Design
Relatively affordable and versatile enough for both offshore and inshore use, Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300s are a deservedly popular choice for shorthanded racing
Front of house S
horthanded racing is nothing new, particularly in France and the UK. But in recent years the sustained growth in this area of the sport has taken even
the pundits by surprise. Among the many enthusiastic amateur single- and double- handed crews, Sea Ventures’ Nigel Colley has been leading from the front for many years, encouraging other amateur sailors to take the plunge. His efforts and those of his fellow shorthanded devotees have been a big influence. Now, according to Colley, it’s time for the next step. As the UK agent for Jeanneau, Sea
Ventures Ltd is well connected with the shorthanded scene through the success of the Sun Fast range. In fact the two have gone hand in hand. But while Colley and Co have been working hard for years to encourage growth in this segment of sailing they have also kept a close eye on how the broader racing scene has been developing. And while shorthanded sailing has been their key focus, they have also been cultivating ideas around a new style of fully crewed racing by taking a careful look at what people like to do and what might appeal in the future. They believe that this year’s bumper Rolex Fastnet Race provided the perfect example to consider the currentmood in the offshore world.
54 SEAHORSE
so it was always likely to be a big one and come the start it clearly was,’ says Colley. ‘The total number of entries at 472 was the largest ever which included 363 IRC entries. And within the IRC group, 108 were double handed. That is one third of the total IRC fleet, which is pretty amazing. ‘This year’s Fastnet fleet was also a big
increase on the numbers for the previous race in 2021. Interestingly it’s not just a UK thing either, around one third of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race was double handed as well and that is an event which only created a double handed class in the 2021-22 race. So, it’s clear from this alone that the support and enthusiasm for shorthanded sailing is there. ‘The size and type of boats that are
popular is another interesting guide for the future too. The bulk of this fleet has formed around a compact range consisting mainly of 32- to 38-footers with IRC ratings fromaround 1.000 to 1.050. This narrow rating band helps to keep the racing close and therefore fun. In the case of a five-day Fastnet thismeans a spread of around six hours by the end of the race.’ The evidence for the popularity of
The vibrant (and growing) shorthanded racing community in the UK has a plan for further growth, inspired by even greater success in France… ‘This year's race was the 50th edition
shorthanded racing is clearly there and Colley believes that this provides some clear indications for future events. But if you drill down into the data and the results a bit further, he believes there are other clues. ‘In the IRC Double Handed European
Championships, the French dominated the results,’ he continues. ‘The British barely got a look-in and when you consider the way that the French racing scene is set up it becomes easier to see why. ‘For starters, as we know they have a
‘A narrow rating band keeps the racing close and therefore more fun’
stronger shorthanded scene from the Mini Transat boats, through the Figaro class, the Class40s and ultimately the Imocas. But what is striking is the number of club racers in France
that line up alongside the big guns in a long list of local events along the Brittany coast from Lorient to La Rochelle. They get together, form groups, train together and share resources and generally hang out together in order to learn more. For them this is nothing new. ‘The racing often involves coastal series
that have a mix of inshore and offshore racing. One reason these series are popular in France is because many of them have a social element too.
TIMM BUTT/VERTIGO FILMS
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