OSTAR? Nah! The "Jester" Challenge - Yeah!!!

[CapnK]

I'm not a sailboat racer, per se. I do admit, though, to enjoying seeing how fast I can sail in relation to other boats out on the water (don't we all?). You just won't catch me being all wound up about it - certainly not to the point where I would compromise the joy I have in sailing simply for the sake of sailing.

Last week, in the chat with Neal, the subject came up of what modern-day yacht racing has evolved into. Neal was saying that there was no room for dreamers in the yacht racing world anymore, that the races, equipment, and campaigns have simply become too damned expensive even for someone like himself, who built and then used his own boat to race in 2 OSTAR's and 2 BOC/Around Alone races.

We talked of the mini-transAt races, but even those little ~20' boats are so high tech and "Open 60"ish that it takes $100,000 or more to field a competitive entry. We talked about Blondie Haslers "Jester", of which some version or another has competed in the OSTAR races from the time of the first race up until 2 years ago, when finally forced out of the competition by it's ever-more restrictive rules and requirements for competitors. (What a damned shame, IMO.) There was talk that night about the possibility of some kind of a "sailFar TransAt" race, for people like us to have. All this got me wondering if there was any way I might be able to do such a race on my own boat...

So, last night in a fit of curiosity, I was Googling around trying to find out what was involved in entering an OSTAR ($1000 entry fee, $2million in insurance, and a boat of 30' or more seem to be the main hurdles to entry). Too rich for my blood, or preferences, although I've always thought it would be neat as heck to sail in an OSTAR. Then, in my searching, I found out about "The Jester Challenge".

Put simply, this is a race that is what the OSTAR *used* to be, what it was intended to be by it's originators - a cross-ocean race simply for the fun of it, without prohibitive expenses or rules concerning competitors or their boats, limited to craft of 30' LOA or under (unless an exception is approved by all competitors/invitation). I think doing this would be a *hoot*. ;D The first race is this year, starting in June, so there is no way I could get in to this one - I don't have the time or money or boat-in-enough-shape to take off in just a few months. But the next one, in 2010, well, that one just might be doable... ;D

Anyway, check out the Jester Challenge website. There are 13 confirmed entries at the moment, and I think it will be fun to follow along with what happens to this event. If y'all are interested, I'll see if the any of the organizers or competitors might want to come to sailFar and talk with us about what they are doing.

The Jester Challenge.

[Iceman]

Ill be 55 years old, I think by 2010
Will ther be big handicapping for us ;D

[Iceman]

How about he Bermuda 1/2

Starts in Newport goes to Bermuda then back to Newport
Offshore a little closer to home etc

Single hand out/ 2 handed back ;D

[CharlieJ]

Iceman-

Sir Francis Chichester was 65 when he sailed the very first OSTAR. He had only been sailing a few years at that time. He was older than that when he did his round the world sail in Gypsy Moth.

Phil Weld was 65 when he WON the OSTAR in Moxie, and set a record doing it.

Several other OSTAR people have been in their 60's

Age has nothing to do with it.

[CapnK]

Heck yeah, CJ - why, you'll be 69 when you do it, racing against me in 2010... ;D ;)

[NANP]

Hmmmm . . . Texas to England, then England to Newport, then Newport back to Texas . . . in (hopefully) a Pearson Ariel . . . heh heh heh. 

I think that might have to wait until I retire.  ;D

NANP

[CharlieJ]

LOL- NOT this boy Kurt- I don't DO single hand since I found Laura. Nope- not interested.

I'll cheer you on though.

Now after I'm long gone, LAURA might do that though :)

[captedteach]

There are all sorts of distance races out there. I have been involved in several beachcat races over the years like Juanas Good Time Regatta in Navarre Beach FL and the OSYC events like Slip to Ship and Island Hop on the MS Gulf Coast.  There are also some events for monos like Biloxi to Pensacola and Across Mobile Bay.  There are also all sorts of Cruiser Rallies and Fleet events - One of the Catalina Fleets does a Fl Panhandle race from Pensacola to Apalachcola or something like that, that takes about a week.  Biggest thing is to find an event that you will enjoy and is not too far away from your home port.   Racing is the fastest way to learn about your boat and what all those strings do to your performance. 

[CapnK]

The Jester Challenge has started, and the race is well underway. Jester herself (a repro, actually, IIRC) nearly didn't make it - her mast broke just days before the race. She did get fixed in time (although all the other skippers said they'd wait for her to be fixed before strating, if needed). Of the 10 starters, 2 have retired from the race so far.

Jester Challenge Race News

Updates/positions/etc on OceanRaceTrack.com

Lots of pics of the pre-race captains dinner, and of the start. Use the password "JESTER" to view them.

[CapnK]

very cool... good to see a Jester in the race too.

Looked like *2* of them in the start pics, but kind of hard to tell - anyway, yes I agree. :)

Had another racer Retire - that's 3 out, I'm assuming the other 6 are still underway out there... I thought 10 started, but the Entrants list only shows 9.

[castawaysailor]

I would be certainly interested in a race such as the Jester; no interest in the current mega dollar races

[castawaysailor]

According the website, there is a planned race starting 2008 to the azores.  The 2006 race had two finishers-one was Pete Hill; his former wife penned "Voyaging on a Small Income"

[CapnK]

Wasn't aware of that, will have to check that out...

But I dunno if I'd sail to England in order to sail to the Azores... Although it would make for a good trip, stopping a few other places on the way back... or just continuing on... 8)

[castawaysailor]

But I dunno if I'd sail to England in order to sail to the Azores...

oh, its just a juant across the pond, bloody good time ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Has anyone used passage planning software to see about how many days it would take them to make a specific passage?? I've been using VPP2.0 and it says that a trip across the pond for me would be about 20 days.  Of course this varies with what month it is...

[castawaysailor]

20 days, what size boat; most take 30-40 days

[AdriftAtSea]

Pretty Gee is a 28' trimaran. I don't know how accurate the software is though... so a grain of salt is to be taken with whatever it says.

[castawaysailor]

Pretty Gee is a 28' trimaran. I don't know how accurate the software is though... so a grain of salt is to be taken with whatever it says.

nice, but that would be 15 knot average or so; what a sleigh ride.

[Norm]

Greetings all:
Two voyages that have inspired me are those of Sopranino and Super Shrimp.  Both were long trips in small boats and doubehanded to boot.

Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudie did a record setting trip across the Atlantic in a 19 footer in 1952.  Shane Acton sailed around the world in an 18 footer in the 70s with a woman he met in Panama (Iris, if I remember correctly).  Neither had big budgets.

Sites with more stories than I knew regarding small boat voyages:
http://www.microcruising.com/famoussmallboats.htm
http://cruisenews.net/index.php

Anyway... for guys like me and CharlieJ, these double handed challenges might be just the ticket.  Not that I could finance or organize a DH rally in small boats.  It is fun to think about.  E & I discussed the records yet to be set by DH teams.

Jester set the standard for long distance single handed racing.  I would like to try my hand at it.  I did some shorter SH and DH racing.  Lots of fun.  In the DH model, it was fun to have someone to share the experience with.

The Sopranino Challenge?

Best,
Norman
Boston
It is "wicked" warm here just now.  And all my boats are unavailable today.  Racing on the Harbor yesterday in shorts!

[CharlieJ]

lol- 30 years ago that would have sounded intriguing. heck, TWENTY years ago it would. But my racing days are done- over.

Next we sail it'll be at a cruising pace- with no particular destination and once aboard and lines untied, we'll be halfway there ;D

Hoping for a 4 to 6 month trip beginning next Nov.