Meet Jim Schofield. Woodworker, solo sailor, ultramarathon runner, adventurer and 58 year old TikTok celebrity!
Jim is one of many characters that I have met during the six weeks or so that I have spent in Marina Rubicon. He is taking part in a single-handed race across the Atlantic. From Lanzarote to Antigua. In a 5.80 meter (19 feet) long boat that he built in his garden shed back in Ireland. A crossing that is likely to take over a month in a boat the size of a normal road car.
It has taken Jim the better part of a year to build the boat, ship it to Portugal and sail it to Lanzarote for a race that started yesterday. A project that he has documented and shared with the world via TikTok. Over time his group of followers has steadily grown and he now has around 10,000 subscribers to his channel (@liffeysailor). And he doesn’t even dance in his videos. His project has also been featured on national TV in Ireland.
Jim had quite an entourage with him in Lanzarote. People that had travelled from Ireland to see this larger-than-life character and the rest of the small fleet as they started started their 3,000 nautical mile race. I truly hope they all make it across and that I get to meet some of them again in the Caribbean. If nothing else to discuss if you really need things like a fridge, a proper cooker, running water and a toilet to cross an ocean. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to spend some time with Jim and the rest of them in Lanzarote.
Saoirse 
Wow!!! That is so exciting, Tomas!!! Your pics and drone footage pics are fantastic!!! Do you know how many boats are participating in the race? Are there any women single-handed sailors participating? I’m also curious about what kind of sailboats are in your pics — are they all 19 ft and the same models? I’m not on Tiktok, so won’t be able to access Jim’s videos — thanks for posting the YouTube link because I can watch that, for sure! Hope you’re doing well! Always a pleasure to see your posts come up! Take good care, ~ Chelle & SV Sunny ⛵️🌞
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Thanks Chelle. I am not on Tiktok either. The boats are one design. You buy the drawings and some of the material and put it together yourself. I understand they have sold 150 of them to date all over the world with sequential numbers. The highest number here was just below 100. It is a new design and only six made it to the start of this race. One pulled out a few days before the start. None of them were women this time. I think the real goal is to have a round the world race with a lot more boats starting in 2024.
The 6.50 Mini Transat is a similar event with slightly larger and much more expensive boats that just past outside Lanzarote. There are always several women in that race.
You can follow the five at the following tracking site: http://yb.tl/globetransat2021#
All the best
Tomas
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Hi, Tomas! Thank you so much for all of the great information and for answering my questions! I will definitely follow the tracking link you shared!
Interesting timing seeing your post as I just came across a podcast interview with Peter Norlin’s son, Markus Norlin! I don’t know if you would be interested, but just in case, the link is https://www.59-north.com/onthewindpodcast/319-markus-norlin — also, looks like the folks that host this podcast have a Norlin 34 — this boat looks just like my sweet Valhalla’s big sister: https://www.59-north.com/onthewindpodcast/300-andy-mia
Fair winds,
~ Chelle
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Hi Chelle. I will listen to that podcast. I do know about 59-north. That is where Stockholm is located btw. Two of their youtuber friends are here in this marina right now, Ryan and Sophie Sailing. I met Ryan on the dock a couple of weeks ago. All the best. Tomas
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Hi, Tomas! I just recently came across the podcast only a week or so ago. It makes for a good sailing fix as I’m not able to get out on the water due to winter approaching.
I didn’t know that about Stockholm being located at 59-north — I am guessing that they chose that for the name of the podcast as one of the podcasters who started the show, Mia, is from Sweden. I suspect that is also probably one reason how Mia and her hubby, Andy, came to have their Norlin 34, SV Spica, that they purchased in the summer of 2020. I would love to be on that boat; it would be so interesting to me to see a bigger version of my sailboat, Valhalla!
I wanted to let you know that I made mention of your blog on the Com-pac Yacht owners forum that I frequent. I was writing about sailing blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels: https://cpyoa.com/forum/index.php?topic=12246.0
Cheers!
~ Chelle
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P.S. Btw, I did watch the video on YouTube featuring Jim — it was fantastic! And I’ve also been following the tracking link you shared — thank you!
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Thanks Chelle. That’s nice of you. And Jim is a very special man that I got to spend a lot of time with here in the marina. I thought the TV feature on him was very nice. Best. Tomas
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