Blanchebarde is not a nickname he would have earned after hours of sanding. No, it's the name of his Breton family, a family of sea rescuers. Alain studied in Saint-Malo and became a fisherman. Alas, health problems force him to stop his work. But no question of stopping sailing!
But without a boat, you need ideas (and energy). Everything starts from a hull of a 1964 Tiburon that we give it. In 2007, surrounded by his whole family, parents and children will restore this little monohull. Faced with the work done to bring this old yacht back to new condition, other owners are pointing their noses up to ask for help with renovation work.
Finally, it is in the form of an association that the situation will be formalized in 2016. In the garden that has become a shipyard, the boats arrive and are maintained by the members of the association (29 members today). Thus was born the ASSM (Atelier Solidaire Service Maritime).
The will of the association is to help to save the boats doomed to destruction. Only with the membership fees (without any subsidy), the workshop has acquired professional equipment to carry out the work. A large mobile tent has just been installed on the field to work protected.
The association is limited to "cosmetic" work. In no way does it touch the structure of the boats, leaving this part to the professionals. By charging very reasonable rates, the association is offered more and more shipyards.
Thus, they participated in the renovation of the bridge of the former Kraiy Valley (50' Open) in view of Nils Boyer's participation in the Route du Rhum. Or, they have just redone a whole keel on a Toy 37. Or a leak at the foot of the keel of a First 18..
For each workcamp, the beneficiaries of the association take the opportunity to do their apprenticeship. And often, the reward of a sea trip is at the key. In addition to the strong connotation of solidarity, Alain draws on a great deal of knowledge in the field, providing expertise in a wide variety of fields. And the quality of the work, which is very professional, suffers as a result.
Based in Guingamp, the association is developing rapidly. Some boats are even offered to them. They will be used for learning and training before being resold in order to buy new equipment.
Requests are pouring in to reproduce the concept which seems to be well underway in this Breton region. Yet reproducing this initiative seems difficult as it is based on the dynamism and the will of one man, the famous Alain Blanchebarbe..
