Baltimore 2023

The Jester Baltimore Challenge 2023

The Jester Baltimore Challenge is to sail single-handed from Plymouth or Pwllheli, United Kingdom to Baltimore, Republic of Ireland – a distance of about 250nm. It is an opportunity for skippers to test their boats and their seagoing mettle in a supportive and non-competitive environment.

The time has come to sum up this year’s Jester Challenge. This is not an easy task, as there is so much that is positive, counterbalanced by the devastating loss of one of our number.

This year a total of 43 skippers sailed in the event, the biggest number to participate in any of the 15 Jester Challenges sailed since its inauguration in 2006. Winds in the very early stages were extremely light, causing some retirements, but a large majority of yachts arrived at Baltimore in good order. This year also saw the initiation of our Sailing for Science project, in collaboration with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, with Jester skippers recording all cetacean sightings off the Irish coast.

However, the usual socialising at Baltimore was quickly tempered by concern for the whereabouts of Duncan Lougee and Minke, who failed to arrive as expected.

We now know that, after a protracted search, Minke was found drifting without Duncan aboard. Duncan was a long-standing and highly-respected member of the Jester Challenge community. A permanent webpage to his memory has been created which includes tributes from fellow jester Challengers.

Starters

Skipper	Start	Yacht	Type	LOA	Finish
Andrew Merrett	Plymouth	SKYWAVE	Rival	32′	Retired
Andrew Stanley	Pwllheli	MISCHIEF	Trapper	28′	22/06 15:45
Andrew Thompson	Plymouth	VIVENDI	S&S She 32	31’10”	Retired
Bob Angell	Pwllheli	MAYA	Westerly Longbow	31′	Retired
Bob Litton	Plymouth	SABI	Halmatic	30′	Retired
Bob Turner	Pwllheli	ONE DAY	Westerly Tempest	31′	22/06 16:47
Chris Cowlard	Pwllheli	GULINGA	Westerly Griffin	26′	Retired
Chris Ling	Plymouth	POCKET BATTLESHIP	Django 7.70	25’4″	Retired
David Knowler	Pwllheli	HEADWAY III	Achilles 840	27’8	21/06 23:03
Dick Wakefield	Plymouth	MISCHIEF	Westerly Fulmar	32′	21/06 15:28
Duncan Lougee	Plymouth	MINKE	Folkboat	25′	Skipper lost at sea
Eberhard Harms	Plymouth	LÅNGE ORM	Allegro 27	27′	21/06 15:56
Gary O’Grady	Plymouth	KATY	Westerly Konsort	29′	22/06 03:38
Geoff Turner	Pwllheli	DAWN	Parker 21	21′	21/06 19:11
George Arnison	Plymouth	GOOD REPORT	Dee 25	30’9″	22/06 16:20
George Hunter	Plymouth	SPINDRIFT	Hurley	22′	22/06 17:51
Graeme Shimwell	Plymouth	PANACEA	Albin Vega	27′	22/06 08:08
Ian Abbott	Plymouth	IBIS	Victoria 30	29’6″	21/06 15:46
Jim Lehane	Pwllheli	TARKA	Albin Vega	27’	Retired
Jim Rolt	Pwllheli	GREEN TAMBOURINE	Contessa	26′	22/06 15:40
John Farmer	Plymouth	DESERT AIR	Twister	28′	22/06 19:40
John Moody	Plymouth	BLACK MAGIC	Mirage	29′	22/06 05:30
John O’Rourke	Plymouth	NIRVANA	Marcon Sabre 27	27′	Retired
John Passmore	Plymouth	SAMSARA	Rival 32	32′	22/06 16:00
Justin Butler	Plymouth	WESTERLY WAY	Westerly Fulmar	32′	Retired
Ken Curry	Pwllheli	PENWOOD	Sadler 25	25′	22/06 16:31
Kris Matuszewski	Plymouth	ANNA LUCJA 2	Carabela 650 Junk Schooner	21’4″	23/06 19:30
Martin Lampard	Plymouth	DRIFTER OF MOCHRAS	Moody 31	30’8″	21/06 18:10
Michael Atkins	Plymouth	CALYPSO	Duour Arpege	30′	21/06 22:02
Mike Atkins	Plymouth	TRANQUILLITY	Achilles 9m	29′	22/06 10:30
Mike Wild	Plymouth	LYA MARIA	Colvic Springtide 24	24′	23/06 06:00
Pete Mulville	Plymouth	VIVEZA	Twister	28′	Retired
Peter Kinver	Plymouth	JAVA BLUE	Sadler 290	29′	Retired
Phil Taylor	Plymouth	TABITHA	Sabre Mk 1	27′	22/06 12:40
Philip Ashwin	Plymouth	VASHI	Lapworth Cal	24′	21/06 15:59
Richard North	Plymouth	MOONCRESTA	Moody	29′	22/06 08:43
Roger Fitzgerald	Pwllheli	ELLA TROUT III	Dehler	29′	21/06 12:41
Ron Olivier	Plymouth	KERRIN II	Westerly Griffon	26′	22/06 17:10
Rory McDougall	Plymouth	MOANA	Tiki	30′	20/06 20:05
Roy Tall	Plymouth	SPIRIT OF VENUS	Sabre 27	27′	Retired
Sam Tyrrell	Plymouth	KATRINA	Hurley	22′	22/06 15:30
Simon Bennett	Plymouth	JALINA	Sadler	25′	Retired
Tony Head	Plymouth	TRIPLE VENTURE	Twister	28′	21/06 16:22

Skippers and Boats