{"id":20555,"date":"2021-08-08T12:49:29","date_gmt":"2021-08-08T19:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/?p=20555"},"modified":"2021-08-09T06:11:11","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T13:11:11","slug":"rolex-fastnet-race-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beardogco.com\/theroadhome\/2021\/08\/rolex-fastnet-race-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Rolex Fastnet Race 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I got up this morning (Sunday, 8\/8) at 4:00 a.m., to watch the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fastnet Rock is the most southerly point of Ireland. The lighthouse on Fastnet Rock is now unmanned and operates automatically. The history is fascinating … any interested may search. A tidbit, though … the first lighthouse was built on the rock in 1853!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fastnet Rock is a “mark” in several sailing races. But the most well-known race is the Fastnet Race, currently the Rolex Fastnet Race: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fastnet Rock is used as the midpoint of one of the world’s classic offshore yachting<\/a> races, the Fastnet Race<\/a>, a 1,126-kilometre (700 mi) round trip from Cowes<\/a> on the Isle of Wight<\/a>, around the rock and back to Plymouth<\/a>. It is also sometimes used as a mark for yacht races from local sailing centres such as Schull<\/a>, Baltimore<\/a>, and Crookhaven<\/a>.<\/p>From Wikipedia<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The 2021 race as well as the 2023 race (the race is a bi-annual event) finishes in Cherbourg, France vs Plymouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My personal interest in the race stems from following the Vendee Globe which started 11\/8\/2020. I have become enamored of the IMOCA 60 boats AND the skippers, teams, all things IMOCA! It is an open class, meaning there are rules for certain things, but otherwise there can be customization in the design. So … each boat might have certain features designed to make it go fastest in certain conditions … adhering to the IMOCA open class rules. For me … this is the perfect juxtaposition of similar along with innovative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on my experience watching the 2020 Vendee Globe: around the world, single handed with NO assistance … and the results being spread amongst new\/older\/foiling\/non-foiling boats with various “options” … it is somewhat “luck of the draw” re weather, but also the skipper’s knowledge of their own boat and the skipper’s decisions re weather. My take is that the IMOCA 60 class allows for both experimentation in design as well as sailing expertise. I am hooked!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, I was up at 4:00 a.m. to watch the start:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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