In depth onboard analysis by lone woman crew on Addiction Logic - Fastnet Race 2011
Well done everyone who sailed in this year's Rolex Fastnet Race. This biennial event pitches a mix of professional and amateur yachts against each other as they compete over the 608 mile course. For anyone that fancies an adrenaline rush , doesn’t mind getting more than a teeny bit wet and can endure basic living conditions , then this is for you. I was left wondering why the crews were dominated by male competitors and there was only a sprinkling of female participants.
To begin with I started my venture with limited race sailing experience but was accepted onto Sailing Logic’s excellent training program. It appeared that the gender split was 2 females to 8 males over most of the SL fleet. As we all know Allie heads up the company and at the Opening Dinner introduced us to the inspirational Dee Caffari .So why then does the female quota drop on the Fastnet Race , when for say the Dartmouth Regatta the gender spread is more even ?
Well the training is spread over several weekends during the summer so that the time commitment does not seem too arduous. My boat crew was lead by a professional skipper with a shed load of racing experience and he was backed up by an excellent first mate. They both worked tirelessly to impart their immense knowledge and to correct our mistakes. Speaking to other SL clients I believe we all had a similar admiration for our mentors and underwent a huge learning curve.
The remainder of my crew were a disparate bunch including a retired hedge-fund manager who wanted to enhance his enjoyment of leisure sailing and a Professor of Toxicology who flew in from Australia especially to compete in this prestigious race. In a short space of time Sailing Logic had worked its endearing magic for making us part of their ‘ happy family’ and we became firm friends. I have to thank my team mates for making the campaign not just a great sailing experience but making it a fantastically enjoyable passage.
This race gained its notoriety in 1979 when 15 sailors were killed. Many lessons were learnt that year and sailing safety has improved dramatically as a result. However, offshore racing is a dangerous sport as we witnessed in the Cherbourg Race. I wonder if danger factor puts females off ? My boat was hit hard on the starboard bow during the first hour of the Fastnet . The impact noise was deafening and I thought we had been holed. A quick check by a passing rib of well wishers showed no structural damage but we did suffer a near MOB. Although the weather was kind for this Fastnet there were still casualties. It is hard to believe that 5 of Rambler’s crew were in the water for a full two and a half hours. There were also plenty of on boat injuries. Lancelot 2 retired after both the skipper and a crew member sustained head injuries. My feeling is that females are not weakened in their resolve by the risks involved. I never once heard a concern about the dangers about to be faced. In fact it has been noted that when there are ‘ disasters’ on the Clipper Challenge more women sign up for the remaining legs.
So what can be the deciding factor in the scant appearance of women on board ? Well life during that racing period is measured by sleep deprivation , wet clothing, foil packets of sometimes dodgy food ( LWIF Mutton and Lavender Casserole was never going to be a winner ) inability to locate ones kit and occasional phases of ‘ skipper shoutiness’. I believe most women can rise above this and be a calming influence when the boat becomes a testosterone – driven bedlam. In fact anyone who has mothered young children will find it a walk in the park. It then dawned on me that females who sail know that during a race like the Fastnet the Heads would be totally and utterly unbearable.
I hadn’t twigged that the ‘ little boy’s room’ would be heeled over at an acute angle every time I needed to visit. I was very glad of my years of yoga as I struggled to get out of layers of merino wool and gortex .There was always a two inch slick on the floor of the Heads which apparently came from the sea cocks being open and had nothing to do with the boy’s poor aim. I had a low point when having narrowly missed being battered by a fire extinguisher which broke out of its fixing and flew past my face , I opened the toilet door and in the gloom saw that the previously precariously balanced toilet seat had slipped off and floated ominously in the amber puddle on the floor. The gentlemen amongst my crew would sidle up to me on the rail and whisper that they had ‘ bailed out’ the Heads and it ‘would be a good time to go’ . That news would usually be succeeded by a tacking manoeuvre which dented their good work. Even the guys who started by using the Heads soon realised that it was the last place you wanted to visit if you didn’t have a strong constitution. They soon revelled in the liberating act of spraying off the back of the boat like some demented dog marking its territory. I am left battle- scarred from trying to hold the two doors closed, perch on a sliding seat and locate a dry toilet roll.
So what were the high points of the Fastnet for those who can stay the course ? Well the rounding of the Fastnet Rock was amazing. As we approached it at sunset it seemed to be illuminated by a magical golden glow. It is a huge chapel - like geographical feature and really has to be seen in person to be appreciated. The jostling at the starting line was great fun and I will never forget the look of fear in the eyes of those poor souls who thought they would moor up close to the starting line to get a close view. Then there were the starry night hours, racing with dolphins in our bow waves and the excitement of creeping up the AIS ranking. As I said before I had a star crew. The dry witted Simon hauled me back on board as I was flung out of the cockpit during a Chinese gybe in the Morgan Cup Race .Barry and I became embroiled in a long-running competitive ‘cake bake off ’which saw our poor crew grow in size as we plied them with dainties. Anthony was stunned with ‘ kit envy’ every time someone produced a new sealskin article and the others shared more witty , kind and entertaining conversations than I can possibly relay .
Once in Plymouth we moored up alongside the very spot where the Pilgrim Fathers launched the Mayflower ship. We were not so puritanical and enjoyed a very alcohol- fuelled night at the specially constructed Pantaenius Bar. This was host to many a strange and lurid sight as exhausted crews crawled in to quench their thirsts. But I will remain silent on this topic as it is ancient Maritime lore that ‘ what happens on tour ….. stays on tour.’
Finally after days of toiling against all the odds at sea the crews met up for a prize giving ceremony in the amazing Royal Citadel which overlooks Plymouth Sound. We might not have all received a winners Rolex watch but we were all victors in our own right as we overcame our personal limitations to sail this challenging race. We all endured hardships to complete this amazing sail boat race and I for one have all gained immeasurably from the experience. I have made new friends, learnt new sailing techniques and discovered some resilience I didn’t know I possessed. My wish for the 2013 Fastnet Race is that the gender balance is redressed and that a higher proportion of females compete. I will be spending the next two years redesigning the plumbing for a boats toilet and will not get caught short next time.
