En France 6

 

A fleet of four of Eric Tabarly's Pen Duicks assembles.

 Eric Tabarly: Breton ocean racing legend. The first of the French 'household-name' sailing stars. In whose wake Jean Le Cam, and many others, have subsequently followed.

 Pen Duick: the name have gave to a series of successfully campaigned racing boats.

Arriving fashionably late, as befits a 'grande dame,' is the original Pen Duick. A graceful, clipper bowed cutter, in his family since 1938. Aboard which Tabarly learned to sail; and owned by Tabarly, until his untimely death in 1998 (when he was lost from her decks, in the Irish Sea).

The four together offer a living insight  into the evolution of yacht racing design. From the long bow, bowsprit, elegant counter stern and gaff rig, of the original Pen Duick.

To the bermudan ketch rigs, long waterlines and transom sterns of Pen Duick's ll and lll. And on to the lofty sloop rig, plumb ends and broad, chined, aft sections of Pen Duick V. A planing hull shape, built in high tech (for the time) aluminium. Forerunner of today's carbon fibre, foiling, IMOCA flyers.

The Pen Duicks arrived, in Saint Quay Portrieux, yesterday evening. This morning Stargazer had planned to depart. But the forecast has changed overnight. We stay alongside. By midday, thirty knots of breeze buffets the market stalls, on the quay. Meteo Consult (or, perhaps, the influence of wily Eric Tabarly?) has saved Stargazer from a drubbing.