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JESTER CHALLENGE
RIGHT ‘Blondie’ Hasler’s original junk-rigged Folkboat Jester L P P
/
y a s m a R
n e e l i E L P P
/ ABOVE Herbert ‘Blondie’ Hasler in 1960 e o c
r BELOW The huge 236ft four masted e
V schooner Club Méditerranée skippered by -
n Frenchman Alain Colas, slips out of a
e Plymouth towards the start line. This type L
r of vessel wasn’t quite what ‘Blondie’ e
g Hasler had in mind for the OSTAR o R x a j A / d n a l t s a E
n a h t a n o J
called the Faraday Mills OSTAR. However, ‘All starters reached Newport in good order – the rules were also changed so that no the only time this has happened so far’ boat in 2004 could be less than 30ft (although not banning the smaller vessels, the regulations made compliance difficult in formal events) and in the 2005 event a minimum boat length of 27ft was inaugural OSTAR (Observer Single famous images from the 1976 event – imposed, which excluded seaworthy Handed Trans-Atlantic Race). Hasler yachts of 128ft and 236ft overall – did little yachts from a race that had at its very sailed his modified Nordic Folkboat Jester to change his mind. heart the 25ft Jester herself. on which he had developed his own Fearing a demise, Hasler planned a Things had come to a head. Owners of windvane self-steering system. He finished considerably scaled down transatlantic race seaworthy designs such as Twisters, second in 48 days to Sir Francis to begin in 1980. Yet for a variety of reasons Folkboats, Contessa 26s, and even the Chichester's much larger Gipsy Moth III. Hasler’s ‘Series Two’ never occurred. diminutive Corribee 21s were, quite All five starters reached Newport in good Hasler died in 1987, but the race, now suddenly, disenfranchised from one of the order – the first and, interestingly, the only firmly dominated at the top end by heavily most recognised transoceanic races. time this has happened, so far – and the sponsored trimarans, continued to allow Yet even if size had not been a limiting other three participants all sailed boats small boats to participate. factor then the entrance fee most certainly under 25ft LOA. Then, after the 2000 edition of the race, now would be (£1,800 for the virus- Seventeen boats entered the 1964 race officially known as the Europe 1 New Man cancelled OSTAR 2020) along with some and four years after that there were 35. STAR, the organisers, Royal Western impractical safety regulations and a However, Hasler was worried its success Yacht club (RWYC), decided to separate 40-day time limit. ‘contained the seeds of its own death.’ He 2004’s professional, high-profile race – the Thus we decided to create our very own cited ‘excessive competitiveness’ and the Transat – from a Corinthian event in 2005 quirky, eccentric, rather British solution.
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 29 3 s t s b s s r c v c o s s s f s c a w l f n f t H a T n n b s o J t o o d e f o s w p n t B T i a a e e h o h h e k e k k m p p l a e e e t l o h l n e e r a e e h f f f f e i r l i I H I ‘ I a h a 0 a o m c w e s c a
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l •
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F r s t n t e p e b c
, s s
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n n r
– u
d k
Jake Kavanagh JESTER CHALLENGE h g a n a v a K
e k a J
Jester alumni A good many Jester skippers have gone on to far greater things and while I accept that it is invidious to name a few of the many, I have to praise Roger Taylor in Mingming who has ventured twice into Arctic waters in his 21ft junk-rigged Corribee. Meanwhile Russian Igor Zaretsky, following his success in the 2010 Jester h
g Challenge, then entered the Golden a n
a Globe round the world non-stop, v
a single-handed race. K
e One of the more remarkable Jester k a
J skippers is another Russian, Alexei Fedoruk, sailing his home-made vessel Ewen Southby-Tailyour's ‘committee’ boat (there is no committee, but there isn’t really Fason. He found the battered rotting an alternative term) tows Jester into hull of a Dragon, bought it and took position for the start. Previous owner Mike many years rebuilding her from the h g
Richey, seen standing by Jester’s mast, a
garboards upwards then fitting her out n was aboard the modified Folkboat 26 as he a for long-distance, bluewater sailing. v helped current owner Trevor Leek to a K With no ship-chandlers he even had to complete preparations e k
make his own spring hanks, nails and a J screws before he could start! Following his arrival in the Azores in 2008 he Russian Alexei Fedoruk sailed his ‘The race will have no sailed on to Newport. A real Jester and rebuilt and heavily modified Dragon 26 one whom I am certain would find non-stop for 21 days to reach the start official acceptance, favour with PBO readers! from St Petersburg. Unable to buy chandlery in Russia at the time, Alexei no organising clubs, A good many others, too, have used a local engineering workshop to enjoyed new leases of life and gone on make his own brass screws and no rules...’ to greater adventures. spring-loaded hanks
Good track record events where keels fall off, crew fall document (the 'blood chit', as I call it) that The Jester Challenge was, inevitably, not overboard and vessels run onto reefs states the responsibility for taking part is without its critics but after 14 years, a (despite state-of-the-art navigational the skipper's, and the skipper's alone. lifeboat has only once been called out and systems) we consider our record to be These single-handers are unlikely to that not by the skipper but by a third party pretty enviable. enlist onshore navigational and (the skipper herself was making her way The Jester Challenge fills a gap and meteorological help and – in a parody of to her chosen destination in perfect satisfies a desire. The non-committee Blondie’s views – we don’t expect them to safety). One yacht has foundered overseeing the very few non-rules is just give a fig about level playing fields. But we following a dismasting with the skipper one non-organiser. No-one has a duty of do expect them to behave like gentleman taken off by a passing merchant ship in a care to the competitors other than the as far as numbers on board and the use textbook evolution. There are, sadly, skippers' duty to themselves, their of an engine are concerned. Jester bound to be further incidents but so far dependants ashore and their fellow skippers are simply content to reach their common sense and good seamanship seafarers. The only formality before the destination safely, taking their own have held the day. Compared to other start is for each skipper to sign a finishing times to then compare routes,
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 31 Jake Kavanagh 3 G e f ‘ e t n o B Y m s m d c A F w I h o v o k e e c n u n n b b f d o a a a r n
o r r i e a a h n o a g s s n a l x q r o a n a o o n w r n o o e u i o n a A A T T I a e e 2 s o r o u e
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Jester Challenge timeline
June 2006 Jester Challenge The inaugural event follows the same route as the original OSTAR: Plymouth to Newport RI. This continues to run every four years, but additional challenges proliferated to the point where we have an event every year.
2008 Jester Azores Challenge This event (also every four years) was designed to give those who did not wish to bash all the way to the h g Americas. They had the chance to cut a n
a their teeth on a long-distance voyage v a but with a destination close enough K
e from which to return to the UK before k a
J the hurricane season. Jester is a replica of Blondie Hasler’s original Folkboat that was sadly lost during the 1988 OSTAR – though fortunately without fatality 2013 Jester Baltimore Challenge Later still Tony Head – an enthusiastic skipper, invaluable helper and wise mentor – suggested that even the The Jester Trust Azores might be too far for those who really were beginners. Instead, every My involvement in the story began in Richey eventually retired from odd year we sent them to Baltimore in earnest following the loss at sea of transatlantic voyaging in 1997 after the Republic of Ireland. ‘Blondie’ Hasler’s original Jester during celebrating his 80th birthday at sea, so the 1988 OSTAR. I helped form the Jester was put on the market. I ...and a second startline Jester Trust with a group of friends to recommended Trevor Leek to the Another Jester skipper – and the build at our own expense a facsimile of Jester Trust as a potential new owner, oldest so far – Roger Fitzgerald based this famous boat. as he had offshore experience and at Pwllheli in north Wales, felt that two This would allow Michael Richey, declared that he had no intention of starts would make sense for the who had bought her off Hasler, to modernising Jester and would leave Baltimore challenge: one from continue taking part in the OSTARs. her precisely as designed by Hasler. Plymouth and one from Wales to avoid the Welsh starters having to sail south to Plymouth before sailing north to Baltimore. So he devised a route that was the same distance from each of the two start lines. These two routes (with the same starting times) were short enough to sail there and back, well within a normal summer holiday period. The first Jester Baltimore Challenge coincided, by happy chance, with Baltimore’s Pirate Week so since then I have made sure that our dates continue to match theirs.
2020-21 As a result of the coronavirus the 2020 Jester Azores Challenge was postponed and amalgamated with the 2021 Jester Baltimore Challenge. This means there will be four Jester starts in 2021: Q One and two are from Plymouth and Pwllheli to Baltimore, which may be viewed as the warm-up event for the h g a third start n a Q v Baltimore to the Azores a
K Q
The fourth will be from Plymouth to e k the Azores (for those who do not wish a J to go to Baltimore) The team behind an attainable OSTAR: (from left to right) Trevor Leek, the late Mike Richey, and Ewen Southby-Tailyour
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 33 PRACTICAL SPECIAL
HOW TO ‘JESTERFY’ YOUR YACHT
The Jester Challenge is a single-handed event for yachts under 30ft, and in 2021 will have two destinations: Southern Ireland and the Azores. Jake Kavanagh fi nds out how the skippers prepare their boats
he Jester Challenge has become In 2006, I was Practicals editor for PBO sea itself. This helps to bind the skippers a remarkable event. Described as and covered the fi rst-ever Jester Atlantic together in a kind of self-help consortium. ‘The antidote to the nanny state’ Challenge, which had just a handful of Some of the ideas I’ve seen over the Tthe idea is that ordinary people in participants. The accessibility of the years have found their way into my own ordinary boats can undertake a series of event and the simplicity of the yachts challenger, a 21ft junk-rigged Corribee. increasingly diffi cult long-distance solo appealed to many amateur sailors. As However, she has yet to see the start line, voyages, culminating with a crossing of such, for the 2008 Azores event, some so like many others I remain a dedicated the North Atlantic. 38 participants made it to the start at groupie. In the meantime, we can dip Attend one of the fl eet assemblies and Plymouth on the UK’s south coast. The into the very active web forums to read you will see a collection of dependable, skippers were mostly British, but were the recommendations for taking a popular and inexpensive production boats joined by Jesters from Russia, Australia, production boat off soundings and into along with the occasional home build or Belgium, Switzerland and France. the unforgiving ocean. We have trawled radical makeover. All the participants are I have been fascinated by the upgrades the Jester archives to highlight the most self-funded, as sponsorship is usually and clever modifi cations on the Jester popular modifi cations, and you won’t discouraged, save for the occasional boats ever since, and since there are no need the budget of a Vendée Globe collection tin for charity. prizes, the real challenge is against the contender to fi t them.
34 Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk JESTER CHALLENGE h g a n a v a K
e k
Jester veteran Bill Churchouse a J
The Jester forum on departing for the Azores aboard : s o
his modified Westerly 22 t
YBW.com (a digital o h marine ‘sister’ brand to P PBO) was set up in Self-steering All the skippers say the same. Self- 2006 and is still steering is an absolute must. If you fit going strong nothing else for the Jester Challenge, fit this. Self-steering (a term usually generic to wind vanes) or ‘auto-pilot’ (electric/ electro-hydraulic) systems allow a single-hander to set the course and then grab some valuable rest. This is the bit that gets the detractors hot under the collar, as the collision regulations say that a lookout must be maintained ‘at all times’ when under way. The skippers counter this with a tireless ‘electronic watchkeeper’ instead, but more of that later. There are a lot of self-steering systems The British-built Seafeather available, but not so many for smaller self-steering craft. Even second-hand, a compact proved very wind-vane system is relatively expensive popular among the – expect to pay anywhere between £500 smaller boats. These units are and £800 for a reasonably good example. precision made New ones can set you back twice that, in Devon and are or more. For electric/electro-hydraulic remarkably robust
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 35 PRACTICAL SPECIAL
Larger vessels often have heavier systems, like the Hydrovane, which also doubles as emergency steering. Note the metal tiller arm attached to demonstrate this function autopilots, costs have come down and reliability has gone up, but for very small craft the choice is usually limited to tiller pilots. Not many Jester yachts are wheel steered, although those that are can benefit from a powerful servo that acts directly on the rudder quadrant. The advantage of an electric pilot is that it steers to a pre-set heading via a fluxgate compass, whereas the mechanical vane systems are dependent on wind direction. If the wind backs or veers, then the boat alters course to match. Glance at the fleet assembling for an off-soundings event and you will see that almost every participant has got their hands on some kind of self-steering system, most commonly windvanes Graham Jewitt removed the original main Duncan Lougee built a watchkeeping seat (servo-pendulum). One even bought a hatch on his Kingfisher 22 and built a for his Rustler 31. It drops into slots at the pilothouse over the void. This gave him full top of the companionway and allows him to weird contraption for £130 from ebay, standing headroom. Note the rotating pram sit in the main hatch. The sprayhood offers while a PBO reader made his own for hood for a circular lookout hatch good forward protection in a head sea £10 (no misprint – ten quid) from an old bicycle. (The inverted forks held the vane whilst the head race bearing allowed it to Modified hatch many waves wash over it. A Jester ‘weathercock’). In each case, these DIY You can often spot a Jester boat from the yacht will therefore usually have either a versions failed a few hundred miles out, hatch modifications. Skippers see this as reinforced sprayhood, observation dome prompting the bike converter to ruefully an area of inherent weakness in a storm, or windscreen to break up solid waves. realise that Mr Raleigh had never meant as well as a good place to keep watch on The washboards are often reinforced his products to go to sea. Even so, passage. A Perspex blister is also a good against seas crashing in from astern and windvane self-steering remains the indicator of a potential Challenger. can be locked into place to prevent them accessory of choice as they are usually There are two requirements for the main falling out in a roll over. Some even set an highly dependable and need no electrical hatch: firstly, good access in and out of escape hatch into the boards, with the power. Repairs can often be done the cockpit to reef the sails or reset the added advantage that this gives good on passage using simple tools, and the steering, and secondly, the ability to ‘put visibility aft. Several also modify the top stronger the wind, the more effective the cork in the bottle’. An empty and firmly step of the companionway stairs to double the steering. corked bottle won’t sink, no matter how as a comfortable perch when sailing.
Self-steering Bill Churchouse gear can be has a similar step bought at boat to Duncan’s jumbles. This (above) in his obsolete Navik Westerly 22. It is by Plastimo was detachable and going for £500 – allows him but obtaining to sit under his spares for older astrodome for models can be complete shelter an issue
36 Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk JESTER CHALLENGE
Scanning radar is relatively rare in a Jester fleet, but some small yachts still carry it. Ron Wescott’s Hunter Sonata 23 is seen packing a scanner and an ‘active’ radar target enhancer. With power generation limited, radar tends to be used only when in fog or crossing shipping lanes
Radar and radar reflectors Although modern sets are compact and quite frugal on amps, not many Jester boats have a scanning radar system installed. Budgets are often tight and radar still remains relatively expensive, so while it is a great asset to have many skippers rely on passive (echo enhancing) systems instead. Unfortunately, in a seaway small boats can make a poor target for a ship’s radar. Wood and fibreglass are microwave ‘sponges’ and circular masts and stanchions can scatter a return. The Bright hull colours are also a good way to get noticed, especially if you become dismasted. Here Pete Hill’s Kingfisher 20+ sports a bright yellow topsides coat. His boat was one of diminutive Jesters, averaging 25ft LOA only two that completed the 2006 Jester Atlantic Challenge to Rhode Island and with quite short masts, are also prone to vanishing into background ‘clutter’. The answer is to ramp up the echo: High visibility the cheapest way is with a purpose-built Orange is the new black. For Jesters, ‘passive’ aluminium radar reflector, being seen by shipping is important, hoisted into the rigging or riveted high on although most realise it’s safer to show up the mast. The open octahedral versions on a ship’s radar or AIS that will spot them should be placed in the ‘rain-catching’ long before a bored lookout. However, position to be most effective. should the worst happen, a white, grey or Better still is a powered target pale-blue colour scheme will easily blend enhancement system that produces a into a seaway. bold return on the interrogator’s screen. This happened to Andy Lane in 2008, As a bonus, some systems, such as the when his Jeanneau 21 Amadeus was Echomax Active XS, will give an audio or dismasted and holed in rough weather visual alarm if swept (‘painted’) by an very close to Titanic’s last position. Without external X or S band radar. The Echomax the mast, his small white hull was almost can indicate if there are single or multiple invisible to the container ship sent to find radar scanners at work, so doubles as an him, but smoke flares saved the day. early warning that something big is close. Jesters will therefore add orange or Some Jesters have even lined their other hi-vis colours to mastheads, hatches cabin-sides or rear bulkhead with a layer and cabin tops to increase the chances of tin foil and then covered it with of a visual fix. foam-backed vinyl. This gives the twin While orange is favoured for mastheads, effect of a thermal barrier and a good black actually stands out better when radar return, although the foil will need an seen from sea level. ‘Safety orange’ stands out well in a grey air gap to be an effective insulator. Owners Wind farms, for example, are painted sea or sky. Here Bill Hockley has added of boats with hollow wooden spars have white so they merge into the sky, so a some orange storm canvas to the sails occasionally put crumpled aluminium foil of his Cutlass 27. This bright sailcloth black and orange combo at the top of the also provides extra reinforcement when the into the mast cavity to aid radar detection mast is probably the best mix. main is heavily reefed in steep seas.
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 37 PRACTICAL SPECIAL
Once out of phone and VHF range, some Jesters rely on small satellite communicators to send text messages to anxious relatives. One of the latest versions is the Zoleo, the namesake of an Iridium subsidiary. The Zoleo was launched in 2020, and switches automatically between satellite, cellular and wifi for the cheapest and most reliable connection
Better comms Single-handers leave loved ones behind who will wait anxiously for news of their safe arrival, which could take up to three weeks to the Azores and six weeks to Rhode Island. While a VHF radio is fine for line-of-sight transmission, long-distance radio comms (MF and HF bands) become costly and power hungry, plus you need to pass a professional exam to use them. A solution several Jesters have discovered is the comparatively low-cost satellite alternative. A small handheld device allows short text messages to be Junk rig is remarkably easy to use from the safety of the cockpit. Here Roger Taylor sent daily for a fixed, affordable tariff, and demonstrates how Mingming’s halyards are operated without ever going on deck. also doubles as a distress beacon. The He later took this 21ft engineless Corribee deep into the Arctic. (See ‘Voyages of a Simple screen and software on models like the Sailor’ review on p40) Delorme (Garmin) InReach or Iridium Go (via a phone app) can even be used as a GPS navigator, and a long battery life The latest mariner had was a light saying the EPIRB generation of makes it ideal for use in a liferaft. beacons, such was active. as this model “Second generation alerting technology AIS from ACR, will now being introduced includes the Return The Automatic Indentification System soon have the Link Service,” explained ACR’s Mikele ability to let the (AIS) is a remarkable addition to safety survivors know D’Arcangelo. “Currently it is only authorised at sea and works by using a dedicated that help is on in a few countries and approvals are still VHF channel to constantly interrogate the way. Battery pending. Later this year, an RLS-equipped transponders in nearby traffic. The data is life is also being beacon will be able to provide the beacon extended sent back to the yacht from any AIS- owner with a confirmation light and/or equipped vessel, which is compulsory for message on the display that their passenger boats, trawlers (16m+) and emergency has been received.” ships over 300 tonnes. Their information A prerequisite for all voyaging mariners appears as a graphic on an LCD screen or is to ensure the information held by the chartplotter. At the same time, the yacht’s country of registration is kept up to date, own transponder is alerting local shipping especially if the device has recently with its identification (name and type) changed hands. position, course and speed. The data package also includes the Marine Mobile EPIRBs Older Service Identification (MMSI) number Jesters hope for the best but are fully generations allowing a targeted call to a specific ship prepared for the worst, which is why of EPIRB rather than a general broadcast. You can their safety record is so good. In today’s have a literally dial up the ship bearing down on modern world, however, SOLAS (Safety five-year battery life you and remind it you are there. Of Life At Sea) requires the nearest vessels and can AIS systems are compact and to go to the assistance of one in distress. only indicate affordable, simple to install, relatively There have been some big that an easy on amps and intuitive to use, so improvements in EPIRBs and PLBs in alert has been sent. it’s no surprise most Jesters will fit one. recent years, including longer battery life There is no An added advantage is that the AIS can (ten years instead of five), more satellite receipt double as a watch keeper and alert the coverage and the capability of two-way notification. skipper if an AIS-enabled vessel wanders communication. This is an indicator that into a pre-set guard zone. help is on the way. Previously, all the
38 Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk JESTER CHALLENGE
Prime Suspect’s Bill Hockley has placed Everything secure. This stowage bag has his liferaft container right by the (modified) been physically attached to the bunk via a hatch of his Cutlass 27. It’s in the right strap. Note the screws in the floorboards. place for an emergency and its size halves Non-essential access boards are secured, the volume of the cockpit, giving the drains and hatches over seacocks are fitted with a fighting chance if swamped turnbuckles for quick inspection
Golden Dragon’s bunking arrangements under its new pilothouse. Note the rolled- Skippers can go flying too. Many wrap Placing boards over the cockpit not only up green lee-cloth, the white waterproof protective foam offcuts around objects minimises the volume of shipped water, it bag to keep the sleeping bag dry and the that have the potential to brain them in also gives extra stowage – and a nice place good visibility from the standing position. a seaway to sunbathe The old hatch edge acts as a hand-hold
Easier handling The only defence against striking temporary lockers that make use of the Modifications for single-handing make submerged objects is to have a plan to leg room. This greatly reduces the volume boats easier to sail short-handed too, so stem the flooding. Nav warnings often of water the cockpit can hold before the will aid family cruising. Several Jesters advise of their whereabouts, but if a GRP drains can clear it. have converted their Bermudan sloops to hull smacks into a container, things can junk rig, and what is lost in windward get pretty lively. Bolstering the bunks performance is more than made up for in Some boats, such as the Sadler models, Sleep deprivation is more of a problem in ease of sail handling. All lines lead back have built-in foam buoyancy and can float coastal waters, which is why the Baltimore to the main hatch from where reefing can fully flooded. On other designs, Jesters Challenge is such a good shakedown. be done in seconds. Standard Bermudan reinforce the hull, add collision bulkheads Skippers can test their limits when still rigs can also work on the feed-back and build in buoyancy tanks of their own, relatively close to a bolt hole and many system, minimising a skipper’s time on although this can take away valuable use a kitchen timer to give them a regular deck where they are most vulnerable. stowage space. 20-minute wake-up for a horizon scan. One skipper even ditched his roller Flying objects, meanwhile, are mostly Once away from the shipping lanes, reefing and reverted to a set of hanked found on board and include everything sleep is a bit easier, but skippers still set foresails instead. He also added a from tins, cutlery and even floorboards in up their bunks to allow for a quick rush to temporary inner forestay for emergencies. rough weather. the hatch. Most skippers use the bunks in “I didn’t want the roller drum to fail when it Many skippers ensure that floorboards the main cabin, with a lee cloth that can was needed most, such as shortening the and other loose objects are all properly be dropped very quickly for a leap to the sail in a squall,” he said. secured to prevent them bouncing around window or hatch. the cabin and possibly causing an injury. Avoiding UFOs A simple kitchen UFO has two meanings – Unwelcome Cockpit infills timer allows Floating Objects, and Unwelcome Flying When cruising with family or friends, the skippers to Objects. The floating objects include a cockpit is the place to be, but on the cat-nap for 10-20 wide array of debris such as baulks of Jester it is often seen as a wave trap. The minutes at a time, depending on timber washed off ships, or tree trucks average cockpit could receive half-a-ton of traffic. This washed out to sea from rivers after a water in just one wave, dropping the stern gives them a storm, although the semi-submerged and making the boat vulnerable to more reasonable shipping container remains the most as it recovers. As such, Jester skippers chance of spotting a feared object. Robert Redford’s film All is often fill in the cockpit to varying degrees, fast-moving Lost probably hasn’t helped. either by covering it over, or by making ship in between
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 39 PRACTICAL SPECIAL BOOK REVIEWS
Further reading
The following books will help you gain some more insight into what makes a successful Jester Challenge:
Jester Challenge and beyond Written by LED lighting, in bulbs or strips, helps septuagenarian Basil conserve limited battery power Panakis, the author expands on his interview with PBO in February 2015 and gives an in-depth narrative of equipping Roger Taylor filled his cockpit with his and sailing his 25ft series storm drogue, which is pre- sloop Jaba in no less than three Jester attached to strongpoints on each quarter. Challenges. He went on to take her to To deploy, he reaches out from the hatch, Madeira, Cape Verde and the Caribbean. pulls open the white canvas covers and feeds the drogue overboard. Note the Q£12.99 Published by Austin Macauley bridge deck and sealed-up companionway Chartplotters placed on DIY swing-out www.pbo.co.uk/BasilPanakis to reduce volume mounts are very popular
A Voyage to the Sea Storm drogue for deep sea voyaging. Many of the Falklands veteran Denis Jester Challenge events are timed for the common modifications are inexpensive Gorman describes the most benign weather, but even so the and help to give the skipper greater peace events that led him to world’s climate can throw the occasional of mind. buy and equip two storm at the fleet. An accessory many We’ve only touched on some of them consecutive boats and Jesters pack but hope never to use is the here, but others would include beefing up set off with the Jester storm drogue or ‘sea anchor.’ This is the rigging, fitting solar panels, swapping Challengers to the either a long line with lots of small filament bulbs for LEDs, and having a Azores in 2008, and cone-shaped pockets on it, or a larger proper storm jib. later to the US in 2010. parachute arrangement. Obviously liferafts, lifejackets, EPIRBS, Contains plenty of In extreme weather, deploying this flares and other safety kit should all be in narrative about the experiences of anchor allows the yacht to lie to the waves date and serviced where necessary, and other skippers he met, too. in its most comfortable orientation, or to skippers should ensure they have spares Q£9.99 Published by Matador. run with the storm without broaching. You of all their personal essentials, such as can read about one being used in anger any medication or pairs of spectacles. in Roger Taylor’s excellent book Mingming After that, it’s up to the individual to plan Voyages of a Simple Sailor and the Art of Minimal Ocean Sailing. their own trip, and to share the experience The first of five books by Roger D. Taylor, with other Jesters. this series begins with General modifications So, if you have a seaworthy boat of his entry into the first Although production boats were only under 30ft, why not join in and see just ever 2006 Jester meant for leisure cruising, most adapt well what you can both achieve? Atlantic Challenge, in which he changed the destination and sailed Some Jester facts to Greenland instead. Contains plenty of QSmallest boat to take part: detail about equipping Just Right has to date Gus Davison’s 18ft home-built been the smallest and piloting an cutter Just Right. competitor, but at 18ft engineless, junk-rigged boat. QSmallest boat to first cross proved too slow to Q£8.99 Published by Fitzroy Press. the Atlantic: Pete Hill’s 20ft finish the Atlantic crossing in the Junk-rigged Kingfisher Shanti. vacation time *See opposite page for Jake Kavanagh's QFastest Atlantic crossing: 31 available. Skipper review of Roger D. Taylor's latest book days achieved by Frenchman Gus Davison Mingming II and the impossible voyage Eric Andlauer in his 30ft turned back, having already Beneteau Figaro One, described raised money as a ‘racing dinghy with cabins.’ for cancer Videos QThe oldest skipper: Roger support There are a number of videos posted Fitzgerald, 82. online by Jester skippers, many shot in QFurthest voyage to take ‘exciting’ weather as they ventured out part: Russian Alexei Fedoruk, into the Atlantic. I have put some of my 1,952 nautical miles from interviews with these adventurous souls St Petersburg in Russia to on my own channel, Jester Groupie, Plymouth in Devon in Fason, and you can find the links on the his converted Dragon 29 PBO website.
40 Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk Mingming II & the Impossible Voyage
Jake Kavanagh escapes to the wilderness with Roger D Taylor’s latest book
f you enjoy long-range single- handed sailing on a budget, you’ll probably be very familiar Iwith the work of Roger D Taylor. His first book, Voyages of a Simple Sailor, described how he obtained his sealegs as mate on a sail training ship in New Zealand, becoming embayed and shipwrecked in the process. ABOVE Taylor’s Mingming II is a much Unfazed, he went on to build his own modified Achilles 24 tiny ferrocement sloop and, in 1974, LEFT Arctic islands on the horizon successfully competed in the 1,280-mile trans-Tasman solo yacht race. In 2006, he rescued, a motley crew who threaten took part in the first ever Jester mutiny, and the captain of a destroyer Transatlantic Challenge in his engineless, keen to take out the intruding yacht as modified 21ft Corribee Mingming. it sails close to Russian territory. Some However, he deviated from the finish line of these exchanges had us laughing at Rhode Island to penetrate deep into the out loud. Arctic. This wanderlust for the high The book is divided into three parts. latitudes has been Taylor’s signature ever probably be his last. This time he The prologue offers a short but deep since and has given him a loyal following. departed from Scotland to explore an area reflection of why we go to sea, especially In recent years he has swapped his of the Arctic that should be impossible to our need to seek out solitude and Corribee 21 for a slightly larger Achilles reach, the usually inaccessible islands of reconnect with nature. The main 24, but equipped to the same proven the Queen Victoria Sea. Taylor ruefully narrative quickly changes pace and sees formula: windvane self-steering, no admits this was only achievable due to the Taylor making his plans, equipping engine, minimal electronics and an retreating ice of recent years and wonders Mingming II accordingly, and setting sail easily-handled junk rig. how much more of the north will soon to the north. During his 56 days at sea, Mingming II and the Impossible Voyage open up, for better or worse. he sailed a total of 3,480 miles, and is the fifth in a series of books about his A former English teacher, Taylor writes never once donned his wet weather Arctic voyages, and Taylor admits will with an easy, flowing narrative that is gear. The last part of the book is packed sprinkled with humour and with factual data – a description of the awash with keen boat, its rig, its supplies, some sobering Mingming II observation. You may ice maps, a statistical breakdown and has an easily- wonder how he can keep other valuable information for solo handled junk rig the reader captivated on a sailors. two-month, solo voyage Arguably one of his finest works to where he only sees the date, this is an inspirational read, desolate islands from a illustrated with a few freestyle maps, distance. (With no engine, sketches and monochrome he has to give them plenty photographs, and bound in a simple of sea room). The answer is white cover. with the powers of If you want to sail into isolation and description, and by sharing explore one of our last great his love of this desolate wildernesses, this wilderness and its hardy simply told tale will wildlife. give you everything To entertain the reader you need. further, Taylor throws in a You can find more few fictional characters that on Taylor’s website ‘join’ him en-route. These www.thesimplesailor. include the lonely Russian com lady who calls him on the Q£12.99, The FitzRoy VHF and asks to be Press
Practical Boat Owner • www.pbo.co.uk 41