WELCOME TO THE SAILING PAGE
Sailing has been a big influence in my life and integrated very well with my career as a film and television producer/director.
My circumnavigation in Bambola, a Moody 36, has been one of the best things I ever did.
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The Jester Challenge For me this is the most important challenge/rally/race 'whatever' in the world! Every four years anybody over 18 can participate in any boat that is not (much) bigger than 30 ft in a 'race' across the Atlantic from Plymouth to Main in the footsteps of Blondie Hasler, Mike Richey, Francis Chichester who were the only 3 entries in a race which had a prize of a half crown for the winner! The first race, organised by the Royal Western Yacht Club and sponsored by The Observer newspaper, was held in 1960 from Plymouth to New York and won by Francis Chichester in Gipsy Moth ll. Jester was second. The race has been held every four years since 1960 and there has been a Jester in each one. Sadly this race has been taken over by big business and is now only for the rich or famous. The Jester Challenge is for people with modest means, small boats, inexpensive equipment and a love of the sea and adventure. A challenge for gentlemen and gentlewomen. No 'weather routing', not 'team' and often almost no money in small boats single handed across the Atlantic with the only prize a pint of beer in the Maine Yacht Club which they will probably have to pay for themselves... I really wish them fair winds and safe landfall ... and Gods speed... There were around 80 entries but I get the impression only 22 boats actually started but .... |
The following is courtesy of Boomshanka on the IPC Jester site
who
found the following SPOT tracker sites (publicly available online), hope
the skippers don’t mind a link here for us armchair followers: |
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By following the links you can find notes which may be useful if you are or are thinking of, buying a boat, starting to sail, or going blue water cruising or being Attacked by Pirates |
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Paul and Rachel Chandler, kidnapped by Somali pirates. Latest news on their situation and other current pirate activities |
A tale of buying and selling yachts together with delivering them. |
Waypoints and anchorages up the Red Sea together with routing details and information on ports. |
In the Chesapeake a Lightning
strike which destroyed every electrical item in the boat - $47000 ! |
The personal log of my first Atlantic crossing. My concerns, fears, conversations with Herb and much more. |
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The details and grocery list to Victual a boat for an ocean passage of 2 to 3 weeks. How I make the list and the vital items |
Assortment of different methods of Watch Keeping depending on the crew and time/distance involved. |
The sea route to the sun from Britain.
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Lists the possible routes via the French Canals or Portuguese coast. All UK to Med routes in both directions |
All the major French and British hauliers who specialise in trucking boats with their Web sites for fast quotes. |
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This is not a list of plasters and aspirin! It contains details of the drugs & equipment for ocean passages
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steers into trouble . Published in |
An unexpectedly exciting adventure off the West Australian coast at
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Has full transit details, costs and copies of the official documentation. |
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Bambola was attacked by pirates in the gulf of Aden
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Paw Paw is my new (old) Westerly 43 in which I hope shortly to set sail once again towards far away places with strange sounding names |
Blue Water A selection of DVD's about far away places that can be reached by a cruising boat on a blue water passage... here |
The Canals and Rivers of France different sections on the canals and rivers of France and how to transit them from the UK to the Med. Here |
From Plymouth to St Valery sur Somme down the canals and rivers of France to the Mediterranean. |
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THE FRENCH CANAL ROUTES - To the Mediterranean
It describes the Routes, the regulations the paperwork - How where and when to get the qualifications and license, the depths, air heights, locks and a whole lot more. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO |
Please visit FOR Blue Water Destinations parts one & two
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By Michael E Briant For more information go to Living Aboard Around the World 'The book is an excellent read with stacks of information about long distance cruising.' 'Excitement and adventure as well as sound common sense in this excellent sailing book.' |
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If you have a problem with your boat whilst in Cherbourg, the Channel Islands, St Malo etc and it is more than a simple 'oil change' then I recommend, very highly, that you contact MARINE AND GENERAL. They are in my opinion the very best boat yard in this area with high level of expertise and most reasonable prices Marine & General Engineers Ltd PO Box 470, The Shipyard, St Sampson's Harbour, Guernsey, GY1 6AT. Telephone: 01481 245808Fax: 01481 248765 I had a dreadful time in Cherbourg recently, with anything but the real problem being fixed at high labour charges - sailed to Guernsey where Marine and General did a superb job of diagnosis, fixing the problem very quickly at most reasonable rates. |
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PANAMA
Has full transit details, costs and copies of the
official documentation. Lots of detailed information -------------------- Sea Routesto and from the Mediterranean and the English channel Details of distance and timing and comparisons with canal option.
The alternatives to 'doing the canals' --------------------
Before you set sail you must view these DVD's and then make your passage plan
I recommend when I was looking this year, I got the best deal from a fellow sailor at Everybody is an experienced yachtsperson and can make instant decisions rather than asking someone and getting back to you! They cover long distance cruisers, classic yachts as well as ferro and steel. please mention this site.
If you are buying or selling a boat I really recommend
they are probably the leading UK boat sales site. |
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I have had from
starting with a home built Mirror dinghy on the Thames
to circumnavigating
the world
in a 36ft sloop.
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La Rochelle
For information on facilities, marinas, access and facilities in the old town please visit the La Rochelle page. Also details of Yachty Cafe/bar Wine deliveries to your boat Estate Agents
------------------------- IS DEDICATED TO BOOKS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD INTO YOUR COMPUTER AND LATER PRINT OUT... 2) Living Aboard Around the World 5) Build an American 16 ft Dory 6) Manuel for Handling TWIN SCREW boats
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if you remember
Howard's Way
Onedin line
Warship
Treasure Island
Secret Army
Dr Who
Blake's 7
Kessler
A Tale of Two Cities
One by One
Blood Money
Hideaway
then please visit
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LIVING ABOARD AROUND THE WORLD
has a lot of stories and information about making a circumnavigation There is more information
if you remember Howard's Way Onedin line Warship Treasure Island Secret Army Dr Who Blake's 7 Kessler A Tale of Two Cities One by One Blood Money or Hideaway then please visit
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If you are thinking about using the French canals to passage between the UK and the Mediterranean then this booklet contains all the information you need.
It describes the Routes, the regulations the paperwork - How where and when to get the qualifications and license, the depths, air heights, locks and a whole lot more.
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO
£15.95
Or you can buy it as an Ebook £11.25 (approximately US$22.50c) Click here or visit ------- If you are looking for a delivery skipper - lorry transport etc try below
the boat can sometimes be a problem. This is how I solved it. The page Crewing may also be helpful to people wanting to crew HERE BE DRAGONS
A wonderful book written by 2 Australian dentist/ circumnavigator friends of mine... Has lots of yacht maintenance and tips on how to run and equip a circumnavigating yacht crewed by a couple. Information on long distance sailing and the trials and tribulations of living at sea.
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LOOKING FOR AN ENGLISH SURVEYOR IN FRANCE? Max Surveying & Security Ltd
Lt Cdr Keith Oulds B Eng(Hons), Dip Mar Sur (Y&SC)MCGI, MIIMS RN La Keimax Longre Charente, 16240 France Tel/fax: 0033(0) 545 311 869 Please mention this web site if you contact Keith. Tel: 0032 (0) 65886897 Email: MaxSurveying@aol.com |
Please click on the link to email me
Before you set sail you must view these DVD's and then make your passage plan
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