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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 turn-out 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 skipper 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.”

This was also the philosophy of the collection of offshore and round the world legends (and friends) competing on board the all-carbon ORC 50 catamaran GDD. As crewman, Jules Verne Trophy record holder and former Vendée Globe race director, Jacques Caraës aptly described their race: “The only time you got wet was when you were having a shower!”

Otherwise the star-studded line-up on GDD included Halvard Mabire, who raced her in the last Route du Rhum, his direct competitor in that race on another ORC 50 Gwen Chapalain and Vendée Globe skipper Miranda Merron. 

GDD sported a star-studded line-up on board including former Vendée Globe race director, Jacques Caraës (left) © GDD

“It was really a very pleasant race compared to the previous two editions on our beautiful cruising multihull with some absolute legends,” explained Merron. “We sailed hard and had some very good drivers and a lot of fun. We ate properly which is a bit of a change. 

“Weather-wise, it was a beat to the Fastnet, which, on a multihull, is much nicer: It was a bit bumpy but there was no sitting on the rail. Then downwind it was really nice. We went south to stay in the warm sector of the front for as long as possible in fairly steady wind. And the finish showcased what a beautiful part of the world this is!” 

Winning the Crystal Trophy, an ancient MOCRA offshore race prize, as well as being first Dazcat under MOCRA corrected time, was Didier Bouillard’s Dazcat 1295 Minor Swing. Like most top French racers Bouillard has a background in the Figaro class but now lives in London, happy to follow the progress of his second-generation Figarist son Romain, who finished second in this year’s Transac Paprec. Among his crew was talented tactician Cédric Pouligny. 

“I am obviously super happy about the outcome because it’s a good boat, but it’s still a 43ft multihull and we are racing in a class where you have super-fast boats,” commented Bouillard, referring to the MOD70s. “Where we did very well was when we got the kite up after the Fastnet Rock and kept it up all the way through the night – a very dark night, which was a bit wild, with waves coming here and there which you couldn’t see.That’s where we actually made a big difference coming back. Then the tide was against us for the last three to four hours of the race, limiting what we could have done. If we’d have arrived 30 minutes earlier, maybe we could have got second overall. Otherwise, good crew, good atmosphere, good food…”

Didier Bouillard on board Dazcat 1295 Minor Swing on the way to winning the Crystal Trophy © Minor Swing