Jester Challenge

[Slow_boat]

Okay, let's not argue about it.

The mags just not to my taste, that's all. To rich/aspirational for me at the moment, though I can see that it fills a niche in the market (English world cruising mag) that I might be part of one day.

Isn't it great to see this Jester Challenge, though? A return to no sponsorship (it is, isn't it?) ordinary folk taking on something special.

Much more inspiring than the big bucks stuff like Americas Cup.

 

[Andrew_Bray]

Then definitely YW. But still cannot recall it. Having written more than one article about singlehanded berthing techniques you can be sure it is a view I don't share.

 

[WayneS]

Please do post a pic.

If only I could afford the time to do something like the Jester. Oh boy.


W

 

[penultimate]

Westerly 22 BELGEAN

 

[Poignard]

To digress, for a moment, from the pleasant sport of magazine bashing, I'd like to recommend a book by David Lewis, a competitor in the 1960 race. It's called "The Ship Would Not Travel Due West".

David Lewis sailed his 25-foot Vertue from Plymouth to New York and, after a week there, sailed back to the Shetland Isles. A tough cookie!

He describes the hard work involved in preparing for the race; how he had to turn back with a broken mast, and the race itself. He also carried out research into the mental state of the other competitors.

Another good read on trans-Atlantic single-handing is Val Howells's "Up That Particular Creek".

 

[Wansworth]

Penultimate...Do you have any photos of the Kingfisher JR we could see? Cheers Andrew

 

[Sea Devil]

How many forumites would like to have a go in the next Jester??

If my personal life allows I am up for it ...... I think it says more about sailing, more about the reasons boats are special and the people who sail them are special and mainly nice than all the stuff about bav keels, and chart plotters and which anchor is best when the only place the anchor will ever see is a marina...

Those boats out there are doing it - the rest of us are talking about it... so do sign on = with your real name - not some non de plume ===

(bet only 3 or 4 actually say they will or want to - wait and see!!)

Michael E Briant - will try to be there in 4 years for the next Jester.

 

[Wansworth]

Andrew Colquhoun...Working towards it

 

[bumblefish]

I would love to, not sure if I have the experience, but as there are no entry criteria and you only live once! Andrew Hill.

 

[David_Jersey]

I would love to give it a go. Something I have (day) dreamed about since reading the PBO and YM as a kid back in the 70's when it seemed to be a real adventure done by only the brave or foolhardly, BUT the big attraction was that the boats were "normal" and seemed acheivable - ie it did not somehow seem required to have a 50 footer to hold half the stock from Mailspeed and a degree in computer mumbo jumbo (although I am glad that Astro Nav does not seem to nowadays to be 100% essential! - given my maths ability /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

 

[penultimate]

Pictures of SHANTI. Interesting to note that SHANTI must be a late conversion to Junk Rig as she has windows instead of the small circular opening ports which Blondie designed as being more suitable for a Transat.
(Latest news this morning is that ANDROMEDA, having reached Horta for repairs to self steering gear, has decided to retire from the Challenge because of the onset of the hurricane season. Sherman has previously completed one or two transats in ANDROMEDA, and bearing in mind last year's hurricane prevalence, I think his decision is a wise one.
As to the post enquiring which Forumites would consider undertaking the Challenge themselves: I was considering it seriously but a total hip replacement on 27th April ruled it out. TRIPLE VENTURE is again hove to in strong headwinds, so I'm beginning to think of the painful DVT which has followed the hip replacement as a blessing in disguise!
[image]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d56/penultimate_1933/shanti1copy.jpg[/image]

 

[weaver_fish]

I was down at QAB in the week before the off and was really inspired by some of the competitors.... the guy with the Corribee and the Westerly 22 were amazing....

Does anyone know why China Blue knocked it on the head at Falmouth?

I was a bit worried about the guy with the Cherverton, he did not seem to have been offshore ever before. Seems strange to report problems with a ripped mainsail and only one spare as a reason for retiring when surely one would have sail repair kit on board for crossing the atlantic?

 

[RupertW]

I'm very tempted - just wish it wasn't four years away as I may have got over my current small boat passion by then. My current 24 footer would make an interesting ocean crosser, I think, given how tippy it is, but I'd still trust it in pretty foul weather.

 

[Sea Devil]

I don't see any reason why it has to be limited to 30ft - My new (old) Prout is 33 ft and very uncompetitive whereas the Beneteau Figaro One is a fast modern boat - what is lovely about that entrant is all the other Figaro races they go around in a pack - er fleet Shepherded by a couple of French Navy Patrol boats and take over entire harbours...

It is the spirit of the race - rally - crossing - just ordinary people who like sailing, wanting a bit of a challenge (well quite a big challenge) with their own ordinary boats going out across the Atlantic - Not that easy as we have already seen -- and the right to retire - to carry what ever equipment they want or not - and have no rules other than the very simple set the Jester Challenge recommend...

so maybe those of us with slightly larger boats might like the challenge as well... And a single handed transatlantic far north of the trade winds route is indeed a considerable challenge.........

Michael

 

[RupertW]

I dunno - I think the idea of small boats only is what really differentiates it from things like the ARC - there's a myth building up that you need bigger boats, plotters and radar and all sorts of other toys to cross oceans, as if all the saiors who'd done it before were freaks.

Small boats keeps it simple and I'd almost be tempted to drop the size down a little because there's a big difference between a 25 footer and a 30 footer and it would be a pity seeing loads of people getting 29'6 boats.

 

[Ships_Cat]

I was not aware of the Challenge so thanks for your post - and NO, I am not volunteering for 2010 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

With respect to smallish yachts a very popular yacht here is the Herreshoff H28 (as you may have come across when in NZ). Alot of couples buy them as their first boat. They are quite close to the 30 foot limit though as some were built close to 29 ft 6ins but they have circumnavigated and many have sailed the Pacific from here.

I don't know how many there are around NZ but there are alot and we run into them all the time. They are a pleasant safe boat to sail and quite some years ago while living in another city I sometimes helmed them in club social races. Quite a pleasant experience after a bigger boat with a wheel.

John

 

[bumblefish]

Like the Elizabethan 30 perhaps? Are there a lot that size?

 

[Slow_boat]

Volunteer for the Jester?

No, I've done the trip twice on bigger boats .I was young fit and stupid then and still wouldn't do it singlehanded in a small boat.

But, there again, I'm a coward.

 

[Lee_Shaw]

[ QUOTE ]
How many forumites would like to have a go in the next Jester??

If my personal life allows I am up for it ...... I think it says more about sailing, more about the reasons boats are special and the people who sail them are special and mainly nice than all the stuff about bav keels, and chart plotters and which anchor is best when the only place the anchor will ever see is a marina...

Those boats out there are doing it - the rest of us are talking about it... so do sign on = with your real name - not some non de plume ===

(bet only 3 or 4 actually say they will or want to - wait and see!!)


Michael E Briant - will try to be there in 4 years for the next Jester.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been working towards it since I heard about it. God willing I'll be on the line 2010.

 

[Sea Devil]

As you probably saw on the jester web site - http://www.jesterinfo.org this is the section of the original OSTA observer single handed transatlantic that has been dropped!

Amazing as it was Blondie Hasler - Francis Chichester (in their 50's) and one or two others, in small boats without sponsorship, or rules who 'raced' across the Atlantic single handed for a 'half crown' or a pint or something similar...From Plymouth to Newport - Rhode Island.

Following that race / challenge the Observer newspaper sponsored a more commercial race/challenge every four years which has grown like daisy - as have the rules and regs and now bans the small boats which gave it birth...

For me it is not that the boats are small that make the Jester Challenge but that they are modest - it is competing not winning - that the prize is a token - that anybody can enter with any sort of boat - There is no sponsorship or commercial interest - just ordinary people with their own boats... I would just like the size limit to be a bit bigger - but if not - there is still that pretty folkboat on the quay for sale here!!!!

The Jester Challenge is arguably the most important sailing event of the decade - bringing adventure and self sufficiency back to sailing which is in grave danger of being hijacked by electronic companies and the 2nd home division.

Michael