This was the 50th anniversary of the Fastnet Race and it was a brutal reminder of how treacherous off-shore racing can be. But as the classic saying goes "a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor" and the skippers and there crew were defiantly put to the test.

Prep day was a nice outing with shorts on and crews and captains alike smiling all around. But in less than 24 hrs it would be Gail force winds, full foul weather gear and a short choppy sea, with intermittent rain storms.