Eric Tabarly

Eric Tabarly (known as Sphynx de Bénodet , the Wise one of the Ocean , or more affectionately Pépé ) was a navigator French, born the July 24th 1931 with Nantes, disappeared at sea the June 13rd 1998 on its boat fetish PEN Duick.

Biography

Eric discovers the sail at the 3 years age on board Annie, the family boat. In 1938, his/her father Guy Tabarly, buys celebrates it PEN Duick meaning black head, that is to say: titmouse in Breton, drawn by William Fife (under the name of Yum in 1898). Eric Tabarly spoke about the boats drawn by Fife during the first decades of the XXe century: “the great architects of this time were Herreshoff, Watson, Nicholson and William Fife. Among them, Fife acquired a particular reputation thanks to the esthetics and with the balance of its boats. Moreover, those which took form in its building site had an unequalled construction”. Given up, envasé, the son will save it later by grinding wood the hull for the resin refabriquer, the hull in the state which cannot be restored. In 1952 It engages in the National marine with an aim of financing the restoration of the sailing family PEN Duick. It was pilot in the air and sea and flew on Stampe for its beginnings then on Beech 18 and Lancaster de Patrouille Maritime.Il was based in Saint Mandrier and Agadir (Morocco) It carried out approximately 1000 hours of flight on the whole, in particular at the time of the war of Indo-China. It will be graded Lieutenant commander, detached full-time by the national marine for " to run the mers".
Wishing to take part in the transatlantic race as a recluse (Ostar) of 1964, it designs in particular a boat with the assistance of the architects Gilles and Marc Costantini, PEN Duick II Ketch of 13,60 meters builds out of plywood marine for a displacement of 5,4 tons. He will gain the race by crossing the first the finishing line to Newport the June 18th 1964 with 10:45. He was made, following this exploit which made redécouvrir the sea with the France, knight of the Légion of honor of the hands of the general De Gaulle.

He will gain second once this race mythical in 1976, on board PEN Duick VI, a sailing ship however designed to be operation by about fifteen team-members, and after the rupture at the beginning of race of his autopilot like with very difficult conditions weather. Following this doubled, and after having gained in front of Alain Colas and his innovative Club the Mediterranean , it will descend the Fields-Elysées triumphantly! This same year, an emission of the Dossiers of the screen was devoted to him, the shortly after its second Ostar. Always in 1976, the sporting daily newspaper the Team, following a survey near its readers, distinguished it in front of Eddy Merckx, Niki Lauda, Johan Cruyff…

It disappeared in Irish Sea, vis-a-vis the Wales, in the night of the 12 with the June 13rd 1998 during an operation as a crew on board PEN Duick. Its body will be found several days later by fishermen.

Eric Tabarly will mark several generations of skippers. Indeed it truly created a “French school” of the race to broad, while taking on its board and formant of many team-members who will illustrate themselves thereafter, such as Alain Colas, Olivier de Kersauson, Gerard Petitpas, Eric Loizeau, Marc Pajot, Daniel Gilard, Titouan Lamazou, Philippe Poupon…

It also marks the history of maritime architecture with construction and the development of innovative sailing ships of competitions exploiting the last evolutions technical, and conceived with a very fine interpretation of the gauge and conditions of sea which will be with the program of its sailing ships.

PEN Duick II (1964): Ketch with light displacement (5,4 tons for 13,60 meters) manoeuvrable by a man alone

PEN Duick III (1966): Hull aluminum, stem in guibre for 17,45 meters and gréement of goélette.

PEN Duick IV (1968): First aluminum multihull of 20 meters, gréé in ketch, equipped with two masts wing, and characterized by its two rails of listening in arc of circle and its sinkable floats. This building will be sold with Alain Colas, which will modernize it and Manureva will rename it.

PEN Duick V (1969): Sloop of 10,50 meters characterized by its line of hull and its two ballasts liquid allowing him a burst of speed and a fine balancing for the majority bearing paces in the Transpacific one, race for which it was conceived.

PEN Duick VI (1973): Architect: Andre Mauric. Ketch of 22,25 meters out of aluminum moving 32 tons equipped with a ballast of uranium skittle depleted, replaced thereafter by a lead ballast and characterized by a " tail of malet" on the back table (short period outside). Surface aerofoil with the bearing one: 600 m ². PEN Duick VI will démâtera several times in race but will gain several records of crossing at the time of its various races, showing marine qualities and speed higher than its competitors.

Paul Ricard (1979): Trimaran of 16,50 meters out of aluminum moving 7 tons. It is characterized by its arm of connection single and profiled which is pressed on two small floats, them even being equipped with plane carrier. This ship precedes the application on the sailing ships of the principle of the carrying plan which aims at making déjauger the sailing ship then leave it water more to leave it in support but on its carrier plans. This principle is implemented on " today; the Hydrofoil " of Alain Thébault. Eric Tabarly will be the first sailor to be beaten in 1980 the record of crossing of the North Atlantic held since 1905 by the goélette Atlantic de Charlie Barr thus opening the race with the records of crossings carried out by the multihulls.

Prize list

  • Legion of honor in 1967

  • Record of the crossing of the Atlantique of west in is in Multicoque (record of 1905 of Charlie Barr on the goélette of fifty men of crew Atlantic beaten):

    • 1980 (10j 5:14 mn 20sec) (PR)
    • (in 1968, it had been approached, with the 10j 12:00 of PD IV)

  • English Transatlantic race as a recluse (Portsmouth-Newport, or Ostar): 1964 (PD II) and 1976 (PD VI) (in front of Alain Colas at seven hours)

  • Morgan Cup: 1967 (PD III)
  • Gotland Race: 1967 (PD III)
  • Chanel Race: 1967 (PD III)
  • Fastnet: 1967 (PD III) and 1997 (AI)
  • Plymouth it La Rochelle: 1967 (PD III)
  • Sydney-Hobart: 1967 (PD IV) (and 2nd at compensated time)
  • TRANSPAC San Francisco-Tokyo (Transpacific): 1969 (PD V) (with 11 days in advance on 2nd)
  • Falmouth-Gibraltar: 1971 (PD III)
  • Los-Angeles-Tahiti: 1972 (PD III)
  • 1st of the stage of the Round the world tour as a crew " The Cape-Sydney": 1973 (PD III)
  • Bermuda-England: 1974 (PD VI)
  • Atlantic Triangle: 1975 (PD VI)
  • Deckchair in double the Harbor-Carthagène (with Yves Parlier): 1997 (AI)

  • 2nd of the Deckchair in double Lorient them Bermuda-Lorient: 1973 (PD III) and 1979 (with Marc Pajot) (PR)

  • 2nd of the Transatlantic race Point-Europe 1:1987 (CO)

  • 3rd of the Deckchair as a recluse: 1984 (PR)

((PD): PEN Duick ; (PR): Paul Ricard ; (CO): Coast of Gold ; (AI): Aquitanian Innovation )

(note: PEN Duick IV gains the Transat as a recluse of 1972, with the hands of Alain Colas)

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