Newport 2006

The Inaugural Jester Challenge to Newport, Rhode Island, 2006

Start off western end of Plymouth Breakwater, 1200 Sunday 3 June 2006.
Finish at a line extending due west (true) from Castle Hill Lighthouse on Newport Neck, Rhode Island.

The background and motivation for the Jester Challenge is described elsewhere on this site, in particular see Ewen’s 2006 article for Yachting Monthly.

There was drama before the start. On Sunday 28th May after setting sail for Plymouth from Chichester Harbour, Jester’s mast broke in two. An amazing effort by Jeremy Freeland and his team at COLLARS – Freeland Yacht Spars – resulted in a new mast for Jester in time for her to make the start.

Of 10 starters Eric Andlauer was first to arrive at Newport with a fast passage of 31 days. Pete Hill took a more southerly route, passing through the Azores, and arrived at Newport in 44 days, also a noteable achievement in a 22 foot boat. Most of the retirements resulted from storm damage (download sitreps); John Apps was forced to retire with a broken shroud but restarted the following year: “Well we made it. I passed the Castle Hill Light at 1350[UTC] on 18 July 2007. Approximately 410 days, 2 hours and 50 minutes since the start of JC06. I think this might make me third on the podium.”

Eric Andlauer and Pete Hill were both awarded the Newport Medal of Honor by the city of Newport for their considerable achievements. Pete was later awarded the Ocean Cruising Club Jester medal for this and other voyages.

In 1964 Tabarly won the second OSTAR. Blondie Hasler, who sailed the race in Jester, wrote in his journal on 30 June “Eric has won in the superlative time of 27 days. I am delighted first of all because he is French…”  May I, albeit now from a non-combattant status, express exactly the same feelings to yet another Eric on yet another splendid performance.

Mike Richey

Our thanks to the Commodore and staff of the Royal Western Yacht Club as well as the Queen Anne’s Battery team for all they did, and to Commodore Norm Bailey for his comprehensive support, guidance and help together with the hospitality of the Newport Yacht Club.

Starters

Skipper	Yacht	type	LOA	Finish
Bill Churchouse	Belgean	Westerly 22	22′	Retired
Eric Andlauer	Sterenn	Beneteau Figaro One	30′	05/07/2006
John Apps	Glayva	UFO27	27′	18/7/2007
Mike Winter	Jacinta	1958 Cheverton Caravel	23′	Retired
Pete Hill	Shanti	Junk-rigged Kingfisher 22	22′	17/07/2006
Roger Taylor	Mingming	Junk-rigged Corribee	21′	Retired
Sherman Wright	Andromeda	Warsash One Design	27′	Retired
Tim McCloy	China Blue	Junk-rigged Folksong	25′	Retired
Tony Head	Triple Venture	Twister	28′	Retired
Trevor Leek	Jester	Junk-rigged modified folkboat	25′	Retired

Skippers at Plymouth

Gallery

Diaries and Reports

Download sitreps for a brief summary of the main events and diaries for the Eric Andlauer’s full diary, the route followed by Pete Hill, and John Apps’ diary.

Roger Taylor – Mingming’s Jester Challenge 2006
Mingming and I picked up our mooring at Burnham after a trouble-free 2500 mile non-stop voyage from Plymouth, via a point a couple of hundred miles to the northeast of the Azores. The problem, as far as the Jester Challenge was concerned, was basic boat speed. There was always going to be a question mark over the effect of 100 days’ water and provisions on a yacht displacing less than one ton.
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Pete Hill – OCC Jester Award Winner 2006
Award reads:
Shanti – Kingfisher 22 – for an outstanding achievement in single-handedly completing the Jester Challenge (2006) from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island with the assistance of an Haslar wind vane steering gear in just over 44 days. His achievement in his little 19 year-old Kingfisher 22 is all the more remarkable as the boat was probably the oldest and smallest of all the entrants, most of whom retired for various reasons so that Pete was the second and last boat to reach Newport.
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