Baltimore 2019

The Jester Baltimore Challenge 2019

Start off western end of Plymouth Breakwater, or the Pwllheli Sailing Club’s start line on Sunday 16th June 2019.
Finish Baltimore Haven, when the linebetween Barrack Point light on the western side of the entrance and Loo Rock buoy on the eastern side of the entrance is crossed.

To sail single-handed from Plymouth, United Kingdom or from Pwllheli to Baltimore, Republic of Ireland, (ROI), a distance of about 250nm.

Credit to the many skippers who sailed this challenge. The initial 12 hours or so were particularly uncomfortable, beating into a strong Force 5-6 wind and a large, lumpy sea (a legacy of strong winds over the preceding few days). Over the next few days the wind moderated to the point that some boats were becalmed; resulting sailing times varied from three to five days.

Our thanks to the Hafan Pwllheli Marina and Plas Heli at Pwllheli and Tamar River Sailing Club at Plymouth for providing mooorings and hosting skippers’ suppers at the start, and to Baltimore Sailing Club for their hospitality at the finish.

Starters

Skipper	Start	Yacht	Type	LOA	Finished
Andrew Thompson	Pwllheli	VIVENDI	S&S She 32	31’10”	Yes
Andy Lane	Plymouth	COCC	Krill 1998	12′	Retired
Bernie Branfield	Plymouth	MISCHIEF	Achilles 24	24′	Yes
Chuck Dandridge	Plymouth	J’HANA	Sadler	29′	Yes
David Knowler	Pwllheli	HEADWAY III	Achilles 840	27’8	Retired
Didier Goupil	Plymouth	GWENVED II	First 305 Beneteau	30’6″	Yes
Donald Heath	Plymouth	GUPPY UNCHAINED	Django 7.70	25’4″	Yes
Doug Pingel	Pwllheli	JEKEEDA 2	Westerly 33 Bilge Keel	33′	Yes
Duncan Sclare	Pwllheli	FREEBIRD	Achilles 9m	30′	Yes
Geoff Albright	Plymouth	CELENA III	Vancouver 28	28′	Retired
Geoff Turner	Pwllheli	DAWN	Parker 21	21′	Yes
George Arnison	Plymouth	GOOD REPORT	Wood sloop	30’9″	Yes
Guy Willing	Plymouth	NOMAD	Nicholson 31	31′	Retired
Jan Newman	Pwllheli	BLUE MOON	Parker 325	32′	Yes
John Lashbrook	Plymouth	SANCERRE	Achilles	29’6″	Yes
John Passmore	Pwllheli	SAMSARA	Rival 32	32′	Yes
John Willis	Plymouth	PIPPIN	Francis Pilothouse	34′	Yes
Martin Lampard	Plymouth	DRIFTER	Moody 31	31′	Yes
Mike Atkins	Plymouth	TRANQUILLITY	Achilles 9m	29′	Yes
Mike Collins	Plymouth	FLAMINGO LADY	Westerly 33	33′	Yes
Mike Lynch	Pwllheli	BONEGI	Twister	28′	Retired
Patrick Dollard	Plymouth	GOOD KNIGHT	GK 29	29′	Yes
Peter Collinson	Plymouth	BLUE SHADOW	Sadler 29 Bilge Keel	29′	Yes
Philip Ashwin	Plymouth	VASHI	Lapworth Cal	24′	Yes
Richard Jacques	Plymouth	SYEEDA	Halcyon Clipper	27′	Retired
Roger Fitzgerald	Pwllheli	ELLA TROUT	Dehler	29′	Yes
Roy Tall	Plymouth	SPIRIT OF VENUS	Sabre 27	27′	Retired
T.J O’ Brien	Pwllheli	BRIAN BROU	Mirage	28′	Yes
Thomas Lee	Plymouth	SPOOKY	Maxi95	31′	Retired
Tom Fisher	Plymouth	ARCTIC SMOKE	Elizabethan 33	33′	Yes
Tony Head	Plymouth	TRIPLE VENTURE	Twister	28′	Retired
Wendy Hewitt-Sayer	Pwllheli	CARETTA	Vancouver 27	27′	With crew

Please note: missing information, and perhaps even skippers, is the result of missing records, not failure on the part of the skippers. Please let us know if you can fill in any gaps.

Jester Pirates

Gallery – at Baltimore

Diaries and Reports

George Arnison – Good Report’s Jester Baltimore Challenge 2019
My passage to Baltimore was dominated by slow, upwind sailing interspersed by periods of (even slower) windlessness and becalment. It took me almost 5 days, and I think I might have been the last to arrive…but arrive I (eventually) did – happy and pleased, without any disasters or major dramas… Read more