Raced the Prior Cup on Saturday 15th September. Fantastic day – course upriver – Cliff, Canewdon, Cliff, Canewdon. Youngest member of the team Arthur Sturmer (10 months) with mummy Anna, Al, Edwin, Ed, Jude, Jason, Denis, Dani, H. Great event put on by RJ Prior – fish and chips in the boatyard – great day had by all. Line honours, about 110th on corrected time. Day made by the news that Chav T and Claire had announced the arrival of Oliver, born that day. Congratulations to them from the team!!!

Welcome to heartbeatoffshore.com. The site is new but developing slowly, so check back regularly for more news, information and pics regarding Heartbeat 3 offshore adventures. We’re currently getting ready for the Rolex Fastnet starting at 1120h on Sunday August 12th from Cowes.

…..and where were we placed in Class 1? 1st Inn Spirit, 2nd Ding Dong, 3rd HB3, 4th Oystercatcher XXVI and 5th Skipjack of Cowes. 16th overall!!

The first day of Burnham Week – and the penultimate EAORA race of the season brought 19 boats in three Classes to the start line. Three starts got away in light airs on the shorter (42 mile) course. In Class 1, the enthusiasm of Inn Spirit and Heartbeat III helms resulted in pushing the line a little too early. With a high tide at 1030h at Burnham the earliest call for judgement was spotting the initial tide turn for the longish legs out, eventually to Barrow 3 and 5 via the Swin Spitway. As the breeze filled in Class 1 broke through Class 2 and 3 and with Richard Matthews’ new Tom Humphrey’s designed 42 ‘ Oystercatcher XXVI doing its first EAORA race, and developing a substantial lead over the fleet. At this points the day seemed set for a fairly processional routine return, back via Whitaker 6 and zig-zagging down the Crouch. En route tight fetching towards Whitaker 6, Heartbeat III, with Skipjack and Oystercatcher XXVI well ahead, observed that about ½ h behind, all the rest of the fleet were breaking out spinnakers on the same leg, which was remarked upon as being unusual. As we came round Sunken Buxey we noted about ¾ of a mile ahead in the distance, Oystercatcher dead in the water, with Skipjack closing, and Heartbeat III (us) closing on them. Excellent we thought, until we looked behind. To cut a story (which seemed long at the time and even longer now) the entire Class 2 and 3 fleet with Class 1 boats Ding Dong and Inn Spirit steamed up at what seemed like about 10 knots and sailed straight through us. Breezes were hard to find but the Class 2s and 3s maintained their advantage by choosing the right options. The Race Officer had made the decision to shorten the race near the Crouch buoy and all boats finished. Congratulations to Harvest Moon continuing a fantastic season, Wam Bam and Ace of Hearts III who took the first three places – all from Class 3, X-Factor – first Class 2 boat – 5th overall and Inn Spirit first Class 1 boat (despite a 1% time penalty), 11th overall. A frustrating race for some, but reinforces that it ain’t over till the fat duck quacks.

Ian Cowie’s reports on the Fastnet on Artemis provide a good account of events! See http://www.mediaplayer.telegraph.co.uk/?item=bc762b5d-f4d3-4a57-8482-ea6dcab4cfbf

…………and on 25th August is the first week of Burnham Week with the EAORA Houghton Cup on the first Saturday. HB3 will probably race the first three days of Burnham Week and the Town Cup on the last Saturday of the week. Crew as yet to be finalised.

The delivery team (Chris G, Chris A, Dani, Ed, J and J) set off at 1715h from Plymouth in a pleasant 16 knot + southwesterly and arrived back in Burnham after a fantastic sail/motor sail at 0730h on Friday. Definitely a record-breaking trip. Undertook a rounding the Fastnet ceremony – see Gallery – with our own fabricated Fastnet Rock.

Dee Caffari said (having retired from the race when sailing Aviva) ‘”Last night was wild. It was really, really black with no visibility. With so much rain and waves, you couldn’t tell which was fresh water and which was salt. It was a bit miserable. We had average wind of 30-35 knots and gusts of up to 38 knots, but it was a boat-breaking scenario. There were these big holes that you just couldn’t see. Big waves would hit the boat and knock it off course and it was hard work. I’ve been in worse, but I was in 46 tonnes of steel built for the job and this was my first experience of these kind of holes in this kind of boat. The noise was incredible. Every now and again I heard a few crunches that I was a bit worried about……I’ve learned loads. And in a way I feel I’ve made a big step. I’m joining those who are big enough to make that decision. Before I might have felt I couldn’t bottle out, and I had to show I could do it. I feel bigger than that now.”
Mike Broughton – Dee Caffari’s co-skipper said ‘There seem to be two parts to me. There is a very windy bit when we get to Start Point and Land’s End, where we get an extremely active double front coming through on Tuesday morning with a full gale from the south-west. But the big front will be on Wednesday at about 1000. A north-westerly is going to build across the Irish Sea on mid-morning on Wednesday, and that is the bit that I find more alarming, frankly. I see about 45-50 knots plus on it. This will create a cross sea and a cruel sea. The wave train from the south-west will then shift into the north-west, which is what happened in the 1979 race: it went from south-west to north-west and got very windy.
In 1979 I was a third of the way across the Irish Sea, which is probably about where we will be again this time. I very rarely ever have fears about yacht racing but beating into that after the sea changes with two or three different wave trains… yes, I do. The sea state is the big issue. Those north-westerlies will be typical polar maritime: very gusty and coming from near Iceland. There will be a long fetch and the sea will build up. It will be bloody horrible. And modern racing boats are pretty lively creatures. We are going to get a real bashing and I think that it is going to be hideous.’

Situation – boat sailing perfectly – crew going according to plan, one bad case of sea-sickness. But…..broken pulpit – not repairable with compromised lifelines – making it very risky for anyone out of cockpit or on foredeck. Wind increasing 30k + regularly – visibility dreadful – not possible to see those on foredeck or hear, and not possible to identify sheets in cockpit. Conditions worsening as predicted. Skipper comes to conclusion that not safe to continue so will seek safe haven.

..Cloud build up developing with increased sustained wind. About 2130 – BANG – genny halyard parts 8″ from top. Rapid recovery and change of halyards – so little time lost. Starboard pulpit fitments parted but jury-rigged back together so lifelines intact. Sea state excellent and HB3 driving through well-balanced and comfortable. Consideration given at 2200 to put one reef in main – but not needed on balance. New watch on at 2200 found windspeed increasing substantially and over next few hours one reef and then two put into main. Front appeared to be coming and in anticipation sail change from #3 to stormjib missing out #4. Sea state changed with big holes and surfs, very very black with limited vision to foredeck. Storm jib eventually got on – difficult manoeuvre in pitch black – and port pulpit snapped all three bolt fasteners. Channel 16 alive with boat retirements and help sought.

Continued making good progress with wind backing enough for us only to have to make one tack out to clear point. Boat behaving well, good spirits on board – managing 8k + most of time. Pasta and garlic bread at 1830h went down well. Decision to commence watch system at 2200, but conditions good so half crew went down early. Wind building substantially but no problem for HB3.

Woke in anticipation at 0700 on Monday – downloaded GRIB gfs files and reviewed weather. Not encouraging. Email from Chris Tibbs which gave a professional overview ‘South veering southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9, veering northwest 4 or 5 later. This mornings forecast charts look slightly worse than the ones of yesterday with the low deeper over the Irish Sea tomorrow. We will have ncreasing winds in the Channel this afternoon and tonight. The better your progress the stronger the wind. The wind is expected to build to gale force early tomorrow morning as the area of low pressure moves from about 50N 20W 989mb tonight, to be near the Fasnet Rock 982mb midday tomorrow.
A front will arrive at Lands End this evening about 2100 with heavy rain and this rain will move east to be at Portland by about midnight.
I have real concerns that the deepening of the low will produce winds in excess of 40 knots in the western Channel and the Irish Sea. The 1979 Fastnet storm had a low deepening to 976mb, this is forecast to deepen to 982mb. My advice is not to do the race – or if you decide to start, to seriously consider taking shelter tonight until the depression has passed through. The met office charts show severe weather likely although the American GFS charts show less wind. If you do decide to start please make every effort to update your forecasts. Expected winds (times GMT wind speed knots, gusts likely to be 33% higher than average wind strength).’
Team discussion ensued – all gave their varying opinions. Decisions taken – bearing in mind boat, crew, our interpretation of weather, and possibility of safe havens – to go.

Continued beating out west sparring with a number of boats on cross tacks – Samantha being main one. Wind developing and creeping nearer 20k so elected to change down to #3. Skip wrong footed on a port/starboard, tacked back and ended up taking us to Shingles without time to complete manoeuvre, at same time as mainsheet track over-rode line and jammed. Bit of scrappy sorting out which ended up with us well into lumpy Shingles swell. Got back into groove and once past Needles continued with battle plan of coast-hugging. Majority of fleet went out so was soon well split.

Left Haslar Marina at 0945 and through South Check-in Gate at Cowes at 1045 with storm jib and trysail set – close behind us was icapLeopard. Original intention to start (1220) at RYS/Medina end. Test runs and review of other starts showed could be tricky so chose to reach in under full power down the line to weather of most of fleet. Great start half way down line, clear air and ahead of most of fleet. Capitalised on this going West out of Solent with developing tide. Initially wind ~ 17k so were under main and #2.

Weeeeeeeeelll……..RORC have postponed start for 25h which takes us to 1220h Monday 13th August. Why? Well, as we had seen, huge instability in weather patterns with substantial winds – probably starting early hours of Tuesday – with hugely unpredictable outcomes. Jan Grosvenor and Chris Tibbs addressed a (very) well attended briefing at 1600h. Potential weather systems not dissimilar to 1979. We all hope that next 24 hours will help in decision-making process as to what we all do. Everyone in same boat (metaphorically). Emotions – excitement tinged with concern! Night night.

Well we tried – and thanks to all – but light airs and a bad start – well done Jason – didn’t help. But three seconds on corrected behind Skipjack…….Doh!!!! See http://burnhamweek.org.uk/result.php?result=2007-1-5-0 for it all laid bare.

Had already planned ‘get out of jail’ options. We were (~0315) 15 miles south of Bigbury Bay. Plymouth 21 miles 315 degrees. Bear away on to broadish reach with storm jib and two-reef main. Arrive at Plymouth Breakwater (Knap Buoy) after 1h 45 minutes. Passed breakwater at 11.6 knots. Dowsed sails and into Queen Anne Battery Marina at 0515h. At least 20 IRC Z and IRC1 already there – by mid-morning must have been almost one hundred. Saw fellow EOARA Team Member – Habanero – a few berths away when woke up, and Brave had arrived about 0715h. Cosmic Dancer III headed for Falmouth, as did Skipjack of Cowes.
Very mixed emotions – a) pleased crew were safe and well, b) boat was relatively intact, – but after so much time, emotion and anticipation all felt very deflated. However discussion with others here at QAB, those with professional crew, those with bigger boats, those with more experience – confirmed (as we all knew) that it was the right decision. Reviewing current weather patterns it looks as though it will be horrendous in the Irish Sea and we hope that those in the smaller boats who continue to race remain safe with their boats intact. We will be back for 2009!!