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Fastnet Force 10
Thu Mar 17, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook. Commentator Chuck Kruger recently
pondered the site of one of the most tragic days in sailing history.
Three hundred and three boats from 22 countries started the race, 85 crossed the
finish line 605 miles later. Meanwhile, 13 Royal National Institute Lifeboats from along
the south coasts of Ireland and England became active in rescue missions, as well as
eight military vessels, a number of commercial ships, a fleet of helicopters. The rescue
operation was ranked as the largest in British waters since the evacuation of 340,000
from Dunkirk in 1940.
On Monday, 13 August, 1979, the BBC reported simply: "South-westerly, force 4 or 5,
increasing 6 or 7 for a time, veering westerly later. Occasional rain or
showers."
Altogether, twenty-seven hundred men and women sailed in this event. Over 77
skippers reported having their yachts capsize. Some world-class yachts were
"pitchpoling," flipping end over end. Helicopters rescued 136 people, and another 70
were towed or accompanied to safety by the RNLI. As a sailor in the race, and author of
"Fastnet, Force 10," John Rousmaniere wrote, with the Monday afternoon BBC forecast
in mind, that "Force 10 is to force 8 what stomach cancer is to gallstones."
That's commentator Chuck Kruger, from Cape Clear Island, Ireland. The Weather
Notebook is supported by Subaru of America, and the National Science Foundation.
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