Gloubi Boulga is a 550 Toy, a small Micro designed in the late 1980s by Jean Berret. In his family, with the Microsail and the Neptune 550, it is one of the most vivid. But this one never raced. I bought it in a very average condition for 1,500 euros. With a trailer but no engine.
After a work site to seal the daggerboard well, the portholes and the descent door are changed. Gloubi already looks better. A short sail outing - for the time being they have been cut out in those of a Muscadet - makes it possible to draw up an assessment. First of all, the pivoting rudder designed by the previous owner is far too short. The boat passes on its helm from 20° of heel. Then the manoeuvres are incomplete and those that are in place generate significant friction.
It was around this time that I wanted to participate in the 18 hours of Arcachon. And that's only three weeks later..
45 th edition for the most important regatta of the Arcachon Basin
This trial, of which it is the 45 th edition, used to run for 24 hours. Its course represents an 8 mile loop oriented West/East. It is organized the first or second weekend of July by the CVA - Cercle de Voile d'Arcachon.
Traditionally, the fleet is entitled to a good NW'ly thermal which comes up north at the end of the evening. At night, there are folaster breezes and big level crossings, due to the current... It is therefore not uncommon to spend a few hours at anchor! This race is a bit like the Bol d'Or du Bassin.
The 18 hours had their glory hours twenty years ago with more than 200 boats at the start: today, we are still a good hundred. New since last year: the boats are now turning clockwise. And this year, a short version of the race with midnight stop is proposed. With paella the next day at noon.
Minimum preparation..
Out of the question to play the small arms Micro or not, Gloubi has well the intention to turn 18 hours ! But on condition that the boat is prepared to a minimum.
An owner of Jouët 550 lends me all his old sails. I'm left with three genoas and three spis! The fittings are optimised by spinnaker barbers, new mast foot sheaves, a textile backstay and its batten at the mast head, some manoeuvring returns and especially thinner halyards - they practically no longer rub. A new rudder blade is cut in 28 mm CP, as close as possible to the original dimensions. The aluminium cage is very tired, but there, we don't have time... The hull is sanded with paper and water. I notice a big fart at the bottom of the cast iron daggerboard, too bad. The battery-powered lights are ready, as are the headlamp and the waterproof lamp. We still have to find a partner or two
Thunderstorms get in the way
Last week. Gloubi is about ready to race when he capsizes twice at the dead body. The particularly violent storms of 30 June and 4 July, with winds in excess of 55 knots, were the cause of the poor stability of Gloubi keel raised. Fortunately, the first capsize occurred in barely one metre of water: the mast held up well. It's out of order, the weather vane in pieces - not to mention the mess on board. After sliding the kilos of algae attached to the shrouds towards the deck, I straighten the boat without any difficulty. On the benches, the crabs play with 6 screws..
The second knock down occurred dry; there, the salient liston leaned on the sand and the boat straightened itself. But the mess on board is even more impressive; the mooring in its box is three meters from its original location, under the cockpit..
Good news anyway: I have a partner! This is Tanguy, a young student intern at Beyond The Sea, Yves Parlier's company.
The constraint of the tide
On D-Day, the tide is rather favourable - it is high two hours before the start of the race. A friend lent me a motor. Very useful since there is not a breath of air when Gloubi finally floats. Head for Arcachon against the rising current, I've got an hour and a half. Tanguy manages the registration chain and supplies.
At the pontoon, I prepare the boat, center all the weights around the daggerboard, install the racing poolboat. Number 13, you can't be superstitious. I try to tighten the square of helm - a lot of play... Anyway, I'm late, under a blazing sun! We are the last boat to leave the port but we manage to get off to a good start.
Radical options
Once the correct genoa adjustment has been found, Gloubi works very well upwind. We walk faster than the agile 590 and hold without problems our big brothers, the Jouët 680. A good omen.
With the two of us, we're a little short on the rappel: the thermal has risen well, with gusts of 16/17 knots. First spinnaker sent: the bag goes into the water. I replace it with my waterproof bag..
The bar shows a play of nearly 10°, the new windvane is blocked, the sand from the mast (following the first capsizing) escapes through the sheaves. Never mind, we make Gloubi walk. By 10 p.m., the wind is running out of steam. Fortunately, the tidal coefficient is only 47, which limits the max current to 1.5 knots.
To cross certain level crossings, it is advisable to knit in areas little affected by the current to then manage to pass the mark in crab. All at night! That's where the tablet with navigation software comes in handy. We make some good moves and two less brilliant... and all cases, we stay in shorts all night - long live summer!
1 er (unofficially) in compensation for our class!
End clap at 9:00 in the morning. With the boats much bigger around us, we know we did well. On the map, with 6 laps, we've covered 48 miles. At the awards ceremony, no mention of Gloubi. Normal, we do not (yet) have an Osiris gauge certificate. So no official ranking.
Nevertheless, it is our little Jouët 550 who is setting the best time in Class 1 (less than 14.5 rating)! In general, there are 17 of us th . Not so bad for a 1 500 euro boat which had almost never sailed..
