Standards vary among countries or regions

It is officially a sport, but for its practitioners, rather a recreation and an art of living, if not a passion. It is prima facie reserved a few wealthy businessmen and sons or daughters of large families, but it is in fact open to many less herring informed amateurs. What is it The sailing tradition. The definition, as, moreover, the schedule of the discipline, is complicated. Standards vary among countries or regions. The international Committee of the Mediterranean (CIM) are however reference. The ICD, institution created in 1926 by the Yacht Club of France, the Yacht Club Italiano in Genoa and the Real Club Nautico de Barcelona, has undertaken the 1990s create gauges for boats, more and more many to return to the water after restoration, to participate in regattas, with systems of disability compensating for differences in size or performance. However relative, performance in most competitions, elegance and manoeuvrability criteria are taken into account.

Three categories

"To map, explains Jean-François Béhar, President of the Association française of the yachts of tradition (Afyt), created it, in 1994, there are three categories: sailboats built between 1950 and 1975, so-called"classical", sailing vessels built before 1950 to auratic rigging, with a square sail, and the ships of the same era to marconi rig, i.e. to triangular sail."According to estimates, the fleet of old ships would be 300 units in France, 150 on the Mediterranean front, 1,000 in the Mediterranean and an undetermined number in the United Kingdom and the United States, countries of high tradition of sailing, but showing less purist than the countries of the South in restoration, involving unscrupulous wood and modern materials, such as carbon fiber.

The plateau is various. This is "Zaca", schooner auratic 43 metres which was owned by Errol Flynn, "Halcyon", American of 1912 and 7.62 m sloop, boat identical to that on which John Fitzgerald Kennedy learned to sail, passing through the "Moonbean IV", 33 metres cutter built in 1914, which prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly spent honeymoon. The lower limit is set at 7.5 metres. The veil of tradition brings the most beautiful creations of the greatest naval architects in history, whether mythical site Fife, who drew "tuiga" plans, including the cutter of 22 metres from the Yacht Club of Monaco, which recently celebrated its hundred year Camper & Nicholson, Olin Stephens or French André Mauric.

The bulk of the cost of these ships comes from the work of restoration. "It takes 100,000 euros, for a boat of 8 to 10 metres, up to 10 million euros," says Jean-Paul Ortelli, Manager of the Cannes, organizer of the Royal Regatta regatta society. There is also the maintenance and the wages of seamen, a greater than 150,000 euros per year envelope. The story of "eilean" is best practices. Discovered in pitiful state in Antigua in 2006, the 22-metre ketch was renovated by the mark of Italian watches Panerai, one of the major sponsors of the circuit. Its restoration by artisans of Viareggio (Tuscany) has cost some 2 million euros while it had been acquired for about 100,000 euros. The launching was held late October.

It all started in Italy

The veil of tradition feeds from these renaissances operated by a few marks, but mostly enthusiasts. Heirs as sisters Gucci, but also businessmen such as Alain-Dominique Perrin, Director of Richemont, the industrial footwear Yvon Rautureau or Patrizio Bertelli, Prada pattern.

It is in Italy, in the 1970s, experts are renewed for this form of boating. In France, the phenomenon will be embodied in the Nioulargue. This event, the name of a buoy wet off the coast of Saint-Tropez, was born in 1981 to a simple friendly challenge between the owners of "Pride", a Swan US 44, and of "Ikra", 12 metre JI of Jean Rédélé, the creator cars Alpine. The following year, the revenge was followed by other holders of old boats and the rally became an institution until 1995, year where the crew of a boat died in an accident. The organizers were held partly responsible and the first of them, Patrice de Cormont, decided to wait for a regulatory developments to continue. It never came. "In 1999, at the request of communities and local economic agents, the Société nautique de Saint-Tropez decided reconnect with the tradition", explains André Beaufils, organizer of the sails of Saint-Tropez, late September - early October, brought together 300 ships, including half of tradition. A more festive than sports. "The world come to celebrate the end of the season in the Mediterranean", said a regular.

A trade issue

Over the years, a real circuit is developed. It was very organized, from 1999 to 2003, under the name Prada Challenge. "Patrizio Bertelli had me a cheque for $ 1 million for structuring the season", recalled of Bernard d'Alessandri, Secretary General of the Yacht Club of Monaco, which organizes a Classic Week every two years. After the departure of Prada for the America's Cup, this circuit is down. Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge has become the main European circuit of the discipline with steps in France (Anrtibes, Cannes), Italy (Porto Rotondo) but also in the United States (Newport and Nantucket) and Antigua. Because the veil of tradition has become an issue for the luxury watch brands: window is associated with the Yacht Club of Monaco, and Rolex with the Société nautique de Saint-Tropez. "We are present in Monaco, but also with the Royal Nautica Club de Palma, with Copa del Rey, as prestige Wally sites and even, in another area, Alinghi, the holder of the cup of America.". We use this for entertainment, media and also by creating limited series. We spend 6 to 7 million euros a year in sponsorship sailing", Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot President details. "Our partnership is based on common values between the sea and Panerai: beauty, respect history and old know-how", explains its side Emanuela Bouriaud, French Head of the trade mark of florentine origin, traditional supplier of the Italian Navy.

These major sponsors fund approximately 40 of the cost of organization of regattas (750,000 euros to Cannes, Saint-Tropez 1 million). The Afyt it also undertakes to structure the French circuit. A circuit with trophies, the yacht of the year tradition awarded December 4 next by "Limited", the art of living of the "voices" Supplement And if the most beautiful boats, said, in the Mediterranean, the veil of tradition is also developing on the Atlantic coast, with the Classic Lancel, Noirmoutier, or the beautiful pleasure, Bénodet. Cannot also do not speak the English Cowes regatta, institution, in the same way as Copa del Rey in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and sails of time of Imperia, in Italy. A multiplication of events which demonstrates the growing interest in the former yachts.