Rolex Fastnet Sailing Race 2025
Price: £5395
Safe & Secure Checkout
Make the Rolex Fastnet your challenge for 2025. Become part of a special team and take the helm on a racing yacht in this most infamous of yacht races. Make the Rolex Fastnet your challenge for 2025. Become part of a special team and take the helm on a racing yacht in this most infamous of yacht races. We will be accepting bookings in due course, but in the meantime, see below for 2025 race details.
- Sail on a round the world racing yacht - a Challenger 72
- Campaign includes 6 day training session and 1 qualifying race
- Experienced skipper and mate with safety being key
Safe & Secure Checkout
About the boat
Sailing on the Challenger yachts is an experience that is hard to find elsewhere, and the Skipper, Mate and Watch Leaders were immensely experienced - a fantastic learning environment.
Nick S
Verified Customer
The Rolex Fastnet Race 2025 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's iconic race. It will start, as it always has off the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes. It will end, as it has on the last two occasions, in Cherbourg, France.
The Fastnet Race is one of the most prestigious and challenging offshore races, attracting elite sailors from around the world.
Racing on a Challenger 72, a high-performance racing yacht, guarantees a thrilling and professional environment, combining safety with speed.
Join us in this landmark edition of the world's largest offshore race.
The Dates:
29/30 March - Sea Survival and Offshore Personal Safety Courses
25-30 April - Training Week
23-26 May - Myth of Malham
25 July - 3 August - Fastnet Race
5.0 based on 496 Happy Customers on Tripadvisor
RYA-certified sailing courses
5.0 based on 220 Happy Customers on Google Reviews
More Info on the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race Campaign
Iconic Challenger 72 Yacht: Challenger 72 yachts are tried and tested. They have raced around the world (into the wind) twice. We have just them for a number of Atlantic crossings and entered a Challenger 72 into the last 9 Fastnet races. See more details about the yacht below.
Professional Skipper and Mate: On board will be a professional and extremely experienced skipper and responsible who will provide training, expert guidance and support throughout the campaign. They will be assisted by two watch leaders.
Full Training given: The campaign includes a 6 day training session, plus a weekend qualifying race meaning by the time you get to the start line of the Fastnet Race itself you will be ready for the adventure and challenge that lies ahead.
Includes: an RYA 2 day shore based course on safety and sea survival, insurance, use of oilskins on board, all food on board, race entry fees and mooring fees.
Key details
Here’s a breakdown of the most important information about the Rolex Fastnet Sailing Race 2025:
Required Experience
- Previous race experience not required but certainly welcome
- You need to have done some sailing before
- You need to be fit
Dates
- 29/30 March - Sea Survival and Offshore Personal Safety Courses
- 25-30 April - Training Weekend
- 23-26 May - Myth of Malham
- 25 July - 3 August - Fastnet Race
Experience Gained
- Offshore racing experience on an iconic ocean going yacht
Mileage
- You can expect to get around 800-1000nm of sailing through out the whole campaign
Sign up to the Fastnet
In 3 Easy Steps
Book on
Once you’re sure you meet the requirements, sign up through the website or call and you can sign up over the phone.
Fill out the booking form
We will email you a form that will ask about what sailing you have done in the past and for any medical issues you may have that will be discussed with our insurance company.
Join the crew
Following approval from our insurance company you will be considered to be part of the crew and we will look forward to meeting you at the training session.
Rolex Fastnet Sailing Race 2025 -
Complete Breakdown
Your Experience
To compete in this once in a lifetime challenge you will need the ability to be versatile, dedicated, committed and a team player. You will also be enthusiastic about sailing and racing a yacht.
You will need to have done some sailing but ideally have some racing experience but this is not strictly necessary. You'll also need to have a reasonable level of fitness as racing can be physically demanding.
In return, completing this challenge will give you a huge sense of achievement - and hopefully a great result!
The Yacht
- The yacht is 72ft long and weighs (displaces) 48 tonnes.
- She has raced around the world twice and done a number of Fastnet races and Atlantic crossings.
- The hull is made of steel making it extremely strong and capable of withstanding ferocious conditions if needed.
She is equipped to a standard beyond that required by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the race organisers - the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). She provides an extremely safe environment within which to participate in an event such as the Fastnet Race.
The yacht is very hands on. Most things require at least 2 people so team work will be key.
Down below the yacht is comfortable and has a big airy saloon area, a well-equipped galley and two heads/showers. The sleeping area is made up of compartments with nice snug bunks.
About the Rolex Fastnet Race
The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the world's most prestigious and challenging yacht races. Since its establishment in 1925 the Fastnet Race has provided thousands of sailors with the ultimate challenge of rounding the Fastnet Rock.
Racing hard for over 600 miles for five days gives this race its tough reputation. In a field of up to 300 yachts you will race from Cowes to the infamous rock off Southern Ireland and for the third time ever the race will then finish in Cherbourg, often encountering some of the most demanding weather conditions.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club, who are the race organisers, rightly so, have strict entry criteria for both yachts and crews wishing to compete.
Sea Survival and Training Weekend
RYA/World Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course 29 March
RYA Sea Survival Course 30 March
Onboard Training 25-30 April
Get to know the yacht and sail! You will join and depart from the yacht in Portsmouth.
Qualifying Race
Myth of Malham
Dates 23-26 May. The race starts and finishes off Cowes and goes around the Eddystone Lighthouse off Plymouth.
The Fastnet Race
Join the Yacht in Portsmouth.
Race starts Saturday 26th July 2025.
The time it takes to do the race depends entirely on the wind. Allow 5 or 6 days but you should set aside the week.
Depart the boat in Cherbourg a day or so after finishing the Race or stay on board and sail her back to Portsmouth.
Price
The price for the whole package is £5395 and includes insurance, crew jacket and polo shirt, the 2 Safety Courses, on the water training session, a qualifying race, fuel/gas, oilskins, berthing fees and all food on board, plus, of course, the Fastnet Race 2025.
To pay a 50% deposit enter the code Fastnet25 at the checkout. The balance will become due on 10th March.
What Sailors Say About Us
5.0 based on 561 Happy Customers On Tripadvisor 
5.0 based on 323 Happy Customers On Google Reviews
Safe
A superb Fastnet campaign on a great boat with excellent crew who were brilliant sailors and ensured that everyone was safe and had a great time. Altogether an awesome experience.
Edward K
Verified Customer
Calm learning experience
Very professional, excellent skipper (Sue), Mate (Giles) and volunteer crew (James and Sharon). All training steps were delivered in bite size chucks in a calm and relaxed manner which added to the learning experience. Well done all.
Alice H
Verified Customer
Supportive
Fantastic crew all round that supported each other throughout. Great boat to do it on.
Hugo P
Verified Customer
Not Sure Where to Start?
Use our guides to determine your level and find suitable courses.
See how internationally recognised RYA courses progress alongside your sailing skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need more info? Look no further.
Ready for the challenger of 2025 Fastnet Race
Take part in the Fastnet Race on a wonderfully seaworthy yacht with an experienced professional skipper and mate.
- You will be involved in all aspects of sailing the yacht
- Steel Challenger 72
- Full training given
Excellent customer service
I have used First Class Sailing for a number of sailing courses, both shore-based and practical, and did the ARC 2018 with them. I liked my experiences with them so much that I signed up to do the FastNet too! Everyone at First Class delivers excellent service. They are very easy to book with and are always willing and able to help with any questions you may have. I recently completed a Day Skipper practical course over two weekends. The instructor, Jamie, was all you could hope for - calm, encouraging, and patient. He was able to explain concepts in a way that was easily understood and I learnt a tremendous amount from him. The boats were brand new and a real pleasure to sail. It is clear that Charlie and team all care very much about the quality of the experience. They are not the cheapest sailing school you will find on the South coast, but in my experience, they are the best.
Wendy D
Verified Customer
Ready for the challenger of 2025 Fastnet Race
You may be interested in...
Whatever your experience, we help you navigate your entire sailing journey. Here's more of what's on offer.
Norway Sailing Adventure to the Fjords and Back
Sailing to Norway. Sail from Portsmouth to explore the Norwegian Fjords on a 72ft yacht.
Learn More
Channel Hop to France or the Channel Islands
'Sail to France and back. Weekend Channel Hops'
Learn More
Round the Island Race 2025
Now taking bookings! -You can be part of the fun, excitement and magnificent spectacle that is the Round the Island Race. Crew spaces are now available. Contact us to book your space early!
Learn More