Mirsky Racing Team bowman Graeme Spence sails the Fastnet

10:58 PM Fri 21 Aug 2009 GMT

'Nick Blackman (Blackmatch - foreground) and Graeme Spence(MRT) call their respective skippers up to the start line.' Wander Roberto &copy Click Here to view large photo

Graeme Spence - Mirsky Racing Team's bowman sent this report.

Since completing a week in France working with Oliver Bonds mini transat I have returned to Cowes to finish preparing David Walters J39 for the Fastnet, and also competing in the race.

My time in France with Oliver offered a great insight into what is a truly exciting offshore racing class. As my French is poor to non-existent I spent much of my time with the few Aussie, Kiwi, and British sailors. Olivers boat 'Artemis' is based out of Lorient, which is the hub of solo sailing in France and truly must be seen to be believed! The port is an abandoned German WWII submarine base that has been given to the sailors as a cheap yet fully equipped marina offering dry and wet boat storage, lift out facilities, sail storage and sheds for maintenance and painting.

I will be returning to La Rochelle in France on the 22nd of August to continue preparing 'Artemis' for the Transat and also work with Tanguy, arguably the world's best solo offshore racing coach.

With a fresh enthusiasm for offshore racing, and amidst the craziness of Cowes week, I returned to Cowes and the J39 Jackdaw to compete in the 608 nm fastnet race. Although slightly dated the J39 rates well under the IRC rating rule and we stood a good chance of doing well in our class IRC2. As the only professional sailor onboard the team was looking to me for leadership in both sail handling and overall race strategy.

The race start on the 9th of August was spectacular. With the IMOCA 60's starting first then class 3, ourselves in class 2, class 1, and finally class 0 consisting of the new Beau Geste, RAN, and the 100ft ICAP Leopard. We had the Jackdaw off to a great start, thanks to local sailing legend Paul Bowen with his superb knowledge of the very tidal and very tricky Solent. Overtaking the class 3 yachts and holding off all class 2,1, and even the class 0 yachts until passed the needles and out of the Solent.

We had enlisted the assistance of an expert weather router prior to our start and their advice proved to be spot on for the duration of the race. Our strategy for the first night was to avoid being enticed along the coast for a short term gain, instead we had to make as much south as we could towards Cherbourg in France. We managed to be one of the southern most boats in the fleet before the wind shut off around 2400hrs. Faced with tide against we had to anchor, and in over 50m of water this would be a challenge! We eventually stopped drifting having used all of our 50m warp, our spare anchor warp, all mooring lines, spare sheets, and any other length of line we could find.

Graeme Spence - MRT bowman - Mirsky Racing Team &copy

Luckily we stopped short of having to use our spinnaker sheets as the risk of losing these and not being able to fly a spinnaker was too great. Our strategy paid off and as predicted the wind filled from the south first, being one of the first yachts to get the new breeze we took of into the lead of our class.

A day later we cleared Lands end and worked left on each shift into the Irish sea, anticipating a 40degree Left hand shift we tacked onto port shy of the lay line anticipating the shift that would eventually lift us to a course laying the Fastnet rock. Within the hour we received that shift and 140nm and one day latter the Fastnet Rock appeared on the bow. On rounding the Rock we heard that we were currently leading not only our class but the whole fleet on corrected time! From here we just had to sail the rhum line and hope we maintained favourable breezes.

Unfortunately the wind didn't hold in for us, and with many of the class 1 and 0 yachts maintaining fast running conditions to the finish the overall win was out of our reach. A small Archambault 35 from France was able to make better use of the light downwind course from the Fastnet and just got us on corrected time by 9mins. Overall we were happy with class 2 line honours, first in class 2A and second in class2.

To watch the live tracking replay go to the following link and click on class 2 to watch the Jackdaw - fastnet.rorc.org/2009-fleet-tracking.html

Having now delivered the boat back to Cowes and packed it all away I am preparing to return to La Rochelle in France to continue assisting Oliver Bond in his preparation for this years Mini Transat race.

by Graeme Spence - MRT Bowman