19/06/2013

Trade shows : France. Grand Pavois 2013: The LABs emerge from the shadows

The only two, unique, half-size America Class yachts LAB 1 and LAB 2 invited to the Grand Pavois 2013

A subscription has been launched to support the project

Background information: Grand Pavois, the international in-water boat show, will be held from 25th - 30th September at the Port des Minimes in La Rochelle. 

850 exhibitors are expected in 100,000 sq. metres of exhibition space.  300 boats will be on show in-water, out of the 700 on display in the show.  Themed spaces for the 100,000 visitors expected, with the 2013 guest of honour, Martinique. 

The benchmark for enthusiasts, Grand Pavois offers the unique chance of trying the boats at sea before buying.

"The LABS emerge from the shadows" at Grand Pavois 2013

In 1995, the elite of the sailing world met up at San Diego for the 29th America’s Cup, the most coveted trophy in the history of sailing.  Just as in all those international meetings, if there was competition on the water, it was just as fierce on the drawing boards of the world’s greatest marine designers.  At the request of Défi France, led by Marc Pajot, Philippe Briand, one of the most gifted architects of his generation, designed two ‘laboratory’ boats, LAB 1 and LAB 2, to check his technical choices while waiting for the full-size boats, which were to be France 2 and France 3. It was at the end of 1993, early ’94, when the two half-size America Class came out of Jeanneau Techniques Avancées (JTA).  They were11.84m long, 2.75m wide, and drew 2 metres. Stiff canvas, and with three tonnes of displacement for two in the bulb, these LABS were fast, easy to handle and turned on themselves.  They were tested, used for training, and then the two mini America Class sank into oblivion.  Stéphane Dheygers bought them in 2006 and accepted the challenge, with Pau Yacht Club, to put them back in the water and see them sail again.  Invited to the Grand Pavois in 2007, LAB 1 had its first outing on the water.  They were already attracting attention … But after two hard winters in the water, sailing boats quickly fall into disrepair.   

They were stored on dry land, but needed to be restored to get back their main strengths.  Never officially seen together, Grand Pavois 2013 will be the the first  “walkabout” for LAB 1 and LAB 2, and the enthusiasts’ show will have the honour of seeing, sailing side by side, these two boats which were classified as part of France’s marine heritage in 2010.   

Marvellous …

Launch of a subscription by Pau Yacht Club

To mark the occasion "The LABs emerge from the shadows" at Grand Pavois 2013, Pau Yacht Club is launching a subscription to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of LAB 1 and LAB 2. The idea? To bring 75 donors together with the aim of restoring these two mini America Class, to come to La Rochelle to celebrate this anniversary, to sail aboard these legendary boats and, above all, to support a project as rare as it is unique, in France.

Meet up from September 25 - 30 2013 for the 41st Grand Pavois

What you need to remember . . .

Name : Le Grand Pavois
Place : Port des Minimes à La Rochelle
Dates: from Wednesday 25 until Monday 30 September 2013, from 10am – 7pm
Area:100 000 m2
Exhibitors: 850 exhibitors from 35 countries
Boats on show: more than 700 boats on show, including 300 afloat
Guest of honour: Martinique
Number of visitors: more than 100,000 visitors

For more information visit www.ycpau.com


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