival at 17:30 on 14 August.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979 Fifteen competitors died in the race; at least 75 boats capsized and five sank.Rousmaniere 2000b 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, Pardey Lin Storm Tactics Handbook, 3rd Ed., Modern methods of heaving-to for survival in extreme conditions 2008 Pardey Books Arcata, California 978-1-92921-447-1 97 but the official inquiry makes no such conclusion.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979 One Fastnet participant, John Rousmaniere, wrote: 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. Many safety improvements followed.Forbes Laing Myatt 1979Rousmaniere 2000b Finishing yachts The handicap winner was the yacht Tenacious, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and owned and skippered by Ted Turner. The winner of line honours was the 77 ft 1 on 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.Windley Chris Fastnet 1979 – Condor of Bermuda – Chris Windley – The Deadliest Yacht Race https://mandarainmaker.co.uk/2011/09/06/fastnet-1979-condor-of-bermuda-chris-windley-the-deadliest-yacht-race/ 6 September 2011 12 April 2022 3 August 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160803105349/http://mandarainmaker.co.uk/2011/09/06/fastnet-1979-condor-of-bermuda-chris-windley-the-deadliest-yacht-race/ live 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). Handicap results (first three in each class) Class Position Yacht Designer/Type/LOA (yacht type) Owner (sailed by) Corrected time hh:mm:ss 0 1 Tenacious SS 61 Ted Turner 93:44:19 0 2 Condor of Bermuda Sp 77 R. Bell 97:57:24 0 3 Kialoa J. B. Kilroy 98:03:40 1 1 Red Rock IV Fr E. Mandelbaum 98:35:05 1 2 Acadia Fr B. Keenan 99:17:53 1 3 Gregal M. Peche 99:52:39 2 1 Eclipse PtR39 J. C. Rogers 97:05:27 2 2 Jubile VI Pt 42 H. Hamon 97:40:15 2 3 Impetuous Hd G. Lambert and J. Crisp 97:53:53 3 1 Revolution Fn 37 J. L. Fabry 97:42:53 3 2 Blue Bird NI 34 A. Gerard 110:48:52 3 3 Ceil III MW 40 W. Turnbull 116:33:18 4 1 Black Arrow UFO 34 Royal Air Force S.A. 110:35:10 4 2 Samsara Fr 33 Madame O. Trans-Van-Dom 110:44:19 4 2 Lorelei SSH36 M. Catherineau place awarded by Race Committee under rule 12 for loss of time in rescuing crew from yacht Griffin. 4 3 Mahuri UFO 34 G. M. Lowson 122:03:38 5 1 AssentAssent was the only Class 5 yacht to finish Contessa 32 W. and A. Ker 116:58:55Ward 2008 264–2731979 Fastnet Race Results & Season Point Winners, Royal Ocean Racing Club Notes note Yachts that did not finish Of the 303 starters, only 86 finished. There were 194 retirements and 24 abandonments (five of which were "lost believed sunk").Forbes Laing Myatt 1979 7 Early press reports were often confused. The Daily Telegraph (16 August 1979, p. 3) reported that 69 yachts did not finish. 15em Accanito of France, broken rudder. Towed. Allamader. Abandoned. Alpha II Amanda Kulu Andiano Robin Angustura Animal Ariadne. Abandoned. * Arkadina Asteries Autonomy. Towed to Dunmore East. Ballydonna Battle Cry Billy Bones. Abandoned. Blue Dolphin Bonaventure of Britain. Abandoned. Cabadah Ocean Wave Option Callirhaex 3. Abandoned. Camargue of Britain. Abandoned. Casse Tete Charioteer of Britain. Sunk. Combat II. Retired to Cork. Corker Crazy Horse Détente Double O Two Enia Evergreenhttps://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/2238176-reliving-the-ill-fated-fastnet/ The Hamilton Spectator Reliving the ill-fated Fastnet https://web.archive.org/web/20181124105635/https://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/2238176-reliving-the-ill-fated-fastnet/ 24 November 2018 12 May 2007 Farthing Fiestina Tertia. Abandoned. * Finndabar. Abandoned. Gan. Abandoned. Gekko Golden Apple of Ireland, disabled. Abandoned. Crew rescued by Royal Navy Wessex 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. Griffin Abandoned – crew rescued from liferaft by Lorelei Grimalkin. Abandoned and subsequently recovered.Rousmaniere 2000aWard 2008 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 Flensburg, Germany. Broken mast. Juggernaut Kamisado, a UFO 34. Apart from two knockdowns Kamisado coped effectively with the storm and retired to Plymouth.The day we fought for our lives http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5362848.The_day_we_fought_for_our_lives/ 19 May 2019 Dorset Echo 14 August 2004 23 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232318/http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5362848.The_day_we_fought_for_our_lives/ live 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 her own way back to Plymouth. Regardless of Cork, broken rudder. Assisted by LÉ Deirdre P20. Towed by Barnett-class lifeboat RNLB Ethel Mary. Samurai II Sandettie, a UFO 34 which was rolled, dismasted and swamped. However, Sandettie's crew were able to jury rig emergency rigging and sail to Land's End, whence they were towed to Penzance. Scaldis Scaramouche. Retired and made her own way back to Plymouth. Steve CrossJuly 2019 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."July 2019 Schuttevaer of Holland Silver Apple of Howth: lost steering, assisted by LÉ Deirdre P20, made a jury steering rig, retired to Courtmacsherry under her own power. Sinndkabar Skat Sophia Sophie B Tam O'Shanter Tarantula of France Thunderer RAOC Trophy. Abandoned. Trumpeter. Retired after two knockdowns. Tiderace IV. Abandoned. Wild Goose of Singapore Yachtman of Spain Zap Craft that assisted the rescue mission Over 4,000 people aided in the rescue efforts. The Royal Navy coordinated efforts to find around 80 vessels and rescue 136 crew members. Many organizations made key contributions: Coastguard Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, HMCG Land's End, UK MRCC Falmouth, UK MRCC Shannon, Ireland MRSC Brixham, UK Cross A, France Royal Navy HMS Anglesey, Island class patrol vessel Broadsword F88 6, frigate (Scene of Search Coordinator) HMSTY Dasher, yacht Scylla F71 6 (Leander-class frigate)TBC March 2018 RMAS Rollicker A502, ocean-going salvage tug RFA Tidespring A75 6, fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary 15 Royal Navy helicopters from RNAS Culdrose and RNAS Prestwick, including Westland Sea Kings, 25 sorties for 110 hrs 45 mins Westland Lynxes, 10 sorties for 20 hrs 55 mins Westland Wessexes, 27 sorties for 62 hrs 35 mins Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Overijssel D815 6, destroyer (race guardship) Irish Naval Service LÉ Deirdre P20, Deirdre class offshore patrol vessel United States Navy Holland AS-32, submarine tender, Holy Loch, Scotland Lifeboats These RNLI lifeboats spent 75 hours at sea in 60 knot km/h on winds:Siggins 2004 49–50 RNLB Guy and Claire Hunter (ON 926), St Mary's, Isles of Scilly RNLB The Robert (ON 955), Baltimore, County Cork RNLB Ethel Mary (ON 949), Ballycotton, County Cork RNLB Sir Samuel Kelly,,The Sir Samuel Kelly Project https://www.deeheritage.co.uk/the-sir-samuel-kelly-project 2025-08-18 www.deeheritage.co.uk enHurley Mícheál Home from the sea ...again printmybook.com 2023 9781739408114 2nd Courtmacsherry, Ireland 62–70 Courtmacsherry Harbour, County Cork RNLB St Patrick (ON 1035), Dunmore East, County Waterford RNLB Solomon Browne (ON 954) Penlee CornwallCorin Farr 1983 120 Other RNLI Lifeboats called include St Ives, Clovelly, Falmouth, Sennen Cove, Padstow, Angle and The Lizard.The Lifeboat The Journal of the RNLI Winter 1979 46 470 224–225 https://rnliarchive.blob.core.windows.net/media/1460/0470.pdf 11 January 2024 Royal Air Force Three helicopters Four Nimrods from RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall, and one from RAF Kinloss in Scotland Irish Air Corps Beechcraft Kingair maritime patrol Alouette helicopter Royal Ocean Racing Club 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.Rousmaniere 2000b Fatalities and memorials Between drowning and exposure, the storm killed 15 yachtsmen who were competing in the race, the deadliest in yachting history: 15em 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 or Willerink Gerald Winks In addition, the storm killed 6 observers who were aboard two yachts shadowing the fleet to view the race: Olivia Davidson, John Dix, Richard Pendred, Peter Pickering (aboard Bucks Fizz) Denis Benson, David Moore (aboard Tempean) The Fastnet Race Memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Cowes, Isle of Wight, was created in 2009 and lists 19 fatalities: the 15 competitors and the observers from Bucks Fizz. A similar memorial at Cape Clear Island harbour was first created in 2003, then updated in 2015 to list all 21 fatalities, including the observers from Tempean whose names were not widely publicized until then.http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/churches/cowesholytrinityfastnet.htm Memorials & Monuments on the Isle of Wight Cowes: Holy Trinity Church – Fastnet Race Memorial 16 April 2015 17 April 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150417131618/http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/churches/cowesholytrinityfastnet.htm live https://www.southernstar.ie/news/cape-memorial-service-recalls-fastnet-tragedy-4093766 Cape memorial service recalls Fastnet tragedy Southern Star 3 September 2015 5 February 2025https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/5972349/Cowes-Week-2009-Kieron-Kennedy-admits-he-was-lucky-to-survive-1979-Fastnet-Race.html Kate Laven Cowes Week 2009: Kieron Kennedy admits he was 'lucky to survive' 1979 Fastnet Race 4 August 2009 The Daily Telegraph 16 April 2015 17 April 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150417141004/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/5972349/Cowes-Week-2009-Kieron-Kennedy-admits-he-was-lucky-to-survive-1979-Fastnet-Race.html live https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/files/downloads/2023_docs/RORC_50th_yearbook.pdf Rolex Fastnet Race: Flying High at Fifty James Boyd Royal Ocean Racing Club January 2023 16 February 2025 See also 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race References Footnotes Sources Corin John Penlee Lifeboat 1983 Penlee & Penzance Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Penzance 0-9508611-0-3 120 Farr Grahame registration https://archive.org/details/penleelifeboat00cori/page/120 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. 1979 Fastnet Race Inquiry http://www.blur.se/images/fastnet-race-inquiry.pdf Royal Yachting Association, Royal Ocean Racing Club Hugh Forbes Maurice Laing James Myatt 1979 3 July 2012 Knox John A. John D. Frye Joshua D. Durkee Christopher M. Fuhrmann Non-Convective High Winds Associated with Extratropical Cyclones Geography Compass 1 February 2011 5 2 63–89 10.1111/j.1749-8198.2010.00395.x 2011GComp...5...63K http://www.sercc.com/Knox_etal_Compass.pdf 28 March 2012 17 April 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130417203744/http://www.sercc.com/Knox_etal_Compass.pdf dead Rais Guy Bramwell Christopher 15 August 1979 10 die in yacht race havoc The Daily Telegraph 1, 32 Rousmaniere John John Rousmaniere 1st publ. 1980 Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing Paperback 304 New York W. W. Norton & Company 17 April 2000a 978-0393308655 http://www.sailnet.com/forums/racing-articles/20646-revisiting-lessons-fastnet.html John Rousmaniere 6 May 2000b Revisiting Lessons from the Fastnet SailNet.com 25 November 2013 Amit Roy Last of the Fastnet race yachts found The Daily Telegraph 17 August 1979 Siggins Lorna Mayday! Mayday! Heroic Air-Sea Rescues in Irish Waters Gill and Macmillan Dublin 2004 51–52 0-7171-3529-2 Ward Nick Left for Dead: The Untold Story of the Tragic 1979 Fastnet Race 2008 A & C Black 978-0-7136-8936-5 Wettern, Desmond (20 August 1979). "Fastnet race rescue operation involved 4,000 people". The Daily Telegraph, p. 2. Further reading Beyond Endurance: 300 Boats, 600 Miles, and One Deadly Storm Adam Mayers McClelland & Stewart 2007 978-0771057557 Butler, Gerald (2012). The Lightkeeper: A Memoir. The Liffey Press. 978-190830825-2 External links Official website of the Fastnet Race "Fastnet 79 Archives". Yachting World, 2009 "1979: Freak storm hits yacht race". BBC On This Day, 2008 "The Fastnet Yacht Race Tragedy of 1979" (video). Nat Sharman, BBC, 2006 – via YouTube (Nautic TV channel) "Fastnet Race 1979 Yacht Grimalkin" (video). Richard Slee, LookoutMedia, 2008 – via YouTube (official channel) "The 1979 Fastnet Race Storm" (video). Gary Jobson, US Sailing, 2011 – via YouTube (official channel) 1979 Category:1979 in sailing Category:Shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly Category:Cornish shipwrecks Category:Maritime incidents in the United Kingdom Category:1979 in the United Kingdom Category:1979 disasters in the United Kingdom Category:1979 in Ireland Category:1979 disasters in Ireland Category:Maritime incidents in 1979 Category:Maritime incidents in Ireland Category:European windstorms Category:Shipwrecks of Ireland Category:August 1979 in the United Kingdom Category:Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescues Category:Accidents and incidents involving sports teams