Including:

1. One Training Weekend


2. Three Qualifying races


3. Fastnet Race


4. Fully qualified skippers


5. All food and drink onboard


6. Race entry fees


7. Mooring Fees


8. Crew polo shirt

The Fastnet Race rightly has a reputation for being one of the toughest yacht races in the world. It is the ultimate challenge for those who want to stretch themselves to the limit.

Windward Sailing has had many years experience in organising crews for the Fastnet Race and specialises in high performance yachts which will finish the race at least a day ahead of most rival charter yachts.

After a very successful 1999 campaign, Windward Sailing are again offering individual places to compete in The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Fastnet Race in 1999. We are extremely excited to be using our new Corby '45 race boat - INCISOR as well as a brand new X412. Both yachts will be racing in Class one and have already proved to be very competitive.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has, since the 1979 Fastnet disaster, insisted on very stringent rules to ensure the safety of the competing yachts and their crews. All crews have to compete in AT LEAST TWO Qualifying Offshore Races totaling 250 miles. Windward Sailing also suggests that crews take part in two training weekends prior to the start of the racing season to enable crews to learn to work together as a team.

We do not require any particular race experience from potential crew members, but enthusiasm and commitment are essential.

The Campaign

The Fastnet race itself starts on Saturday 7 August at Cowes and finishes 605 miles later in Plymouth. It is ocean racing at its most competitive.

RORC require that the crew and yacht qualify for this race by completing 250 miles of RORC racing.

There are five qualifying races available, we plan to compete in all 5. The races and dates are as follows:

The Yachts

INCISOR - was designed by John Corby specifically for Windward Sailing and in particular for offshore racing such as the Fastnet. Launched in June of 1998 her maiden offshore race was to St Malo where she was 4^th boat to finish, on her second offshore, which was for the Lutine Trophy, she had her first taste of victory beating all competition by some 5 hours on corrected time.

Incisor has been built to race with 12-14 people, each person with a job, there is no one who can be taken as "ballast", everyone will have a key roll to play in tuning the boat with the rest of the team to reach her optimum performance level.

VAGABOND - X412 - The yacht you will be racing on is exhibited at this years London Boat Show on the X Yachts stand. The X412 worldwide, has won more events than any other cruiser/racer production yacht. Race in a yacht equipped for competitive sailing. This brand new yacht comes with a full set of racing sails and state of the art instrumentation. A unique opportunity not to be missed. This yacht is sailed with a skipper and 9 crew.

The Crew

The Yachts will come with a skipper and mate both of whom will have extensive knowledge of the boat and all aspects of offshore yacht racing. The crew will be made up of people such as yourselves who are enthusiastic about sailing, racing, and winning.

Full training in race tactics come with the package and our aim come the end of the campaign is that any one of the crew members will have the ability and confidence to step onto any race boat and become a key member of any team be it helming, sail trimming or navigation, in fact any part that you wish to learn more about, we would be only too happy to pass on any knowledge we have gained through thousands of miles of ocean racing.

The Fastnet Package

The cost of this package will be £1,500.00 inclusive. The only extra money you will need is your beer money!

Additional RORC Qualifying races from - £150.00
Extra Training weekends from - £95.00

We are once again offering a staged payment plan, which will be 25% on booking (£375.00) and then a further 6 payments of £187.50 spread out over 6 months from 1 February to 1 July. This can be paid by credit card or by post dated cheques.

Insurance

Personal insurance is recommended and can be arranged at a very low cost through our own insurers, who are specialists in this field.

Booking

Bookings for places on the Fastnet campaign can be made at the boat show, filling in this form, or by contacting us as soon as possible.

We hope that you have found this of some interest and if you would like more in-depth information please do not hesitate to contact us by phone, fax, e-mail or letter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.