SHORT TACKS & REGATTAS Jester Challenge and Beyond Thank you for your coverage of the Jester Challenge in the March issue. I wrote “Jester Challenge and Beyond” that covers the challenge. You may familiarise yourself from my YOUTUBE videos which helped me as aide memoirs. These were done on the go: (link on our Southwinds website under Jester) https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=basil+ panakis&spfreload=1 It must have been Moby Dick that fired my imagination at a very young age. It was a generational thing to be associated with the sea. I went out with my father many a time in pretty rough seas, my family had tremendous respect for the sea. While in England I obtained a number of seafaring qualifications which I put to good use. My son now is the fourth generation Captain in a Superyacht in the Mediterranean. The Azores was my dream, though not necessarily to get there single handed. A number of people I knew had been there before Portugal entered the EU when everything was rather old fashioned. After I retired at 60, I went on a ‘round the world’ trip by air that lasted 7 months. Upon my return back home, I bought a small boat in 2007 to occupy myself. Then I heard of the Jester Challenge and met Roger. My boat was not ready for the 2008 Challenge. The next chance I had was the Jester Azores Challenge of 2012 in which I took part and after completion I got hooked. Up to then I sailed always with company. This was my first venture as a solo sailor. Then the 2014 Challenge to Newport followed but I had to give up after 2000 miles due to breakages and delays. The 2016 Jester Azores Challenge followed and despite seven gales, engine and electrics problems I arrived in Terceira safe and sound. While cruising The Azores I decided to go to the Canaries via Porto Santo and Madeira. Porto Santo was another dream, as Christopher Columbus spent over a year there, married a dignitary's daughter before moving over to Madeira and then across to the New world. From the Canaries I sailed down to Cape Verde, the seeding ground of all the North Atlantic Hurricanes. Spent the 2016 Christmas and New Year in the middle of the Atlantic, 1000 miles from anywhere. Arrived at St Lucia 23 days later. Currently I am replacing my engine and preparing my boat JABA for this year's Jester Azores Challenge. Probably after that I might end up in Brazil. I am keeping this a secret from my wife as she gets worried when I am away at sea. Kind regards, Basil
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April 2020 S O U T H W I N D S
Roger Brankin Basil, Basil, Basil Just finished your book! I hope it inspires people to reach out for their dream. I found your personal history a surprise but very interesting. As you say, you told people you were Greek and left it at that. Also a few personal memories. When we were approaching the Irish coast in 199I, I remember coming up to go on watch one morning and Chris asked me could I smell anything? I could, cows and farms and we reckoned we were about 60 miles from the coast. You will not believe this but when I was reading your memories of the 1991Fastnet, I had a tin of Bass in my hand!! Old habits die hard. Glad to see you still have the sketch of H&G. Best wishes Roger Hi Basil, I finished the book yesterday and enjoyed it very much. I would have checked on different websites if I thought you were after a mermaid forecast. It seemed a better read since the manuscript. I don't know if there had been some editing, or it was just that I was reading for pleasure rather than critically looking for possible improvements. Len Hello Basil, “Jester Challenge and Beyond” had been delivered when I got back from Biscay. I’ve just finished reading it. Two words “True Grit”. I feel I’ve got to know you and am very impressed with your experiences. A very good idea to add your early life in Turkey. I was trying to get back into work, drawing building plans and structural calculations but after 3 weeks sailing , I just want to plan a voyage, sail and paint. But finances have “again” spoilt things. Look forward to meeting up some day. Congratulations on your book. Kindest regards, Malcome Hello Basil, How wonderful and a big WELL DONE! Many people talk about the boat they are going to buy, voyages that they are going to make....and book they are going to write... you have done it all! Denis Gorman
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