This sailboat was started in 1961 at the request of Bernard Moitessier and completed in 1962. Jean Fricaud agreed to build the ship's steel hull in his Chauffailles workshops. It's thanks to the copyright of his book South Sea Vagabond that Bernard can have his sailboat built. He baptizes it Joshua in honour of Joshua Slocum, Canadian sailor, author of the first solo circumnavigation of the globe. Red in colour, it will remain marked by its famous owner, a writer on the stories of the sea and the first man to have made a world tour and a half on the seas of the globe, without stopover, without outside help and alone.
It was on board that Bernard Moitessier took part in the first edition of the Golden Globe in 1968, the first non-stop round the world race. This race will make him famous as he has just passed the Cape of Good Hope and is well ahead of the race, he decides to abandon it to sail in other directions and take pleasure on the sea. " I continue non-stop to the Pacific Islands because I am happy at sea and perhaps also not to lose my soul" . They both continued to travel until 1982.
On December 8, 1982, a cyclone hit the Mexican coast and Joshua, who was anchored, was completely caught in the storm. It was found in 1989 in Seattle by two young Americans who restored it and bought by the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle in 1990, following the recommendations of the editor of Voiles et Voiliers. That year, on September 14, Bernard Moitessier made a triumphant entrance at the Grand Pavois show, at the helm of Joshua.
On September 6, 1993, he obtained the title of Historic Monument. Today the Joshua continues to sail about 150 days a year for small cruises or nautical gatherings. We were able to admire it on the grand Pavois lounge in La Rochelle in September. Today it is under the responsibility of the Friends of the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle. It is moored in the trawler basin of the port of La Rochelle and is part of the Classic Yacht Club.
