On the 20th and 21st of July 2024, and on her 120th year, Sheila was racing and parading at Port-Navalo.
“Les Grandes Régates de Port-Navalo” were celebrating their 130th year.
Port-Navalo is the harbour at the entrance of the “Golfe du Morbihan” in the South of Britanny. The tide race in the entrance of the Golfe is up to 8 or 9 knots, which makes it an interesting harbour to enter under sails !
Sheila raced on the Saturday against boats which were both magnificient and much bigger than her.
Pen Duick 2 (14m Costantini schooner winner of the 1964 Ostar Race with Eric Tabarly) won easily. The Lys Noir (24m 1914 Yawl), Krog E Barz (15m Gaff Cutter), and 3 Frères (11m Sinagot) finished ahead of us as well, in a dying wind. No boat smaller than Sheila finished before her and a lot of bigger boats were behind.
We took a safe start, as a port tack was the only way to pass the line, in the strong tide. The management of tide currents was also instrumental to finish the race. With boats of such different speed capacities, after 10 miles, many of our smaller opponents had given up. The reacher was a great asset and we used it with the spinnaker pole used as a whisker pole. We did not use the spinnaker and the pole extension.
On Sunday we paraded in the tide, with west wind increasing to 26kn. Sheila was sailing under jib and mizzen during much of the parade, her signature look. We surprised many Breton boat watchers who discovered her and I believe they enjoyed the show.
Many thanks to the organization, we had a great week-end, and many thanks to my competent crew.
Cheers from France !