Published by Adlard Coles Nautical an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP www.adlardcoles.com Title of the original French edition: Yachting! L’esprit voile © 2012, Éditions Glénat, 37 rue Servan, 38008 Grenoble, France English translation copyright © Adlard Coles Nautical 2013 First published by Adlard Coles Nautical in 2013 ISBN 978-1-4729-0164-4 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing of the publishers. The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Typeset in 10 pt Lintotype Didot by Margaret Brain Printed and bound in China by C&C Offset Printing Co. Note: while all reasonable care has been taken in the publication of this book, the publisher takes no responsibility for the use of the methods or products described in the book.
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Olivier Le Carrer
A VISUAL CELEBRATION OF SAILING PAST AND PRESENT
yachting
CONTENTS
Alchemy. Water, sails and wind: the materials may have changed over the centuries, but the magic is still there.
006 Yachting ?
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008 t he essence of yachting A BEAUTIFUL DISCOMFORT
098 ICONIC PLAC E S AT THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EART H
010 A savage beauty Boats that are beautiful and demanding 014 Sensations Perfect control 020 What is a yacht? When size doesn’t really matter 025 The values of yachting The school of fair play (in theory, at least) 028 Ladies on board Is sailing a man’s world? 032 Lapses in taste What you should avoid 035 Technique The missed manoeuvre 038 Bunks The unbearable lightness of sleep
101 Fastnet A lighthouse, a rock, a race 104 The Solent The cradle of yachting 108 Palma, Mallorca In royal company 112 Newport The power and the glory 115 Sydney A sailor’s dream 118 Friedrichshafen Far from the noise of the ocean 123 Auckland The capital of sailing 126 Porto Cervo The meeting place of who’s who 130 Geneva Not so calm a lake
042 M YTH S T HE LEGENDS OF THE SEAS
132 ART, HI STORY reflections
044 048 050 054 056 060 064 066 072 074 078 082 087 091 094
134 137 140 142 146 150 154 158 160
Yacht clubs Where everything begins Docksides Marine footwear The yacht owner Trappings of wealth Beken A dynasty in pictures Watches Time at the starting line Teak and varnished wood Can you do without them? The yachting press Magazines that make a splash J Class yachts Delusions of grandeur GPS The ocean on screen Whisky or beer? At the yacht club bar Chris-Craft and Riva motor boats Beautiful machinery The Transat Live the legend Navy blue and white Nautical colours Olin Stephens The man who designed boats Swan yachts The aristocrats of the sea
A N D S O C I E TY
Kiel 1939 Regattas on the eve of war Legal matters The America’s Cup in court Fashion Oilskins, blazers and striped tops Business Captains of industry at the helm Painting Sails on canvas Politics Statesmen at sea Advertising Sailing sells Films Stars on deck Technology Laboratories on the water
162 SCH OOLS O F yachting EACH TO THEIR OWN 164 168 172 176
The language of the sails Materials, colours, shapes High-level competition Ruthless Olympic sailing Champions Seven ways to play the game Atmosphere Antigua Week versus Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 180 A taste of the ocean Cruising adventures 188 Leisure time The effects of market expansion
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6 YACHTING!
Yachting ?
I
s yachting a sport for rich people and royalty? Yes and no. Certainly, the great and influential people of this world have often had a penchant for sailing and have helped write a few pages
of its history, from King George V to Prince Harald of Norway. Naturally, you need a bit of money to go sailing – quite a lot of money if you want to make an impact. For all that, the rich and royal only make up an infinitesimal part of yachting’s vast galaxy, and it would be wrong to attribute too much significance to them in this sport or to associate importance with the size of yachts and millions spent. The facts point to quite the opposite: the main drive behind the development of yacht clubs from the end of the 19th century onwards was not the proliferation of luxury vessels but rowing. This was a sport practised on small boats or canoes – simple craft usually built by the user himself in his garage at very little cost. The term ‘yacht’ does not refer to particularly luxurious craft but to all pleasure boats regardless of size. And yachting means no more than pursuing leisure activities in pleasure boats – at the helm of a dinghy on the river, taking part in regattas, on the open sea in a cruising yacht or pottering from one harbour to another in a motor boat. Contrary to popular belief, the origins of yachting don’t have anything to do with showing off – although today some people do. The sport developed under encouragement from the Royal Navy and through a societal trend towards clean living. It was the wish to improve the seamanship of officers that drove the British Admiralty to foster sailing as a leisure activity from the 18th century onwards (a move soon copied by other nations). This naval connection has had an enduring influence with its etiquette and rather rigid traditions and habits, the whole tinged with a pinch of snobbery. The 19th-century movement towards clean living transformed unpopular physical activities into modish disciplines within the space of just a few decades. In the pursuit of health and enjoyment, it became fashionable to set off into the natural world for sport and adventure. In this context, it is easy to imagine the immense possibilities of sailing, which provided a means of getting away from the polluted air of the cities and pursuing a healthy activity in full contact with the elements.
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What is yachting ? 7
It is easy to understand how the word ‘yacht’ can be misinterpreted. As I have stressed before, all pleasure boats are by definition yachts, and yachting is nothing other than the art of using them. Even if the large sumptuous vessels obviously capture our attention, they only represent a marginal part of a wider, more contrasting universe. The art of sailing is never completely mastered, feeding as it does on the input of others as well as on your own instinct. This is what makes yachting so difficult and at the same time so appealing – it invites humility and provides a permanent challenge. It is also a way of life that links its various participants through cultural references, shared interests and habits such as looking at the sky or planning a trip. Yachting as a way of life is sufficiently universal for the crew of a 6 m yacht and that of a maxi yacht to be able to recognise and understand one another.
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8 YACHTING
P
reconceived idea number one: yachting is a princely lifestyle. Quite the opposite! It is precisely because the pioneers of yachting spent most days in their princely abodes that they wanted a
change of air, choosing a sport in which they would come up against hostile elements in conditions that were a little spartan. All things considered, it was like camping on water. Accommodation may have been damp and cramped, but there was the wind, the sea and a temperamental sky giving a whiff of adventure to the proceedings, with an element of uncertainty thrown in. The size of vessel does not alter anything very much; you always have the break with terrestrial habits (notably those associated with comfort and fixed hours) and the pleasure of mastering all kinds of techniques to make everything go as smoothly as possible (or keep bad things at bay) in an environment where nothing is ever certain. Mundane achievements take on a victorious quality worthy of celebration: a skilful manoeuvre in a crowded harbour, a successful voyage through fog and strong currents, eking out the precious diesel fuel or producing a simple hot meal of sausages and mashed potatoes, which takes on the allure of a royal feast because you managed to cook it at an angle, with the boat running as she should and the sea belonging to you. This response to challenge often takes a turn that is scarcely comprehensible to the landlubber: take the sailors who abandon all sense of reason when they become infatuated with splendid but barely functional boats. All that matters is the beauty of the boat’s motion‌
THE ESSENCE OF YACHTING a beautiful discomfort
Tightrope walking. Grace meets brute force during a manoeuvre on the schooner Eleonora.
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The essence of yachting 9
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10 YACHTING
Savage beauty
Boats that are so beautiful and so demanding
‘Who goes to sea for pleasure alone would go to hell to pass
only if the weather conditions suit them (returning if not).
the time,’ seamen used to say, incredulous at people choosing
They can take the best from the seas that are capable of the
to spend their holidays where they would only venture
worst. They are the only masters on board and do not have to
grudgingly to earn their daily crust. They were, however,
share their vessel with tons of icy fish. They enjoy the special
forgetting one important detail: those who love sailing are
privilege of being able to choose their constraints.
not exposed to the elements every single day. They can set
off when they want, for the destination of their choice and
and stoic virtue, difficulties are no bar in the pursuit of
In this subtle association between hedonistic aspiration
the beautiful and interesting. The link between challenge and beauty is apparent in the century-old, still majestic Tradition. The pleasure of rediscovering the movements of yesteryear on superb and very demanding yachts.
William Fife designs, in the lines of Pen Duick, Moonbeam III or Tuiga, with delicate hulls that seem to disappear under their immense sails. A magical spectacle for onlookers and guaranteed prestige for the demi-gods disembarking from such vessels.
Sailing these beautiful, demanding boats is a much less
smooth and harmonious exercise than it appears. Because of the narrowness of their decks, their angle of heel and the absence of any railing one always runs the risk of falling into the water. However, no pain, no gain; it is precisely this inconvenience that makes these yachts so elegant.
Gusts. The beautiful schooner Eleonora meets with a squall in Cannes harbour at the Cannes Royal Regatta.
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12 YACHTING
Concentration. In light air the crew of the classic yacht Cambria pays close attention in order to make use of the slightest breeze.
To make matters worse, you can get thoroughly soaked
getting some bruises. The last, but not the least, important
as soon as the wind gets beyond Force 3; with an obliging
peculiarity of these fascinating boats is that they can trans-
low freeboard, the water continuously runs on deck and the
form themselves into sieves at the drop of a hat if one does
spray comes in low. Even if you remain dry and on board
not grant them due and continuous care. This takes a great
you are not out of trouble yet. You still have to manoeuvre.
deal of time and courage – or money.
The sail area is inversely proportional to that of the deck
and the rigging is particularly complex. Many pairs of arms
one you can limit the damage in part, except when it comes
are necessary – about 15 on board the Tuiga – but there isn’t
to comfort. Or go for a more modern boat: the progress
enough room to deploy them adequately. Added to which a
made by boat builders, coupled with the arrival of lighter
modicum of physical strength is desirable (the boat’s fittings
and more resistant materials, means that it is now possible
are notoriously undersized) and a good deal of skill and
to sail elegant and fast yachts with an ease that would have
experience is necessary to handle the innumerable ropes in
appeared miraculous to a 19th-century yachtsman, although
the correct order to avoid disaster. You can make these boats
a certain physical and intellectual agility is still required…
move, but sometimes they have surprising reactions…
Not all beautiful boats are so devious. In choosing a small
Yachting cultivates a taste for complication. True enthus
The list of troubles does not stop there. Ergonomics
iasts know that the mood swings of a V8 Gray Marine
being the least of the boat designers’ worries, lumbago is an
yacht from the 1930s have an entirely different feel to the
ever-present threat. And don’t expect a luxurious interior;
mechanics of more modern boats which will take you safely
these boats may well cost the same as a small palace, but
to your chosen destination with the reliability of a Swiss
their habitable volume is that of a mobile home. Charming,
train. Taming a rebellious material is part of the sport, and
of course, and tortuous to negotiate, with the possibility of
pleasure can often be measured in terms of challenge.
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14 YACHTING
Sensations
Perfect control
N
o other sport relies so heavily on atmospheric con ditions and natural cycles. A yacht has to function in
an environment of unstable energies, fluctuating in strength and orientation, on a surface in constant motion. Whether you are on a high- or low-budget vessel doesn’t change the rules of the game much: you will not be able to sail well if
“
You will never know the meaning of the word pleasure without having felt the joy of steering a good boat perfectly in tune with the elements.
you are not at one with nature. You have to study the clouds to foresee the wind direction and strength, watch the sky to gauge the arrival of a depression, be vigilant in case fog
”
should close in and look out for swell that could indicate
as much as possible. The installation of ever more powerful
an approaching change in the weather. You will also have to
auxiliary motors, for example, helps sailors to keep to a time-
get under way in the middle of the night according to the
table no matter what, just like in a car.
dictates of the tide, keep a watchful eye on the water surface
to identify eddies and currents, and learn how to interpret
a role in this break between man and his environment. One
the occasionally misleading signs indicating the proximity
looks more at screens and less at the clouds and the sea.
of land.
Dead reckoning, which was the norm some twenty years
The increasing importance of electronic aids also plays
To read nature is one thing, but to accept that it is a law
ago, demanded that you were in tune with your boat and the
unto itself is quite another. Sailing is the only mode of trans-
prevailing conditions so that you could assess as precisely
port where everything is frequently called into question,
as possible the route taken through the water and deduce
including the arrival time and the destination itself (because
your position. What a marvel, finding land this way in more
the wind has changed). Any port of call and its anticipated
or less the expected spot after several hours or days of
shelter can become inaccessible in the dark, which will entail
waiting.
waiting patiently the whole night long…
The apparent certainty of the GPS has put such
Today, it is still possible to practise this careful and humble
anachronisms to rest. Nobody can deny that such equip
method of sailing, so commonplace in previous generations.
ment enhances security and performance, but it also has
However, most sailors now choose to take advantage of tech-
disadvantages. The old skills, gratifying to practise and
nological advances to reduce their dependency on nature
reassuring in case of breakdown, run the risk of disappearing.
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Speed. A rush of adrenaline on the back of a wave as this J122 is pulled along by a large asymmetrical spinnaker.
And the GPS has also robbed us of part of the pleasure.
After all, who did not go to sea to lose himself just a little?
relationship between crew and boat. After all, one has to
The same technological advances make some sailors
steer a yacht, whether equipped with electronic equipment
less vigilant of the elements. Why breathe in the air and
or not. This means understanding the formidable alchemy
interrogate the sky when it is enough to make a quick
that makes the wind propel the boat forward. Giving the
call or to consult a computer when you aren’t sure about
sails a good shape, finding their perfect position so the hull
something? Modern technology augments traditional skills
accelerates. Maintaining the correct angle of heel by the
without fully replacing them. A careful observer will have
continuous interplay of the sails’ power against the keel’s
the upper hand when considering a weather report drawn
mass, altering the trim according to what the sea is doing.
up five hours before and covering too wide an area, with
Feeling what the helm tells you about the boat; if it is too
insufficient resolution to detect the squall that is coming,
heavy by the stern, if you are carrying too little or too much
suggested by the large cloud topping the horizon.
sail, if the course should be adjusted by a few degrees, if
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Happily, the essential things remain, such as the subtle
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16 YACHTING
the Genoa should be eased out a bit. And then sometimes, joy of joys, everything falls into place. The helm’s barely perceptible vibration, seemingly effortless movement, the impression of being a perfectly balanced tightrope walker, the noises that suggest a harmonious whole. A smooth glide across a calm sea or a rough ride in high winds, both can lead to pure happiness. You will never know the meaning of the word pleasure without having felt the joy of steering a good boat perfectly in tune with the elements. It doesn’t always work out like this, but that’s what sailing is all about.
Happiness. At the helm of this Dragon gliding smoothly across the water in total silence.
Overleaf: Wake. An IMOCA 60 owned by Kito de Pavant. Modern monohulls can reach speeds thought originally only possible in multihulls.
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20 YACHTING
What is a yacht ?
When size really doesn’t matter
T
here are many different types of yachts and different
British culture, on the other hand, considers all sailing boats
ways of sailing them. Take King George V and his legen-
yachts. International terminology continues to define a
dary Britannia. Both are emblematic of yachting, in terms of
yacht as any sailing boat that takes part in regattas. This
his style, her beauty and his indestructible passion for her,
even includes Optimists, a class of walnut sailing dinghies
with her majestic shape and 900 sq m of sail area on a length
devised for children learning to sail. Their length is a mere
of 31 m. Are we then to conclude that the size of vessel and
2.30 m, with no cabin or notable woodwork, but they are
blue blood are somehow linked to yachting? No. These things
nevertheless yachts. By contrast, a traditional working
may occasionally help but are by no means a deciding factor.
boat, no matter how attractive, cannot expect to classify as
Nowadays, the name that best illustrates yachting is Runa IV,
a yacht.
a nearly 100-year-old Danish yawl. She only measures about
a dozen metres and is quite uncomfortable and impractical
thinking here of the great motor boats you often see in
to sail but nevertheless has a rare elegance. Yves Carcelle,
Mediterranean ports – are, paradoxically, poles apart from
the president of Louis Vuitton, devoted two years of work
actual yachting. Why? Because they shamelessly ignore
(and a tidy sum of money) to renovate this boat. Is all this
the sport’s most basic tenets: a good dose of culture, some
simply a question of cash and prestige? Not really. Hundreds
complicated constraints and a touch of discomfort.
of other boats, owned by unknown people with often modest
budgets, give just as much enjoyment to their owners, crews
and attitude. It is not necessary to have timber yards and a
and shoreside observers.
retro line to gain your stripes; all materials and styles are
Particularly in southern Europe, the word ‘yacht’ is
The boats that are most often called ‘yachts’ – I am
To be a yachtsman is not about the boat but about culture
eligible, provided you make good use of them.
often used to denote any boat that is large and expensive.
Diversity. Common ground between old and new, large and small: the pleasure of sailing.
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With lavish photography throughout, this beautiful coffee table book is the ultimate celebration of yachting - the sport, the culture surrounding it and the boats themselves.
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