from RUBICON
Plymouth – La Rochelle Classic Race
7 British yachts, including Foglio (12.9m Dallimore 1937) and Rubicon (12.2m Owens 1948) from the BCYC, took part in the 2012 edition of this race from Plymouth to La Rochelle, with a stopover in Douarnenez, from the 25th July to the 1st August. John Dory (13.7m Robert Clark 1938), which won the first edition in 1939, was much missed, having hoped to enter this year.
Light northerly winds meant that most of the 335 miles were run under spinnaker, which hampered Foglio, who hadn't brought one. She did, however, win the prize for the best kept or restored boat, but the trophy, a large silver bowl, had to be collected by Barry Bristow's brother-in-law, as Barry was so tired he'd fallen asleep. (Rubicon would/should have won this, looking exceedingly beautiful under new owner Lance Rowell, but nobody was on board when the judges came round).
Both legs of the race had the fleet spread over 40 miles of sea, with some boats out of range of the twice daily position check with the committee boat.
Rubicon had on board Peter Heppel, a maestro of the spinnaker sheet, who managed to keep her going at 2 knots in 3 knots of wind for hours on end, giving us 8th place overall out of 28 boats.
The French competition, of boats such as Kraken II (10m Dervin 1949) and Chrisando (12m Lidstone 1937), who sail that coast all the time with regular crew, was stiff, but tremendously friendly.
I was particularly interested to see Rocquette (12.9m Peter Nicholson 1964), having crewed on her delivery passage from Constanta in the Black Sea to Lemnos in the Aegean in 2005.
La Rochelle is a beautiful, mainly 18th century town, built round two large harbours. It is home to the Musée Maritime and the Yacht Club Classique, their equivalent of the BCYC, and several boats belong to both. The town gave the YCC a lovely stone building between the two harbours as their clubhouse, as well as financial support.
At each port we were handsomely fed and watered – well, wined really – the moules and couscous at La Rochelle being particularly delicious. After the supper two girls from the crew of Mabel (12.6m Holman 1966) [Nota :Kraken's girls] sang a very funny song about the tribulations of the race and the tyranny of their skipper. It was all very hospitable, and the greatest fun.
We must make sure that John Dory is able to make the 2014 edition, and plan more events between the two clubs, whose goals are identical, although their processes differ slightly according to the national character.
Brian Gascoigne
crew on Rubicon