Welcome to the Jester Challenge forum

[Dharma Bum]

That's great John, thanks. I forked out for a Hydrovane which is a quality piece of kit and only time I seen them break is in marina collisions. I have tools and some spares. I was thinking more in terms of some sort of drogue thingy in case of bad weather to sea anchor the boat? I have a GPS and a handheld backup but no knowlege of celestial navigation or sextant for the ocean. Is that necessary? I suppose what's really nagging me is solitary confinement for two weeks with a bit of claustrophobia and sensory deprivation thrown in. For fear of sounding like a sissy can it become a problem? Are there ways to deal with it? I mean, if the party gets boring it's not like you can get a cab home is it?

 

[Gargleblaster]

That's great John, thanks. I forked out for a Hydrovane which is a quality piece of kit and only time I seen them break is in marina collisions. I have tools and some spares. I was thinking more in terms of some sort of drogue thingy in case of bad weather to sea anchor the boat? I have a GPS and a handheld backup but no knowlege of celestial navigation or sextant for the ocean. Is that necessary? I suppose what's really nagging me is solitary confinement for two weeks with a bit of claustrophobia and sensory deprivation thrown in. For fear of sounding like a sissy can it become a problem? Are there ways to deal with it? I mean, if the party gets boring it's not like you can get a cab home is it?

Personally I've given up on drogues. In very bad weather for my boat a flat bottom fin keeled boat it is more effective to lie-a-hull and let the wind push me sideways at 2-4 knots which flattens the waves nicely and stops most of them breaking. I recently took a Jeanneau 42 across the Pacific and I found lieing-a-hull without a drogue worked for her as well when the waves got too big to manage. A cheap and effective drogue carried by some very skilled seamen is a builders bag on some long warps. There is a very strong following of the Jordan Series Drogue on this forum that might be worth reading about.

In my humble opinion and experience celestial navigation is far more unreliable than GPS. I've gone 6 days without a sun sight because of thick overcast. I've never yet had the satellites out for the briefest period. I have gone through 2 GPS on one voyage through water damage both fresh and salt.

Cabin fever is an issue. I find it affects me worse when I am boarded up in the cabin during survival conditions. But being able to get out in the cockpit and enjoying the breeze on my face tends to blow the symptons away. I think this is a 'Johari Window' situation that you are going to have to experience to find out how you will react. Long distance solo sailing is not for everyone. 'The Mind of a Sailor' is a book that might explain it a bit better. I have a copy but not to hand so I can't give you any details. Google it.

I thought you might have a Hydrovane as there is someone sounding a lot like you on Ebay selling a larger rudder and tube for the Hydrovane.

 

[Dharma Bum]

I've ordered the book 'The Mind Of The Sailor'. There are a few cheap copies available on Abebooks and Alibris if anyone else is interested. I'll take some kind of drogue. I don't relish the idea of ending up lying abeam to huge waves. Especially at night. That was happening down near Brittany this summer in a big gale and felt like I was about to capsize. I guess I'll have to take along my imaginary friend too for company. Only he's such an effing pain.

 

[Igore]

Hello friends. I am have ask - I am like registration on JC, but I am have not yacht in this moment - I am wont buy she in England in may month. Can I am to do registration ? Thank you.

 

[puckertoe]

Hi
Just joined the forum.... Not being much of a talker have never been on one before. Can you tell me how to put my name on the start list for 2014?
Hope to glean lots of useful ideas and inspiration from the experience of you all.

 

[Gargleblaster]

Hi
Just joined the forum.... Not being much of a talker have never been on one before. Can you tell me how to put my name on the start list for 2014?
Hope to glean lots of useful ideas and inspiration from the experience of you all.

On the website here http://www.jesterinfo.org/contact.html you will find Ewen Southby- Tailyour's email address. Send him an email stating you want to put your name down for 2014, giving your name, boat name, boat length, boat type and a contact address and contact details. And you will find that you are then an official competitor. It may take time for websites to catch up and include you and your boat.

If you PM me with your email address, I will make sure you are invited to the Jester Yahoo forum. Alternatively go here jesterchallenge-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and ask to be put on the forum. This may take a while depending whether any of the moderators are watching their email.

Remember everyone who does it is voluntary so things may not happen with the speed you would expect from an organisation that would be charging you to enter.

 

[puckertoe]

Excuse me if I'm replying at the wrong place but I am new to the forum thingys.
Thank you Glayvra( John?) Thats a very helpful response to my flounderings. I will try to be patient.

Jane

 

[Duster]

It is noted that Roger Taylor was a guest at the recent Paris Nautic Boat Show, signing copies of his books. There is a growing French community supporting the Jester ethos and a burgeoning organisation joining in. How the two will find a way to co-exist will be interesting.

 

[RainbowChaser]

Ahoy All!

Just a heads-up - the 2016 Jester Azores Challenge is getting under way on Sunday, 15 May at 1200utc...

RACE INFO:

The 2016 Challenge

SAILONLINE VIRTUAL RACE (also starting on 15 May 2016 at 1200utc)



INTRO:
On 15 May 2016, the Jester Azores Challenge 2016 will start from Plymouth Breakwater at 1200utc. The contestants in reality are single-handed small boats (between 20’-30’) which will sail independently to the port of Terceira in the Azores. Among these will be long-time SOLer, YBW_PYE_END, who will be sailing his Victoria Frances 26, Francesca and we will be able to track his progress via a Google Earth kml feed (linked below).

Sailonline will be racing a Twister 28, which was first raced against SOLer CG and her Twister Florence in June 2010, which should keep us in touch with the real challengers.




LINKS:

Entry List

Francesca Position

Francesca's Google Earth Tracker Feed

Sailonline's Homepage

Francesca under way:

 

[oldbilbo]

JESTER AZORES CHALLENGE 2016

SITREP No. ONE


PRE START


In its inimitable style the Tamar River Sailing Club hosted the eighth Jester Challenge in the 10th year of it being sailed. A BBQ on Friday night was followed by the Skippers’ Briefing and Dinner on Saturday night…followed by the Skipper’s Breakfast this morning (in the fog!) between 0830 and 1000.


BRAVO to Clive the Commodore and his indomitable team who fed and ‘watered’ us handsomely. Special praise to Wil for his tireless handling of our ever-changing mooring requirements…despite being run down in his borrowed wooden dinghy and having to pull the plug on his lifejacket. Bravo to him too…


THE START

The start at 1300 was in near perfect conditions….sparking sea, a steady F3 (albeit from the wrong direction) and a warm (sort of) sun. Even the Brittany Ferry failed to turn up - or I had read the timetable wrongly which is more likely.

The ten minute baby-powder-gun was fired by Jacob S-T (aged 10) the five minute gun by Heather S-T (aged 8) and the start gun by Paul Mead (of an indeterminate vintage) in honour of his earlier JC achievements.

The starters were:

Trevor Leek JESTER 27 Delayed till mid week

Guy Willing BLUEGRASS

Thom D’Arcy FATHOM

Bill Churchouse BELGEAN 141

Denis Gorman LIZZIE-G

Colin Reid TUI

Ertan Beskardes LOKUM

Tony Head TRIPLE VENTURE 6565Y

Doug Pingel JEKEEDA 2 191

Glen Maxwell TAO ZOU 61

Jonathan Hopper FRANCESCA

Howard Chivers SANDPIPER

Peter Crawley SHELDRO 826C

Olivier Delebecque GODOT Delayed till mid week due to late arrival from Amsterdam

Duncan Sclare FREEBIRD IR 1011

Graham Humphreys TENACIOUS 306

Peter Orban TISZA 259
Returned for minor repairs following a pre-start collision

Tim Luke MEDUSA 61

Julien Pipat BULA

Roger Fitzerald ELLA TROUT GBR 1270L

Roy Tall SPIRIT OF VENUS 371

Claude Van Martyn OUI! OUI!

Basil Panakis JABA Sighted yesterday off Start Point - probably due to start midweek....


Fuller Sitrep later as I am only just back from sea…

ARRIVALS Nil

RETIREMENTS Nil

Moons’ls!

Ewen