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A steady stream of Vendee Globe pilgrims beats a path to the matt black IMOCA, in which ‘Le Roi’ Jean (Le Cam) contested the 2024 race. Aged 66. He (for French boats are male) is the apogee of daggerboard design. But proved no match for the latest generation of foilers. Even with the wily master of strategy at the helm.

Hubert languishes ashore, forgotten, in a far corner of the yard. Named, by Jean, in memory of the late Hubert Desjoyeux. (Co-founder, with Jean, of Port La Foret's CDK Technologies.) Who built this historic IMOCA. Which Mich Desjoyeux (son of Hubert Desjoyeux), sailed to victory in the 2008 Vendee Globe.

Jean Le Cam achieved a fourth place, in 2020, aboard Hubert. Clear ahead of all, bar three, of the new build foiling boats, as well as all daggerboarders. Despite pausing mid-race to rescue fellow competitor Kevin Escoffier. Whose IMOCA broke in two and sank. This performance, along with his KISS instincts and budget constraints, prompted Jean to commission a David Raison daggerboard boat for the 2024 race.

The story was not over for Hubert, however. Completing his fifth Vendee Globe, in 2024, with Violette Dorange as skipper. The youngest ever female Vendee Globe entrant. The IMOCA loaned to her, by mentor Jean Le Cam. Violette's race checklist even now visible, pasted to Hubert's bulkhead. 'Check halyards before nightfall,' her final task each day.

 Fellow design geeks will notice Hubert’s chined (knuckled) stern. That chine beginning softly at the bow (second picture). Before becoming more pronounced, as it runs aft (above). A feature that is de rigueur on contemporary hull designs. To maximise sail carrying power. But which Hubert has employed for the past nineteen years.

 

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"Let me bring you songs from the wood:

. . . . Poppies red and roses filled with summer rain. . . .

. . . . .Greetings well met fellow, hail!

I am the wind to fill your sail. . . .”

(Songs from the Wood. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. 1976)

 Of the picturesque Benodet Bay ports (Lescoil, Loctudy, Benodet and Concarneau), Port La Forêt is the least frequented by foreign flagged boats. Tending to be the preserve of the French at leisure. Thereby adding a certain cachet, to its list of charms.

It lies at the head of a deeply incised inlet, within the wider bight, of Benodet Bay. The approach channel carves through a crescent moon of silver dunes.

Before winding its tree lined way inland, to the village. Protection from wind, wave and lightening strike is near complete. La Foret seemingly exuding a soothing influence upon humanity and the elements alike.

Upstream, of the dredged port approaches, the tidal basin dries, relatively speaking, to salt marsh and oyster (huître) beds. Leaving only a meandering stream, flowing seaward, at low water.

The forecast forty knot blow is now upon us, complete with sudden thunderous downpours, sporadic electrical discharge and long spells of bright sunshine. Stargazer secure in port; her skipper regaled with Breton shanties, in a forest glade. 

Photo Credits

La Foret and Stargazer location screenshot. Courtesy of MarineTraffic.com

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Sam Goodchild, fresh from his Course des Caps victory, provides the day's fly past. Taking advantage of the smooth seas, within Benodet Bay, and twenty knots of westerly wind.

Stargazer sailed with the Course du Morbihan fleet. Jockeying for her share, of the faltering north easterly night breeze.

Which wafts us out of Lorient's western channel. Stargazer clipping the corner. Both to save distance and to cheat the incoming tide. As the race fleet heads east.

Off Larmor-Plage, the sea breeze fills in from the west. Stargazer sheets in and begins tacking, making short boards against an adverse tide. 

With the wind light, progress is slow. Stargazer stands in toward Doelan. Seeking slacker tide within the concavity of the coast.

By midday the sea breeze is in. Stargazer strides along, in assured tacks. A reef in the main. Fighting her way west, in a rising swell.

One last tack carries Stargazer clear of the Trevignon headland. Gateway to Benodet Bay. The tide comes fair, the waves flatten and we ease sheets. Stargazer skims north at six and seven knots. Outdone only by Sam Goodchild, making for home (MerConcept) in Concarneau, at twenty.

Stargazer stands north. Wooded banks rise to either hand, quieting the breeze. Waves become ripples. Carefully we pick our way up a narrowing channel. For we have arrived, in Port La Foret, at low tide. Fortunately a neap, giving Stargazer half a metre to spare. 

Picture Credits

Stargazer ground track screenshot: Courtesy of MarineTraffic.com

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 To stay, or to go? That is the question.

Overnight, the cloudless skies and perfect breeze, which welcomed Stargazer to the cove at Kerneval, have been replaced by more changeable conditions.

With a falling barometer, which foretells a stiff three day blow.

Should Stargazer stay put? Or is there time to scamper, into the shelter of one of the Benodet Bay ports, before its arrival? The morning forecast will provide our answer.

Meanwhile, there are Winds of Change, of a different kind, to contemplate. The Beneteau, of that name, sports a telescopic mast. Which supports a wing sail that, I am guessing from its jovial Michelin logo, is inflatable. A reminder that Lorient is a port with the power to turn science fiction into sailing reality. As was the case with foiling IMOCAs and Ultims. Both forged in the competitive crucible of La Base.

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Armel Le Cleac'h's mighty Ultim trimaran silenty takes flight. Trailing a jet fighter vapour trail. As she races toward the horizon, at thirty seven knots. The silence, in the presence of such power and speed, is the most shocking element.

That and the fact that the, hundred foot by seventy five foot monster, has taken Stargazer's skipper by surprise. Appearing unexpectedly, and very suddenly, from behind Stargazer's jib, before scything across her stern. Whilst taxiing for takeoff.

The mighty machine levels off, as she lifts onto her foils, and settles at a smooth riding cruising altitude. Skimming the swell.

Stargazer left La Trinite sedately. Sniffing out the morning breeze, as it filtered up the river Crac'h.

One tack, and sixteen knots of westerly breeze, carries us to. . . .

. . . . the Teignouse Passage, at the tip of Quiberon. Two more tacks take us through.

Stargazer shoulders her way down the western side of the craggy peninsula.

A Breton lugger picks a purposeful path through the waves. Her tender bobbing buoyantly astern.

With British flaggged pilot cutter Marie Claude in hot pursuit.

Armel Le Cleac'h smoulders by, off Groix. My mistake was to assume that he was making for La Base. He must have decided to go round, for ‘another go;’ and who can blame him, on a day such as this?

Once recovered, from Armel's sudden reappearance, Stargazer picks up the familiar eastern channel, into Lorient.

Romain Attanasio's IMOCA rips by, with waves and whoops from his rail riding guests. I reply with a surf-shaka salute, stood astride Stargazer's tiller. Revelling in the sights and sensations of our 'carefree daysail.'

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Praying Mantis arms extended, the strange flat bottomed craft, of the oyster fishery lie in wait.

In the shoal waters, above the high white arc of the bridge arch.

Where the riviere Crac'h weaves its way between wrack covered promontries, beneath darkly wooded banks, and birdsong echoes.

To seaward, after resting over the Quatorze holiday, the breeze is back. Blowing from the west. Stargazer's current general direction of travel.

Fortunately, this coast is so indented and harbours so frequent, that Stargazer should either be able to find a slant; or to shorten her rhumb line distance (to offset zig-zag tacking) to her next ports. To achieve a series of carefree day sails.

That is the theory! Tomorrow Stargazer plans to put it to the test.

  

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Armel Tripon's multicoloured IMOCA leaves La Trinite's waterfront. First of the new build contenders, for the 2028 Vendee Globe, to launch. An extended work up campaign is planned, with sponsors P'tits Doudous. The specialists in hospital waste recycling. Appropriately, the boat is (largely) built of repurposed carbon fibre offcuts, from the Nantes (Armel's home town) Airbus factory.

The entourage passes two slumbering giants. Ultim trimarans, built to claim the Jules Verne round the world speed record. Their attempts made during the Southern Ocean summer. Northern European winter.

Once clear of the higgledy-piggledy inner harbour moorings . . . . .

. . . . .the crew disappear off deck. No doubt preparing to hoist sail, the moment that they have sea room.

Beside the channel, a few last oyster sacks are turned. As the tide rises, to cover the racks upon which they rest.

The rusty farm tractor beats a hasty retreat, to the rocky foreshore. A harvest of ripe and ready oysters on its tail lift.