Rittman Mead Sponsor Fastnet Entry 2021
Part one.
In 2002 my wife Val and I decided to buy our first yacht. We lived in the Brighton so it seemed to make sense. In 2005 we replaced our first boat with a Sigma 400. A Sigma is a well made boat so it seemed logical she needed to be used properly; we decided to to sell everything and travel. I knew Jon Mead from a large gnarly migration project in Liverpool and he too lived in Brighton, so joined us racing for a season before we left. In 2006 Mr Mead joined us for a little sail across the atlantic (20 days). We were inexperienced as a crew and skipper but we had "fun" and survived.
Here we are again ..
In 2016 over a few glasses of wine with friends, heavily influenced by the wine we decided to enter Fastnet 2017. Fastnet is an offshore sailing race from Cowes to the Fastnet rock Southern Ireland and back to Plymouth, about 600 miles. Fastnet happens every two years and has been running since 1925. The race is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC).
2017 was rather successful, we had crew, a mixture of experience and completed qualifying before then going on to complete the race.
In 2019 Val and I attempted the race double handed, quite a challenge on a Sigma 400 more suited to a crew of burley men. However things did not go as planned. A number of niggles, concerns about the rudder bearings, some rigging issues, tiredness and weather finally broke us.
So back to here we are again.. 2021 we were planning to sail with two friends currently living in Denmark. Covid and travel has meant they can no longer join us so back to double handing.
Why the blog? Well Rittman Mead has kindly sponsored some of our kit for the race. Well why not after all we are an Oracle partner and Larry loves a sail. There is a lovely new Spinnaker, 96 square meters of sail branded of course with Rittman Mead and we have some HH crew hoodies to keep us warm on the trip. Thanks Mr Mead.
Fingers crossed this year is a good one. Oh another thing to mention, this year the race is controversially changing. It is now about 100 miles longer and finishes in Cherbourg. We won't be stopping as, well you know, Covid so an additional 90 miles for our return after going over the finish.
Track us on Intemperance here https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/en/follow
Oh this doesn't look great ..
Part two of Fastnet to follow…
