Fastnet 2025 - 1st in Multihulls, Winner!

Taken from RORC website:

Nowhere across the Rolex Fastnet Race was there a spread of boats of a broader performance range than the MOCRA Multihull class. Thanks to the strong turnout of seven Dazcat catamarans, this class hit a record 20 participants this year. At one extreme of the fleet were the two upgraded MOD70s – Jason Carroll’s Argo and Erik Maris’ Zoulou – down to the lowest-rated, an Excess14 cruising catamaran, Dogzhouse. When the speedy trimarans were tying up in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, so Gary Taylor’s catamaran was just striking out into the Celtic Sea bound for the Rock. This morning, on day seven of the race, Dogzhouse was on her final approach to the finish.

Despite much pre-race wisdom suggesting that the pro-laden MOD70s would be run-away winners in the MOCRA Multihull class, in fact this was not the case with the ORMA 60-inspired, but more cruising-orientated, 63ft Irens-Cabaret trimaran Paradox3 claiming the top prize on MOCRA corrected time – the Croda Way Trophy (named after a 35ft trimaran from the 1970s).

“It was totally unexpected, because we're not a brilliant boat in light airs,” commented  Paradox3's owner Adam Davis, who runs River Boatyard, up the Helford river in darkest Cornwall, of their win. “We were hoping for lots of breeze so that the MODs would have to depower while we could push hard in 25-30 knots with full kit, which is usually our opportunity. But I guess with some good tactics and crew work, we've managed to get through it and win which is great.” 

Despite this, the upwind half of the race to the Fastnet Rock was tricky in light airs with her crew of six constantly having to swap between the Code Zero (used in <14 knots apparent wind speed) and J1 and back again. “It is quite a tricky manoeuvre and we have to go bareheaded to do it, because of the amount of winches we have on board. Then, by the time you've done the change, normally it's back to Code Zero again! And then you see the MODs bearing away around the Fastnet Rock and they're doing 28-32 knots and we're doing 16-20 max…”

Paradox3 wins the MOCRA Multihull prize at the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race © James Tomlinson/RORC

Davis believes Paradox3 won thanks to the latter stage of the race where the MODs got entangled in their own personal match race and fell into light winds off Start Point while Paradox3 continued on, trucking towards Cherbourg-en-Cotentin at 16-18 knots, continuing to do well in the race’s giant final hurdle – the Alderney Race: “We caught the tide quite well until the end, which was tricky for anyone with the wind dying. The tide ended up lee-bowing us and we ended up doing quite well out of that.” Davis was most pleased to beat Oren Nataf's Pulsar 50 trimaran Rayon Vert, which ended up fifth overall ahead of Vincent Willemart's Rapido 40 Adamas.

“The highlights really were just great crew, great food – we don't skimp on food and comforts – we still have memory foam mattresses and nice Italian food on board and make sure we enjoy it: Sail hard but keep everyone fed well and happy.”