Participate in the legendary Rolex Fastnet sailing race

The physical difficulty of this program is rated as challenging, while the technical sailing level required stays accessible. Regular sports practice, including endurance activity, is needed to cope with night watches and sustained effort at sea. A competitive mindset and basic sailing skills are enough; being a confirmed skipper is not required.

The World Sailing Level 1 certificate (formerly French ISAF), valid for 5 years, is mandatory: it covers one day of first aid at sea and two days of sea survival training with practical drills (survival suit, raft capsize recovery), for around €500 to €600. A French Sailing Federation licence is also required, along with a medical certificate confirming fitness for competitive sailing.

Offshore racing experience is not a prerequisite; the program is designed for participants with basic sailing skills and a strong competitive spirit rather than seasoned racers. The professional crew on board, skipper and tactician, compensates for a lack of regatta experience. Good physical fitness and the willingness to stand watches remain essential though.

A medical certificate confirming fitness for competitive sailing is required as part of the French Sailing Federation licence. This document is a condition for issuing the licence and must be obtained before departure. It comes on top of the two sea-safety certifications already mentioned.

The program starts with boarding in Lorient, followed by a passage of around 300 nautical miles to Cowes, which also serves as a qualifying sail for the crew. A mandatory briefing organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club takes place in Cowes before the race start. This transit phase lets the crew get to grips with the boat ahead of the race itself.

Watches last 2 to 4 hours and follow one another throughout the race, day and night, to keep the boat permanently crewed. Meals during the racing leg are eaten individually, with freeze-dried rations suited to the watch rotation. This rotating schedule is one of the most physically demanding aspects of the program.

The expedition leader has final authority to adapt the program in case of adverse weather or a participant's insufficient physical condition, with crew safety as the sole objective. Any costs resulting from a change to the program are borne by the participants. An early return, whether individual or collective, is also charged in full to the participants concerned.

The course crosses the English Channel then the Irish Sea to the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, before heading to Cherbourg and back to Lorient, over roughly 605 nautical miles. Weather, more than pure technical difficulty, is the main challenge on this crossing, considered one of the toughest in the sailing world. The historic 1979 storm, which struck during that year's edition, shows how quickly conditions can worsen in the Irish Sea.

The Challenge 67 is a 21-metre monohull that has completed the BT Global Challenge round-the-world race three times, offering more generous comfort (double or triple cabins, two showers, two toilets) at a more affordable price. The Volvo 60, at 19.5 metres, is an extreme racing boat, often described as the Formula 1 of the seas, with spartan comfort but built to stay solid and safe in ocean conditions. The choice between the two comes down to both budget and the level of intensity sought.

The race has run without major incident in the vast majority of its editions since it began in 1925, but the 1979 edition is remembered for a storm that caused 18 deaths and numerous capsizes. Since then, safety protocols and mandatory certifications, including sea-survival training, have been considerably strengthened. Close weather monitoring and strict compliance with the skipper's instructions remain the best safeguards on board.

The skipper is an experienced Capitaine 200, responsible for handling the boat and the crew's safety. The second-in-command, a tactician from the Figaro circuit, brings expertise in race strategy and reading ocean conditions. This two-person leadership combines navigation decisions and racing performance throughout the event.

The group has 5 to 10 participants, always overseen by a professional skipper and tactician. On the Volvo 60, four professional sailors join the leadership team, for a racing crew of up to 10 people. On the Challenge 67, an additional professional crew is also provided, though its exact size is not specified.

A technical sailing jacket and trousers, along with boots or deck shoes, are among the personal items to bring. A full, detailed checklist is provided by the organiser to make sure nothing is forgotten before departure. No sailing gear is supplied as part of the program; only accommodation and guiding services are included.

The price, starting at €5,950 per person for the Volvo 60, covers accommodation on board and the program's guiding services. International flights, meals ashore in Lorient and Cowes, drinks, and supplementary expedition insurance are excluded. A surcharge may apply if the group is smaller than planned or if the program is customised.

The Drheam Cup, sometimes nicknamed the French Fastnet, offers a similar 13-day format between Lorient and Cherbourg aboard the Volvo 60, extending the offshore racing experience. For a longer next step, the RORC Transatlantic Race links the Canary Islands to the Caribbean over more than 3,000 nautical miles across 20 days. Both programs allow progression in distance and self-reliance after a first race like the Rolex Fastnet Race.