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The Rolex Fastnet Race is the culmination of many months of preparation and planning; starting from the day the entry opens online, through qualifying and on to the day of the race itself. This guide goes over the main points you need to consider before entering - crew qualification, boat suitability and the process of entry itself.
Important Dates and Entry Information
| Event | Date (2013) | Competitor Info |
| Entry Open |
Mon 7 Jan
12:00 hrs UTC
|
You can log in to your REMUS account and enter the Rolex Fastnet Race 2013 |
| 50% fee |
Within 10 days of entry |
50% of the entry fee must be paid within 10 days of entering. This part of the entry fee is non-refundable |
Proposal
|
As soon as possible after entry
|
You must email the Race Team detailing your plan to meet the qualification requirement |
| Qualification |
On completion
|
You must email the Race Team once you have completed the proposed qualification |
| Closing Date |
Thu 18 July |
Full Race Entry Fee must be paid by the Closing Date. Otherwise, a Late Entry Fee may be charged. |
| Rating Deadline |
Thu 1 Aug |
The deadline for holding a valid IRC/class certificate
|
Registration & Collection of Tracker
|
Sat 3 - Sat 10 Aug |
At the RORC Office, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Sailing Instructions are available only after completing registration
|
| Skipper's Briefing |
Sat 10 Aug,1600 |
Cowes Yacht Haven Events Centre |
| Start |
Sun 11 Aug |
Start times and starting groups will be detailed in the Sailing Instructions |
Qualification and Suitability
The Rolex Fastnet Race is not a race for novices. You, your crew, and your boat must be prepared for severe weather, large and confused seas, and strong winds. Whilst the RORC welcomes first time competitors to this race, we emphasise that proper preparation, planning and training is essential. This is reflected in our criteria which apply to every entrant:
Crew Qualification
Crew Qualification Overview
- At least 50% of the crew (but not less than 2) including the Person in Charge, must have completed a minimum of 300 miles of offshore racing together, within 12 months of the start of the race on the boat that is entered
- Training to Section 6 of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations must have been completed by at least 30% of the crew (but not less than 2) including the Person in Charge
- At least one of the crew must have completed appropriate First Aid Training or be a Medical Professional
Experience - Mileage (on the boat that is entered)
The RORC stipulates a minimum experience requirement of 300 miles of RORC offshore racing, completed by 50% of the crew (but not less than 2) including the Person in Charge within 12 months of the start. An offshore race is considered to be of more than 75 miles and at least one night at sea.
To fulfil this requirement the Competitor shall enter and complete an appropriate number of RORC races before the start of the race.
Qualifying with the RORC series
The 300 miles of offshore racing should be completed within the RORC's series of races, within 12 month of the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The RORC series consists of nine offshore weekend races, typically of 100-150 miles in a variety of locations. Six races start in the Solent and race the English Channel, two are based in the North Sea with starts from Harwich and Burnham, and there is opportunity to race in the Irish Sea as well. The full 2013 Programme can be viewed here and further details can be found in the Notice of Race (not yet available).
There are many advantages from doing your qualifying miles within the RORC race programme, not least because you get a chance to size up the competition. Some of the RORC races cover parts of the Rolex Fastnet Race course and you can practise starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron's line. You also become familiar with the layout of the Sailing Instructions, Start Sequence and other RORC procedures and paperwork.
You may be interested to know that the RORC runs a variety of lectures in the social programme; they are not obligatory but may help you to prepare for offshore racing. Please see the event calendar on the RORC website for dates and information.
When it is not reasonably possible to access RORC races, or in exceptional circumstances, an alternative method for qualification may be agreed by the RORC. A Service Yacht may qualify similarly or submit written authority from her service establishment. Proposals should be lodged with the RORC as soon as possible after entry.
Sample Proposal
Please complete and send the proposal via Email to racing@rorc.org.uk (Please put your Sail Number and Boat Name in the subject field).
RE: "Sail Number", "Boat Name", Skipper "Captain Cornish" Experience Qualification Proposal Rolex Fastnet Race 2013
I and at least 50% of the crew intending to participate on my First 40.7 GBR1234L Boatname in the Rolex Fastnet Race propose to do the following races:-
| Cervantes Trophy Race |
Sat 4 May |
about 120 nm |
Wolf Rock Race,
OSR Category 3
|
Sat 14 Jun |
about 90 nm |
| Channel Race |
Sat 27 July |
about 120 nm |
Total : about 330 nautical miles
I am aware that races have to be completed to count towards the qualification mileage. In the event of any changes to races or crew composition in the above proposal I will promptly inform the RORC in writing.
Regards,
Captain Cornish
Frequently Asked Questions:
Training
30% of the crew (but not less than 2), including the Person the Charge, must have completed a training course in accordance with Section 6 of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations. The training course must have taken place after 1st January 2008.
For example: For a crew of 9, the Person in Charge and at least 2 additional crew members must have completed training. The emphasis is on "minimum" - our recommendation is that as many crew members as possible should complete this training. For boats competing Two-Handed, both crew have to be qualified.
Frequently Asked Questions:
First Aid Training
At least one member of the crew must hold a valid First Aid Certificate or equivalent, completed within the last five years. In the UK the RYA First Aid Certificate meets the requirement.
It is adviseable to have at least one other crew trained and familiar with First Aid Procedures, hypothermia and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
Medical professionals (i.e. doctors, paramedics, surgeons, Service medics, etc.) need not complete further training to meet the Senior First Aid requirement. However, they should refresh their knowledge on specific sicknesses and treatments, e.g. for hypothermia and make sure they are comfortable with special offshore medical conditions and actions, including topics like Tele medical communications on board. See Appendix N of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations for details.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Experience to sail Two-Handed
If you are considering competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race Two-Handed you will have to satisfy the Committee that you have suitable and adequate experience and that the boat is properly organised for Two-Handed sailing. Naturally, all other Experience/Qualification requirements set out in the Notice of Race apply in addition to this. Two-Handed competitors who regularly race with us meet this requirement and need not apply again.
You can apply to race in the Two-Handed Class by Email to racing@rorc.org.uk (Please put your sail Number and Boat name in the subject field).
See an example for such a proposal
RE: "Sail Number", "Boat Name", Skipper "Captain Pugwash" - Request for permission to compete in the RORC Two-Handed Class.
Dear RORC,
Please find below a resume and short offshore sailing CV for both of the crew which shows what we have done together Two-Handed.
(This need only include relevant experience, offshore passages and races. i.e. Sydney Hobart Race, JOG Dieppe Race etc.)
... Sailing CV
The boat is set up for Two-Handed sailing as follows...
Please let us know whether our experience is acceptable to start in the RORC's Two-Handed Class.
Regards
Captain Pugwash
Boat Suitablity
Boat Suitability - Overview
Like the crew, the boat needs to be capable of taking on the conditions likely to be seen during the Rolex Fastnet Race. We invoke the Category 2 requirements of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations (including RORC Prescriptions) to decide on the suitability of a boat's stability, equipment and construction standards. The RORC then has a few additional stipulations regarding the speed and minimum/maximum length of eligible boats.
| Monohull | Multihull |
| Speed |
- must have an IRC Rating of 0.850 or greater
- For non-IRC rated boats alternative criteria may be used, eg. IMOCA 60, Class40
- Visit www.ircrating.org for more information on IRC Rating
|
- must have a MOCRA Rating of 1.100 or greater
- For non-MOCRA rated boats alternative criteria may be used
- Visit www.mocra-sailing.co.uk/ for more information on MOCRA Rating
|
| Length |
- Minimum length: determined by minimum speed rating - see above
- Maximum length: 30.5m (100ft) LH (LOA)
|
- Minimum length is 9.15m (30ft) LH (LOA)
- Maximum length: 21.5m (70ft) LH (LOA)
|
|
The Committee may make an exception to the minimum or maximum lengths on application
|
| Hull Construction |
Please see the full requirements in "Hull Construction Certificate" below
|
| Stability |
- STIX minimum 32
- AVS minimum 130-0.002*m (m is the boat's minimum sailing weight)
- SSS minimum 28 (if STIX/AVS not present and not required)
- Boats in accepted One-Design classes (holding valid Rating/Class certificates) do not require STIX or SSS
|
|
| Boat Equipment |
- In accordance with Category 2 of the ISAF Special Regulations including RORC Prescriptions
|
Hull Construction
To ensure that your boat was designed and constructed to withstand the rigours of offshore racing, the boat has to meet certain design and constructions standards.
To determine whether a hull construction certificate needs to be lodged with us, please find out the earliest of the age and series date for your boat*. These values are present on most rating certificates (e.g. IRC) or in your boat's manual.
* Age date specifies the date the build of the boat was completed. The series date is the date of completion of the first boat in the series. Typically the series date is earlier than the age date. The requirements for Hull Construction are based on the earlier of these two dates. If your boat was built in 2003 but the series had been completed in 1984 you can enter the decision tree below with the value 1984.
Has your boat or the series been built:
before January 1987 (or 1988 for LOAs < 12 m, respectively)?
You don't need to lodge a hull construction certificate with the RORC.
after the above, but before January 2010?
A Hull Construction certificate needs to be lodged with the RORC, in accordance with ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Appendix M2. Should you happen to have a Standard Series Design Yacht (e.g. J/109) you could check whether it is on our list already - in which case you could simply drop us an Email confirming that you haven't made any significant modifications or repairs to the boat (keel or hull modifications, or anything that may affect the strenght of the build or stability).
on or after January 2010?
You must have
- a certificate of building plan review from a notified body recognised by ISAF
- a declaration, signed and dated by the builder, to confirm the yacht is built in accordance with the plans reviewed by the notified body.
Please check the list of "OSR Plan Review Certificates" on the ISAF OSR Structural Plan Review Website. If your boat is listed, simply drop us an Email confirming that no significant modifications or repairs to the boat have been made (keel or hull modifications, or anything that may affect the strenght of the build or stability).
Frequently asked Questions
Race Entry
The boat is entered into the Rolex Fastnet Race through the REMUS Online Entry System which has been designed to make the entry process as easy and transparent as possible. The crew must be entered via RORC Crew Management System (RCMS).
The steps to enter
Login to existing REMUS/RCMS account or register new account
If you have previously registered an account on either REMUS or RCMS, simply log in with your Email address and password - in this case please do not re-register since we are keeping a full history and audit trail linked on any account. A 'forgot password' function is available should you be unable to remember the details.
If you need to register a new account start by opening http://remus.rorc.org in your web browser. You can either bookmark the address or find it in the Quicklinks or Racing section on the RORC website.
You will now see REMUS's Login Prompt. Click on the "Register for a new account" link. After you have registered your personal details (name, address, password etc.) you will receive a confirmation Email. There is a link in the confirmation Email that you need to click on to make sure that our system is able to send Emails to your address.
Note: If you are a RORC member please make sure to input the correct membership number. Depending on your connection to the boat you might be eligible for the discounted race entry fee for RORC members (see FAQ below to find out if you will be eligible).
After clicking the link in the confirmation Email sent, you are ready to login for the first time. You will be prompted to sign the Race Entry Declaration that is set out in the Notice of Race.
Frequently asked Questions
Choose a boat to enter into races or register a new boat
Once you have logged on to REMUS you will see the Control Panel. If you were registering a new account you will start with an empty Control Panel where you will find a link "Register a new boat".
Should you try to register a boat that is in our database already, the system will refuse the registration and ask you to call or Email us. Please do not try to register the boat anyway: every entry or information for duplicate boats will be deleted and your work will be lost.
Once the yacht is registered or your account has been connected to an existing boat by us it will be listed on your Control Panel, along with a few options underneath the boats name. A click on "Enter Races & Check Entry Status" will pull up the Race Selection for that particular boat.
Frequently asked Questions
Enter one or more races
On your REMUS Control Panel, click the "Enter Races & Check Entry Status" link for the boat that you would like to enter. The Race Selection page will be displayed.
Just on top of the table you will find the information we use to calculate the entry fee, including the length of the boat and whether the fees have been discounted to the RORC Membership fees.
The names of each race will appear
- blue, when the race is available for entry
- grey, when it is not open for entry
- red, when the race is entered, but requirements are outstanding
- or green, when the entry has been confirmed by us
Click on each race name to expand the details section which will display the entry fees, a description and the button to enter the race. Once you have decided to enter click "Enter this race now". You will be forwarded to a confirmation screen . You can then decide to enter further races or go to the payment selection screen.
Entry Fees for the 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race
Just a note: The REMUS Online Entry system will calculate this for you...
| LH (LOA) (m) | Rolex Fastnet Race |
| Member | Non-member |
| Below 9.00 |
203 |
290 |
| 9.01 - 10.00 |
238 |
340 |
| 10.01 - 11.00 |
277 |
395 |
| 11.01 - 12.00 |
333 |
475 |
| 12.01 - 13.00 |
385 |
550 |
| 13.01 - 14.00 |
497 |
710 |
| 14.01 - 15.00 |
588 |
840 |
| 15.01 - 16.00 |
791 |
1130 |
| 16.01 - 17.00 |
1047 |
1495 |
| 17.01 - 18.00 |
1362 |
1945 |
| 18.01 - 19.00 |
1838 |
2625 |
| 19.01 - 20.00 |
1929 |
2755 |
| 20.01 - 21.00 |
2023 |
2890 |
| 21.01 - 22.00 |
2132 |
3045 |
| 22.01 - 23.00 |
2223 |
3175 |
| 23.01 - 24.00 |
2317 |
3310 |
| 24.01 - 25.00 |
2408 |
3440 |
| 25.01 - 26.00 |
2517 |
3595 |
| 26.01 - 27.00 |
2611 |
3730 |
| 27.01 - 28.00 |
2702 |
3860 |
| 28.01 - 29.00 |
2793 |
3990 |
| 29.01 - 30.50 |
2905 |
4150 |
Check the status of your entry - Live!
Once you have entered a race, the link in the race selection screen (when you click "Enter Races & Check Entry Status" on the Control Panel) will change from "Enter this race now" to "Check Entry Status". This page contains a list of all requirements and the status of your boat and crew. When anything is updated - for example your crew adding a First Aid certificate - you will see that reflected in the status screen.
Help and Support
We understand that going through the entry procedures and meeting all requirements can seem a daunting task. However, undertaking a challenge such as the Rolex Fastnet Race requires a great deal of preparation - which takes some time and effort. With this in mind be sure to regularly check the Live Entry Status screen and try to work through all the items in good time. The earlier you invite your crew, the earlier you can see who has and who hasn't got Offshore Survival Training or First Aid. The earlier you send in your ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Checklist, the earlier you will receive feedback and advice should it be required. The earlier you think about your qualification, the more opportunity there is to meet the requirements - should you not manage to compete in one of your qualification races, for example.
We are here to help you
We are always just on the other end of the phone or an Email away if you have any questions. You can discuss with us the possibility of scheduling an inspection of your boat, you could talk through any queries on requirements regarding particulars of your boat, qualification plans or if you need help choosing the right training courses or boat equipment. And, of course, regarding any other topics that we have forgotten to explain in detail here.
Call the Race Team on +44 (0) 207 518 3131 | Email the Race Team on racing@rorc.org.uk |
Guide Documents
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