Mission refreshes its experiences on a regular basis. These form the basis for our inspirational stories and delivery.

What happens to an old challenge yacht when it has finished the racing?

Challenge Business #33 raced around the Globe with her ‘amateur’ crew in 1996, she was built along with the entire Challenge fleet in Devonport (two of the later 72ft yachts were fabricated in China). Since the race, all have been involved in extensive corporate, charters and other races, however nothing to compare with the race.

 Following the selling off of the fleet a number of the Global Challenge yachts have been bought for high latitude charters, Greenland, Iceland, Cape Horn, Antarctica, the growing expedition market has been driven by new tourist market seeking high latitude adventure.

 High altitude sailing: 

Challenge Business #33 now Jonathan IV was purchased by Mark Van de Weg a well experienced high latitude skipper in mid-2008 from her previous owner for whom I worked. He immediately hit upon the idea of converting her to a deck-saloon configuration. The plan then was where, having run his own boat yard and built two of his previous ‘Jonathan’ yachts including his current charter yacht that he has wintered on in northern Spitsbergen Mark certainly knew what he wanted and how it should be done.

 The location was not important however finding a yard that would be cost effective, competent and flexible was. Gdansk was visited by Mark with two Polish friends, Mirek a businessman based in the Polish capital and former charter guest, and Wortek a Polish friend working his summers in Svalbard as a scientist. The Spider yard was selected, the deal was struck, quicker than the yard expected and having spent a summer ashore in Cowes, Jonathan IV was relaunched with her new fixed propeller on backwards and headed east. Fortunately the throttle could be adjusted, and the gearbox can run in either direction … did not have reverse through the Kiel canal!

The refit then involved installing two water tight bulkheads, cutting out the forward cockpit above the existing saloon/ galley and extending the coach roof aft. Many challenges had to be overcome, not least of which was communication, though this was a small price for a cheery, hard working and skilled work force who worked 0700 - 1800 for four months to get the job done on time (well almost) on budget (not quite) but for 54 Zylotys (14Euro) an hour.

The deck box was converted to chain locker, a simple but practical solution a case of waste not want not that was ever present in the Poles work ethic. The saloon floor was lowered by 10cm … at 6′5″ there is not much point in spending a large sum of money on a yacht, cutting it open and spending aload more if at the end of it,  you cannot stand up straight in your own saloon! The generator was remounted, with an additional alternator. The original companion way steps were lengthened and reinstalled following the refit. The galley was given a simple but effective facelift by re-framing all the cupboard doors. The bunks were relaced with mattresses mounted on ply board with leeboards outboard and lee cloths inboard. The Saloon table was configured to provide walk through access with a simple lever hindge system. The bilge pump was remounted in the cockpit with non-return valves to make priming far easier. The anchor chain was extended to 150m … then rejected when it was found that the links were 2mm too big and jammed on the windlass. The forestay was removed (by me)  and shortened with a stainless steel section inserted below the furling drum to allow greater clearance for the anchor shaft. The list goes on … however the essence was converting her from a below decks aft saloon yacht to a deck saloon in which guests and crew can relax and soak up the beauty of the arctic.

Clive’s role:

In Jan I was out there to assist with getting the boat coded, the galley was half built, the sails were off, a tent was over the boom, there was solid ice on deck, it was seldom above freezing, oh and the boat was surrounded by a solid sheet of ice. This was new territory for me however the forestay still needed shortening and the Medical survey items needed checking the surveyor was visiting in a week and we were to be leaving in three - it seemed wholly unlikely.

I was back two weeks later … progress had been made, the galley was nearly built, some sails were on, the tent was about to be removed, there was only ice around the boat on the cold days. And I no longer needed to go aloft, Mark had recruited a 5ft blonde Polish rigger who wore a fur hat on cold days, unlike any rigger I have ever met!

 It’s tough at the top of the world: 

 Departure, generator not working, hoses blowing off the engine, heaters cutting out … freezing on deck, cold below … a sail ripping. Winter in the Baltic was bleak. However as we headed north with a pit stop in Helsingor the weather improved …  we were becalmed and motored on for days to Bergen.

Into the Arctic Circle … Bergen to Bodo, the forecast was not good, is it ever off the west coast of Norway in Feb? We had gales most of the way, however they were behind the beam, most systems were working, most importantly the heaters! Spirits were high we were out there with the fishermen, supply boats and nature … no adventure tourists, not until March in Tromso and we had to be there. Arrived Bodo inside the Arctic Circle had to smash 30cm of ice off pontoon, fortunately we were being blown on. The locals think nothing of it … the marina was full, honestly nearly every berth!

I returned in March, this time to skipper three weeks of ski charters. We left weekly on a Sunday morning out of Tromso heading out into the remote Fjords to the north-east returning with tired but satisfied skiers on Fridays. The scenery was stunning, wildlife sparce but worth waiting for, seals and orcas but mainly hardy sea birds surviving in the frozen climate. The photos attached speak for themselves … I plan to be back!