Hasler reshaped single-handed ocean sailing

Hasler began developing self-steering gear before leaving the Royal Marines and proved himself in offshore racing after the war. In the first Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Race, his small modified Nordic folkboat Jester finished second after forty-eight days and advertised the effectiveness of his steering system. He returned in 1964 and completed the crossing more quickly, but disliked the growing ability of commercial sponsorship to buy a technological advantage. His withdrawal from the race reflected a preference for testing sailors against the elements rather than testing which entrant could fund the most engineered vessel.