Today, hundreds of sailing ships in Douarnenez Bay gave a tremendous send off to the determined crews competing in the Panerai Transat Classique 2012. The sun was shining and a steady breeze blowing as they set a course for the Raz de Sein, the gateway to the Bay of Biscay.
It was a breathtaking spectacle! The twelve classic yachts setting out on the first leg of the Panerai Transat Classique 2012 gave the crowds watching from the shore a show to remember. A warm 12 knot wind made for an ideal start, the organizers could not have hoped for better conditions. At 2 o’clock the starting signal finally liberated the competitors from their enforced inactivity in Port Rosmeur which had lasted four intense days. Emeraude got off to a fine start, crossing the line several seconds after the signal was given, followed closely by Persephone. At the other end of the line the large yawl Amazon attempted a port tack start but almost immediately had to give way to the Stephens design Swan 38 Gweneven. With 600 nautical miles of sailing in front of them, the competitors showed a spectacular lack of complacency as they pushed their elegant charges into top gear.
Earlier in the morning the crews gave a short presentation of their boats and the race manager, François Séruzier, gave the owners and skippers a final brief on what weather to expect in the coming hours. Calm conditions were forecast for the start of the afternoon but, for the pleasure of all concerned, a steady sea breeze picked up just in time. This evening the wind may well to go into the east and strengthen the breeze coming off the land tonight. The first few days of the race should be dominated by a well-established high, an indication of moderate winds. Once through the fast-moving currents of the Raz de Sein, the yachts will head south to fall in with some more favourable conditions.
This morning, the final morning of the Douarnenez Boat Festival, was a time for saying goodbye and making the last of a series of minor tweaks.
The cool-headedness of the crews showed that their meticulous preparations were injecting an essential dose of confidence. The young British owner of Vagabundo II was particularly relaxed, and this had evidently rubbed off on his crew. On Red Hackle, a crew member was sent up the mast to recover a wayward halyard. And the water hosepipe went from boat to boat for a final topping-up of the tanks. The crews watched in admiration as French full-rigged ship the Belem sailed off the quay with no assistance and to much applause. The competitors of the Panerai Transat Classique 2012 soon followed. Marine heritage specialist Jacques Blanken was in the commentary box giving the public fascinating insights into the ships and their manoeuvres as they cast off their lines and headed for the starting area. The Panerai fleet sailed out amongst the hundreds of sailing ships of all shapes, sizes and ages, to create a superb and moving spectacle on the water, a veritable floating encyclopedia of maritime heritage.
To add a touch of excitement to the proceedings, a special Panerai buoy was moored about two miles away from the starting line to oblige the yachts to come in close to the shore before heading out to the mouth of the bay. First to the Panerai buoy, the final race mark that the crews will see until they arrive in Cascais, was the Italian-crewed Emeraude under the command of Vittorio Cavazzana. Several minutes later Persephone tacked round it much to the satisfaction of Yves Lambert, her owner, and his special adviser the famous sailor Pierre Follenfant. Although slightly disadvantaged by the relatively short starting line, the impressive Amazon soon began to make her power felt. In fourth position came Gweneven, proof that her not-so-novice owner Oren Nataf is determined to be a force to be reckoned with, despite his mere two year’s experience in the world of yachting. And then came Valteam, Laetitia II, Cipango, and the two Taillefers in the fleet, Mowgli and Pen Duick II. Marie des Isles was last round the buoy but her crew was not going to let that rain on their day. The entire fleet is expected to be safely through the tricky Raz de Sein by this evening.
Founded in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, shop and school of watch-making, for many decades Officine Panerai supplied the Italian Navy in general, and its specialist diving corps in particular, with precision instruments. The designs developed by Panerai in that time, including the Luminor and Radiomir, were covered by the Military Secrets Act for many years and were launched on the international market only after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997. Today Officine Panerai develops and crafts its movements and watches at its Neuchâtel manufacture. The latter are a seamless melding of Italian design flair and history with Swiss horological expertise. Panerai watches are sold across the world through an exclusive network of distributors and Panerai boutiques.
In honour of its historic links to the sea, Officine Panerai has promoted classic sailing culture for many years through its sponsorship of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, the leading international circuit for these vintage craft. In 2007, the company also acquired and restored the Bermudan ketch Eilean. Built in 1936 by the legendary Fife yard at Fairlie in Scotland, she is now the brand’s ambassador at vintage and classic boat rallies and regattas.