Transat alternative

Paul Peggs recounts the inaugural Petit Bateau singlehanded offshore race

The inaugural PB2004 singlehanded race, for those boats not large enough to race in the Transat this year, starting from Mylor YC Falmouth on the 17 July, was won by Michel Kleinjans' Open 40 Roaring Forty.

Fresh from breaking the singlehanded Round Britain and Ireland record, Michel won two of the three legs. Beating Ronny Nollett‘s Open 40 La Promesse into second place, Nollett winning the final leg into Camaret.

The course from Falmouth to Kinsale Ireland, Kinsale to Gijon, Spain and finally from Gijon to Camaret, France (a total distance of 1000 miles) was a great success. With close racing and very hospitable stopover ports, it proved a perfect recipe for an action packed two weeks of racing.

Class 2 boats up to 35ft was won by Olivier Desport Calisson. The series class winner in the 2001 Mini Transat race, Desport won all three legs in his JOD 35. Second place was not so easy with a tough battle between Pierre-Yves Chatelin in his Figaro 1 Destination Calais, Mary Falk’s beautifully prepared Open 35 QII and Paul Peggs' modified JOD35 Audacious. This was fought to the end and was finally decided in the last miles in favour of Audacious.

Leg One

The race started in 20 knot SW this was the strongest wind seen during the entire race. The two Open 40s Roaring Forty and La Promesse soon pulled out ahead of the fleet, followed by Leon Bart on his 35ft trimaran Hound Van Hout.

Within half hour the wind died away to a light variable breeze leaving the fleet to struggle to clear the Lizard. Later the wind veered to NW increasing to force 3 as the fleet reached Lands End. Now with a beat to Kinsale the tactical decision was to either tack on the shifts or hold on to port tack and wait for the forecasted light winds to back.

During the first night there was no time for snatching any sleep as the Irish Sea was busier than the M25, a vast number of boats returning from Cork week were sailing in the opposite direction.

Neither tactical decision seemed to have a major benefit and Roaring Forty was the first to cross the line in a time of 31hrs 27mins followed 2hrs later by La Promesse. Third in class 1 was Nico Budel sailing Hayai a Benateau 40.7 from Holland.

First to finish in class 2 was Calisson in a time of 34hrs 56mins followed 40 mins later in a very close finish was Audacious only a few boat lengths ahead of Destination Calais from France. Kinsale YC made all the competitors very welcome and a great two day stopover was had by all. The fleet also said goodbye to Stuart MacDonald in his OOD 34 Red Alert who had made the trip down from the Clyde to do the first leg only due to work commitments.


Leg Two

The fleet set off on the second leg to Gijon in 15 knots from the southwest. Some boats such as Calisson, Destination Calais and Jerry Freeman's famous stretched Open 30 Alice's Mirror all sailed high on starboard tack keeping to the rum line, while others such as the two Open 40s and Audacious footed more towards the French coast in a hope of getting more breeze and a better angle but on the second day the wind shut off and everyone was left with sails flogging in a big swell.

On the third day the breeze filled in from the east and spinnakers and reachers where hoisted and a good day and night of fast reaching was enjoyed. The first boat to finish was again Roaring Forty in a time of 79hrs 51mins followed again two hours latter by La
Promesse.

First in class 2 winner was Calisson which spent four hours a short distance from the finish line with no wind, finally crossing in a time of 97hrs 50mins. Again 2 hrs 25 mins later there was a nail biting finish for second and third in class 2 with QII beating Audacious to the line by 200m after swapping places many times over the previous days.

Hot and sunny Gijon was also a great stopover. With a Mayor's reception and some great trophies donated by the town they could not have been more hospitable. Also we had one more entry joining the race in Belgium sailmaker Ian Wittevrongel who had sailed non-stop from Boulogne France in his J/92 Jaraella to make the final leg.


Leg Three

The start was postponed for one hour waiting for the breeze to fill in and with only light winds forecast it looked like the passage to Camaret was going to be a slow one.

Once clear of the bay and with what little sea breeze there was now died away. It was slow progress for first night. But by the morning of the second day 10-14 knots of breeze filled in from the west giving the fleet a pleasant spinnaker reach for most of the day.

With the Open 40s ahead QII managed to build a small lead in class 2 followed by Destination Calais who had broken her tiller and could only be steered by autopilot and Jaraella lying in third.

During the night the wind suddenly shifted to the north and gradually dropped in strength thoughout day three. The two Open 40s managed to get to the finish line before the wind dropped completely and this time it was La Promesse who crossed the line first in a time of 52 hrs 4 mins followed an hour latter by Roaring Forty.

Class 2 had to struggle on through the night in light winds and adverse tides before again Calissson managed to get across the line in a time of 65 hrs 39 mins.

Two hours later Destination Calais came in to take second place. QII and Audacious where fighting it out again, this time for third place on the leg and second overall Audacious got her revenge from the previous stage and managed finish just ahead of QII.
The prize giving and final party was at the Hotel Vauban in Camaret. With pictures and signed posters of sailing superstars such as Eric Tabarly, Peter Blake and may more adorning the walls it was a fitting place to end the first Petit Bateau singlehanded race.

The PB2004 was a great success, with many competitors demanding a PB2005 race!!

Anyone interested in this type of racing more details can be found at www.petitbateau.org.uk

Final Results

Class I 35ft+
1st Roaring Forty Michel Klienjans Open 40 Belguim
2nd La Promesse Ronny Nollet Open 40 Belguim
3rd Hayai Nico Budel Benateau 40.7 Holland

Class 2 30-35ft
1st Calisson Olivier Desport JOD 35 France
2nd Audacious Paul Peggs JOD 35 UK
3rd Destination Calais Pierre-Yves Chatelin Figaro 1 France

IRC
1st Destination Calais

Sponsors:

QUANTUM SAILS
EURONAV
HYDE SAILS
Town of GIJON