The Jester Challenge 2023. A 1970 Contessa 26 sails unaided from Pwllheli Wales to Baltimore Ireland

The Jester Challenge happens every year and is for solo sailors in 'modest' (mostly under 30ft) boats. It's a personal challenge rather than a race, although if there's a boat in sight one is racing! :)
No motoring is allowed, it must all be done by sailing or rowing etc. I'm not sure if my plan of being towed by dolphins is within the rules..
This year it was to Baltimore on the south west coast of Ireland which was the goal, and some 50 boats set out from 2 ports, Plymouth and Pwllheli in Wales.
This is the story of one of those boats, Green Tambourine sailed by Jim Rolt, and shows the frustrations of "waiting for the wind"!
Big thanks to the wonderful ‪@miceinamatchbox‬ for the music..

[@oldshipmatesadventures]

nice channel, greetings from fellow 26 ft solo sailor on Filomena, a Compromis 777. fair winds! Frank

[@rolty1]

Thanks Frank! 🙂

[@kevinconway3979]

Really enjoyed your trip Jim. I watched your progress on Marine traffic and also your trip back home which looked like a great sail. Great achievement which I hope to replicate next time. I hope you enjoyed your time in Ireland. Kevin

[@rolty1]

Thanks Kevin, the whole thing was a great experience. Baltimore is a lovely little town nd has an excellent harbour.. everyone was friendly and helpful!. And yes there will be another video covering the journey back too, for those who haven't had enough already! :)

[@Andrew-xs1sg]

Great video and great effort. Thanks

[@rolty1]

Thanks Andrew!

[@eebygumcaptain]

Hi Jim, Great video, it brought back many happy memories of my 2019 JC from Pwllheli. Plus I used to sail a Contessa out of Anglesey (C0107 Ploughboy Dreamer) in which I did the recommended 500 solo miles in preparation of the 2008 Atlantic JC but withdrew from as I wasn’t mentally ready. This year I departed from Plymouth. You you did better than me on Vivendi (1973 SHE 32C), I retired at 10pm Monday 19th, a couple of miles north of Bishops Rock and motored back to the Scilly Isles to anchor. It was an excellent sail to the Scillies but then the wind disappeared around Bishops Rock and I spent 3 hours going nowhere. With the weather forecasts showing light winds for the next 169nm, I decided to bow out as the Scillies were a better starting point for me to head North for my next adventure. I sailed up the east coast of Ireland, singlehanded to Oban over 5 days. Crew joined me up to Stornoway, then I sailed singlehanded up to Faroe Islands. If you’re thinking of going up that way checkout my video. I’ve since sold Vivendi to purchase a larger boat so 2023 will be the last Jester Challenge for me. Best of luck for the future.

[@rolty1]

Yeah, it was quite frustrating a lot of the time with long periods of very little o or no wind so I don't blame you for calling it a day. I to am sometimes tempted by thoughts of more space and Headroom but so far I've managed to resist the temptations!

[@sallystamford4897]

Fantastic video... I really felt for you when you were so tired. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, as usual, to help with watches, but it was a solo challenge, well met. (your first mate Xx)

[@mikeharrison5089]

Those dolphins looked like Orcas to me 🐟🐟🐟

[@rolty1]

Orcas are more black and white with a snub nose, these were greyish and very much bottle nosed... big enough to be orcas though!

[@chrisyarnold6205]

Pilot Whales, more likely.

[@rolty1]

@@chrisyarnold6205 Pilot whales have a round blnt nose, Ive seen them a few times... I'm 95% sure these are big bottle nosed dolphins... they definitely had long noses!

[@billywhizz6483]

Great coverage of the trip! I think the dolphins were pilot whales (which are still dolphins, confusingly).

[@rolty1]

Ive seen pilot whales in the past, I don't think these were those as they had the long bottle nose and not the blunt one of the pilots...

[@georgecanakis1075]

Just subscribed to your channel beautiful video cheers from glorious greece

[@rolty1]

Thanks and welcome!

[@atschris]

I’ve just watched tour video and it looks like you were blessed with calm weather, maybe a little too calm at times. I was intrigued by your ais display, could you tell me what you are using?

[@rolty1]

Yes, it was a good deal too calm much of the time! My AIS is a Digital Yacht AIT1500. Previously I just had a simple receiver, but I feel so much safer knowing that the big ships can see me too..

[@jpmesa]

Nice job!! Can't see what type of windvane you are using? It looks different.

[@rolty1]

Thanks for the kind comment. The wind vane is a Mk 3 designed by Alan Mulholland and built by myself, he gives details here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZTHaoxrdrhpp6c It works a treatand is not expensive like the readty made solutions!

[@jpmesa]

@@rolty1 Mahalo

[@MarquisSalinas]

great video, much enjoyed. Thank you. Great video Jim, those were huge Dolphins, all the best..

[@samsails9820]

Great video Jim, those were huge Dolphins, all the best.

[@rolty1]

Thanks Sam, I think those are the biggest I've seen, amazing! :)

[@simonblackwell4273]

i would like to join the jester challenge in 2025, hopefully

[@rolty1]

Excellent, I look forward to seeing you there!

[@AndyWillicome]

Good job Jim. Just discovered you on KZbin. I own a 1975 JJT Co26 so will catch up with your filming and follow.

[@rolty1]

Thaks for following, the JJT and Rogers boats are a bit different in some ways, it's quite interesting to compare them

[@bradleylaford1526]

I've noticed you have more than just a Barometer on the wall there? What are the other Dials for? Do you use a Sextant at all...? Also, Do most Sailing Yachts have Gimballed Stoves?

[@bradleylaford1526]

I am wondering also, how you manage to sleep soundly while fearing a Cargo Ship Collision?

[@rolty1]

Yes, as well as the barometer there is a clock and a thermometer.. I don't have a sextant at the moment, they aren't necessary for short hope like this, and nowadays GPS and similar systems are so good that the sextant skills are dropping out of use, maybe one day we will need them again!

[@rolty1]

I think all sailing boats have gimbaled stoves, it would be impossible to cook without one!

[@rolty1]

​@@bradleylaford1526 I don't sleep soundly when there are big ships around.. On a passage like this you have to go up and check every 20 minutes, perhaps once an hour of it's really quiet. I do also have an AIS transducer, which let's me see other shops before they are in sight, and how close they will come and when... They can also see me..

[@bradleylaford1526]

Thank you ... Nice Submissions!

[@usl902frog]

Great video Jim. I learnt a lot from you guys and it was great to meet everyone in Baltimore. Keep up the good work, hopefully catch up again somewhere and enjoy another pint or two. Ken Curry Penwood

[@rolty1]

Ken, it was great to meet you and start getting to know you.. I remember seeing you on my AIS for much of the challenge! And I'm so impressed that you kept going despite your many breakages and setbacks, fantastic!

[@Hotzenplotz1]

What kind of boats are allowed in this challenge? I have a 20 sqm Jollenkreuzer, so kind of an closed boat. With iron centreboard, but without ballast keel. Well capable of sailing the frisian north sea islands. Didn't try to go further yet. Quite some boats of this type are sailing the danish and swedish waters every year.

[@rolty1]

Any sailing boat up to 30ft long... no engines are allowed during the challenge other than in the boundaries of a port or harbour

[@Hotzenplotz1]

@@rolty1 thanks for the answer. Exciting. I may test the boat first in Brittany waters and crossing the channel maybe with crew before going single handed on such adventure.

[@rolty1]

@@Hotzenplotz1 Good luck with your adventure.. single handing isn't too hard, you just need to plan everything!

[@marianoschaller9066]

What a nice tidy boat!! Are you using the Wave Rover's mark 3 wind vane? I hope to be there in 2025/26. ( I still need a boat...) Nice video.

[@rolty1]

Yes, well spotted! I got the plans from Alan Mulholland and with a little figuring of the slightly funky plans I was able to build one. I'm just modifying it now so it can be adjusted fromn the cockpit, - the design is for the Canadian CO26 whgich has a different cockpit. The Rogers boats have a poop deck at the stern so I've been having to climb up there for every change of course. This can be difficult and perhaps a little hazardous when the going is rough at night. But its a good system and steers even dead downwind as you can see!

[@Garryck-1]

@@rolty1 - I *thought* it looked familiar! I bought Alan's plans a while back.. (have yet to build it.. building the boat has to come first!) So it's nice to have some confirmation of how well it performs. Thanks!

[@rolty1]

@@Garryck-1 yes, it's good. Are you building a wave Rover? I see Alan is making a mk3 for his and he has scaled it down, which I think it's a good idea, it doesn't need to be so large to drive the trim tab

[@Garryck-1]

@@rolty1 - No.. not a Wave Rover. I intend to build a Benford 37.5 ft junk-rigged sailing Dory. Basically a slightly larger version of Pete & Annie Hill's "Badger". Presently, I'm building a Chameleon Nesting Dinghy, which will serve as a tender to the Benford.

[@jesbates8611]

I thought it was a waver rover wind vane, I think this needs a transom hung rudder, is that right. I'm using a Hebridean which also works well@@rolty1

[@robinwaistell441]

Just wanted to congratulate you on a great program. I live in Southern Irealnd not far from Dungarven. I bought my Folkboat in Dungarven Harbour spent 10 years renovating her and now I sail her out of Crosshaven. I didn't hear of the Jester Challenge and only learned of it now because of the poor chap that went missing. I hope you enjoyed Baltimore I havn't sailed there yet but its one of my favourite destinations for a run out on the Enfield for a pint and a pizza.

[@rolty1]

Thanks for that Robin! I imagine your boat is fantastic if you didn't 10 years working on her... By coincidence I'm a biker too, fair winds and smooth roads ..

[@robinwaistell441]

@@rolty1 We are beyond help, Boats and Bikes what a combination Cheers Jim

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Sitting here in Munich round a muggy Sunday noon I had your uplifting video in my Fastnet. Hopefully you grant me your ex post green to mainly feast on the invigorating elements of fresh winds and seawater. Cheers 🌻:)

[@rolty1]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@carlrichards5250]

Well done! Looked like a great journey. What chartplotter are you using? It can hook up to AIS too?

[@rolty1]

Thanks! The chart plotter is a home built Rasberry Pi and its operating OpenCpn. Yes, the AIS transponder hooks up to it very well via usb. Chart plotter cost about £100 including up to date charts.. I'm a bit of a self sufficient shoestring sort of person! 😁

[@s.v.corycia5643]

The calms, the calms! Great video, Thank you and fair winds.

[@HP-qj4gz]

Thank you! I saw you all leaving Pwllheli as I was out sailing and looking for wind. Great to see your arrival in Baltimore. Lovely little Contessa too.

[@rolty1]

Yeah the boat never ceases to surprise me, so willing and surprisinbgly fast given a decent bit of wind!

[@HP-qj4gz]

@@rolty1 I have an Invicta 26, a Van de Stadt design that was a precursor of the CO26. Lovely, long keeled wave munchers!

[@rimasmeleshyus9486]

Cantessa 26 excellent boat and very famous to sailing around the world no problem. I really like it .Fear winds and the best of luck . Greetings from beautiful tropical paradise island Kauai, Hawaii

[@rolty1]

Yeah, she is a boat I always feel safe in, and I will be making some longer passages in her!

[@AndrewCooper-z5z]

great video, much enjoyed. Thank you

[@rolty1]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it

[@oldbonespete]

what kind of wind vane you have

[@rolty1]

It's a trim tab type, based on plans from Alan Mulholland from Canada, it as good as anything you can buy and very inexpensive to build

[@fransplanken1438]

Nice! Reminds me of my trip from Abersoch to Dublin/Dun Laoghaire in a J24 (sail number H24) to participate in the J24 Worlds in 1990. We hardly had any wind, but on arrival it stopped raining and it didn’t start raining again for another 2 weeks!

[@rolty1]

It sounds like a similar experience, but of cours J24s go like the clappers!

[@fransplanken1438]

They do, even with little wind. I think we were across in less than 10 hours. Not sure what the distance is.

[@rolty1]

@@fransplanken1438 Impressive!

[@mariajosemorenoguerrero8638]

Contessa is a Big small boat!❤

[@rolty1]

Yes, she certainly has a big heart! ❤

[@redreuben5260]

I thought the Jester was trans Atlantic?

[@rolty1]

Sometimes it is. There are 3 routes, as well as the Baltimore run there is one to the Azores (next year) and the 'big' one to Martha's Vineyard which was last year

[@redreuben5260]

@@rolty1 I was aware of the other two but not the Baltimore run.

[@markjones6564]

What a Beautiful Relaxing video👌I know nothing about sailing, I just love boats & ships with dry feet on land👍

[@rolty1]

Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it, - there will be more 🙂

[@markjones6564]

@@rolty1 Thanks Jim👍

[@johnmclachlan1023]

Nice film of your voyage. What a great thing that Baltimore challenge is. One of, if not the best views I've seen of the rock, from someone on the other side of the world. Cheers

[@rolty1]

Thanks John, the Fastnet rock was a big high point in the journey and it was amazing seeing those steps leading all the way up to the lighthouse from the sea, cut out of the actual rock..

[@CliveTaylor-s3r]

Really enjoyed your video. Loved the dolphins

[@rolty1]

Thank you!

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

Great video Jim, can’t beat a Contessa 26. Well done on making it.

[@rolty1]

Thanks Andy, your right, fantastic boats that won't let you down!

[@plonk6174]

I very much enjoyed the video, thanks. Read about the Jester Challenge (John Passmore’s ‘Old Man Sailing’ blog. I learnt to sail in a Rival 34 and as I approach retirement I have been dreaming of perhaps getting a Contessa 26. What self-steering wind-vane have you got?

[@rolty1]

It's the mk3 designed by Alan Mulholland , I built it from his plans. It's a trim tab type and it works really well, essential for solo sailing!

[@naignildoi826]

did you edit and upload your vidio after trip?

[@rolty1]

Yes that's right. I filmed it as I went along and then put it together when I got back

[@gwrdriver1660]

Cheers, enjoyed the vid, subscribed

[@rolty1]

Welcome aboard!

[@pironiero]

Is alexey fedoruk in there?

[@rolty1]

I'm afraid not, only me!

[@pironiero]

@@rolty1 oh okay =) Good vid=)

[@richardomalley1746]

Great videoJim. Have done that trip a couple of times. Delighted to see my native coastline looking so beautiful. Well done on your Jester Challenge ☘️

[@rolty1]

Thanks Richard, it was a great and memorable trip!

[@helpmehelp3009]

Do the dolpins know how much sh#t our government has dumped in the sea? Good vid like your attitude to sailing apartfrom fish cakes my mothers were bloody awful.

[@rolty1]

It wouldn't surprise me if they can tell, don't give up on fishcakes, they can be great!

[@buttocks55]

Very brave Jim, did you take the Sparrow for company? The sleeping element is astonishing. Well done.

[@rolty1]

The sparrow was a little finch I think, she just appeared in the middle of the sea for a rest and left again after quite a short while. I've had birds arrive mid Ocean in the past and sometimes stay for many hours..