Azores 2016

The Jester Azores Challenge 2016

Start off western end of Plymouth Breakwater, 1300 Sunday 15 May 2016.
Finish on a line between the north and south moles, Praia da Vitoria Harbour, Terceira, Azores.

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. The good weather was not to continue.

I should warn you that there is the threat of some SW F8-F9 winds Friday ahead of a frontal system moving east, these winds expected to arriving in the western Channel Friday evening and early Saturday morning. Also, signs of a deep area of low pressure developing between the Azores and Uk next week which has stronger winds surrounding it, perhaps widely F7-F8 and may be difficult to traverse through.

(bespoke forecast) Simon Keeling, weatherweb.net

[Ewen writes} The many signals and accounts in Sitreps sum up much that is superb about the Jester Challenge and why it makes it all so worth while (at least for me!).  Whether the Azores were reached or not lessons were learned and, in a way, that it was it is all about.

By any yardstick it was a ‘bad weather’ Jester Challenge which makes it even more impressive that all 23 starters arrived at the destination of their choice safely –  and, as all know by now from ten years of skipper’s briefings,  I don’t mind where anyone ends up providing they end up safely.

This year, to have ten finishers out of 23 starters is quite an achievement for single-handed vessels under 30 feet in length facing such genuinely appalling conditions. So – a collective BRAVO ZULU.

Decisions to turn back are, as we also know, often more difficult to make than the decision to continue. My mantra ‘Seamanship Not Showmanship’ is so often followed by JC skippers that I feel, now, rather humble even mentioning it!   Of course it helps that we are not sponsored and so have no responsibilities other than to ourselves and our vessels.

I have no doubt that lessons learned through individual stories will begin to appear on the various JC forums/websites and long may that continue for the benefit of present – and future – Jester Challengers.

Our thanks to the Tamar River Sailing Club for hosting the start of the eighth Jester Challenge in the 10^th 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 (in the fog!) between 0830 and 1000. Many thanks also for the usual warm welcome at the Praia da Vitoria marina

Starters

Skipper	Yacht	Type	LOA	Finish
Basil Penakis	Jaba	Contest 25	25′	9/6/2016
Bill Churchouse	Belgean	Westerly	22′	Retired
Claude van Martyn	Oui Oui	Voitoire	30′	31/5/2016
Colin Reid	Tui	Victoria 30	30′	Retired
Denis Gorman	Lizzie-G	Albin Vega	27′	1/6/2016
Doug Pingel	Jekeeda	Westerly 33	33′	3/6/2016
Duncan Sclare	Freebird	Achilles 9	30′	Retired
Ertan Beskardes	Lokum	Jeanneau	32′	Retired
Glen Maxwell	Tao Zou	Kingfisher	26′	4/3/2016
Graham Humphreys	Tenacious	Achilles 24	24′	Retired
Guy Willing	Blue Grass	Frances 26	26′	Retired
Howard Chivers	Sandpiper	Sadler 29	29′	Retired
Jonathan Hopper	Francesca	Victoria Frances 26	26′	Retired
Julien Pipat	Bula	Modified Robber	24’6″	30/5/2016
Olivier Delebecque	Godot	Midget 20 Nordica	20′	Finished
Peter Crawley	Sheldro	Sarum 28	28′	Retired
Peter Orban	Tisza	Kingfisher 22	22′	Retired
Roger Fitzgerald	Ella Trout	Dehler	29′	31/5/2016
Roy Tall	Spirit of Venus	Sabre 27	27′	Retired
Steve Hickey	Newlyn Maid	Coromandel Junk-rigged	21′	Retired
Thom d’Arcy	Fathom	Vancouver 28	28′	Retired
Tim Luke	Medusa	Vancouver 34	34′	Finished
Tony Head	Triple Venture	Twister	28′	Retired
Trevor Leek	Jester	Junk-rigged modified Folkboat	25′	19/6/2019

Note that Trevor Leek (Jester), Olivier Delebecque (Godot) and Tim Luke (Medusa) all started several days late.

Skippers

Gallery

Diaries and Reports

Olivier Delebecque – Sheet to Tiller Steering, Azores 2016
As I approached Plymouth, the breakwater in sight, our first challenge was achieved: Godot and I had successfully passed our first crossing of the Channel and I will be part of the Saturday dinner at the club house of the Tamar River Sailing Club. Just tied up and not yet stowed, unknown faces with caring attitude asked me “Hi Oli! Do you need anything?” I had not slept much for I had to steer for a week non-stop from Amsterdam… Read more

Sitreps

The sitreps include many comments from skippers on the weather encountered during this challenge and approaches taken. Click here to download sitreps.