A very complete double of a successful Covid Project, followed by an adventurous Covid Breakout Achievement, came to fruition in January when Jim Schofield (57) of Blessington returned home to West Wicklow.
His Covid Project was completed in the cramped quarters of his extended garage, where he self-built the 19ft McIntyre Globe 5.80 offshore sailboat Molly Claire. And then his Covid Breakout achievement was solo sailing this tiny boat across the Atlantic via the Canaries. His plan was not to race in the McIntyre Challenge, as he felt his experience was not ready for that, but rather to avail of the shared McIntyre programme which brought everything within a manageable budget.
Thus all being well, Molly Claire will be delivered in a package back to Europe at Lorient in early spring, and meanwhile, Jim Schofield is our “Sailor of the Month” (Offshore) for January.