Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Sailing Amateur is Building His Own Boat for Solo Atlantic Crossing

13th January 2021
Jim Schofield with the plywood-and-epoxy hull of his ClassGlobe 5.80 Jim Schofield with the plywood-and-epoxy hull of his ClassGlobe 5.80 Credit: RTÉ News

An amateur sailor is putting his lockdown downtime to good used by building a boat he plans to sail solo across the Atlantic, as RTÉ News reports.

Inspired by a worldwide ‘build at home’ challenge, 57-year-old Jim Schofield started work last year assembling his ClassGlobe 5.80 wooden yacht in the hopes of crossing an item off his bucket list.

That will be racing a number of other home builders along a 3,600-mile transatlantic route later this year, restrictions allowing.

“In many ways, it's the perfect pandemic project,” said the Blessington, Co Wicklow-based Schofield. “I’m locked in the shed, building a boat by myself. And when the time comes, I will get on the boat and sail away by myself.”

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

Published in News Update
MacDara Conroy

About The Author

MacDara Conroy

Email The Author

MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button