Challengers 1 and 4 – Fastnet Training Voyage
Onboard Challengers 1 and 4 this week, Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT) is joined by a group of young people who are taking part in a six-day training and selection voyage for the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race.
These young people have previously voyaged with TSYT and been recommended to return and train as a volunteer Watch Assistant or Watch Leader. At the end of the voyage, 12 young people will be selected to take part in the ‘Fastnet’, which is the world’s largest offshore race, in July.
Click here to find out more about TSYT’s participation in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, and read about Challenger 1’s crew’s experience on the training and selection voyage below!
Day 1
Monday 3
We woke up bright and early and left Gunwharf Quays at around 09:00am, out into the Solent Channel.
Our first job was to hoist the mainsail (“Heave away, Hail away!”), followed by hoisting the yankee sail and staysail, reefing the mainsail, a staysail change, tacking, polework and a man overboard drill with Bob (a fender tied to a bucket).
We came into Cowes and had some delicious fajitas for dinner (no bias, but made by the best watch!).
Day 3
Wednesday 5
Boat Life (to the tune of Blur’s Parklife) – by Charlotte and Sam:
Oil skins are a preference for the habitual doyenne
Of what is known as
Boat Life.
And a blocked up loo can be avoided
If you take a route straight through
What is known as
Boat Life.
Matt thinks we are lazing about
So he gets us to hoist every sail on the boat
We love a bit of winching!
Boat Life.
Who’s that snoring on the foredeck?
You should hoist a spinnaker pole up,
Get some exercise!
All the Hobnobs, so many chocolate Hobnobs.
They all get gobbled up,
Gobbled all up by the skipper.
I get up when I want, except when I need to be on watch:
When I get rudely awakened by my watch leader.
Boat Life.
I put my oilies on, have a cup of Lift©.
And I think about going up on deck.
Boat Life.
I have my breakfast muffin,
I sometimes feed the other watch too.
It gives me an enormous sense of wellbeing.
Boat Life.
And then I’m happy for the next 2-3 hours,
Safe in the knowledge there will always be
A half empty biscuit tin waiting for me.
All the Hobnobs, so many chocolate Hobnobs.
They all get gobbled up,
Gobbled all up by the skipper.
It’s got everything to do with proper sweating technique, you know?
It’s not just about those winches
That go round and round and round…
All the Hobnobs, so many chocolate hobnobs.
They all get gobbled up,
Gobbled all up by the skipper.
Check out the photos from the Fastnet Training and Selection Voyage below:
