Very interesting Thom. Thanks for the information.

The boat had no cockpit, windvane self steering.

Everything could be done from two small hatches. I
suppose it had a comfortable seat below the hatch.

Michael Richie has been sailing the Atlantic solo in
Jester so long he has earned his place in history too.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Fo...ist/fhist.html

Some better pictures
http://www.valentinehowells.co.uk/page2.htm

More on Blondie Hasler
http://home.online.no/~tjohnson/hasler.htm

More on Jester
http://old.cruisingworld.com/herbrich.htm

"Thom Stewart" wrote
There was a guy named; "Blondie Hassler" who put a Junk Sail on a deep
keel cut away hull. 26 feet long. He designed a wind powered self
steering system and sailed her around and around the world by himself.
The boat was named "Jester"

To this day, one of the toughest upwind, single handed races across the
Atlantic Ocean still carries a Class for small craft vessels named the
"JESTER CLASS" So much for Junk Sails not being able to go up wind. A
Folk Boat with a Single Junk Sail was the first winner and the class
carries the name.