The cruises of adolescence
As a kid, Philippe discovered sailing with a neighbour of his parents in Vannes. In 1967, when Philippe is 9 years old, this friend buys a new Rustler 31 which will be delivered to Anstey Yacht Shipyard in Poole, England. This long keel polyester sailboat carries the number 66 in its mainsail (its year of construction). The "Jolie Fille" (that's her name) will cruise all the Atlantic coasts with Philippe on board. Thus from 9 to 24 years old, he will visit England, Spain and Scotland from the Gulf of Morbihan. Cruises that mark his youth, especially since they are done without his parents who do not sail much. His father was seasick, but went fishing in the Gulf with a little fishing trip, while his mother occasionally enjoyed going out for the day on "Jolie Fille".
A life on a boat in Morbihan
About 20 years later, in 1984, the owner separated from his Rustler, which then passed into the hands of several owners. On the occasion of a childhood friend's death, Phillipe met one of the team members of the time. Of course, it's all about the Pretty Girl. The project to find the sailboat emerges. Phillipe goes looking for it and finds it dry in the Infinity-Le Borgne shipyard in Baden. It has been there for a few months, obviously abandoned and for sale for 1.5 years.
To bring the Pretty Girl back to life..
In November 2015, Philippe contacts the owner and tells him: "My price is this. Either you accept, or you go down with it..." The owner agrees. Thus Philippe finds himself with his retirement project, the renovation of the boat of his childhood.
The "Pretty Girl" is in bad shape. Except for the mast and the helm, everything on board is going to be overhauled. The last owner transformed the boat by "redecorating" it with his artist's sensibility. To do this, he did not hesitate to cut the bulkheads... When he sees this, Philippe has tears in his eyes. He then decides to redesign the boat identically.
An in-depth renovation
For the hull, he decides to have a covering (film) applied to reduce the cost a little. Indeed, the price of a film is half the price of a painting. "The look is great, but it's not as strong and doesn't like a lot of snags. You have to be very careful when you weigh anchor," admits Philippe.
With the help of Patrick Lobrichon, a marine carpenter (now retired), he will redo all the fittings (bulkheads, forward berth, floors), to recreate everything identically: varnished wood and white paint. The interior thus regains its conviviality. On deck, all the fittings were changed. This is an opportunity to improve ergonomics with, in particular, a return to the cockpit to encourage single-handed sailing. A new liston (which must be varnished every year...) is fitted. Apart from working on the varnish (8 layers!), Philippe relies on good professionals to carry out the work.
A first owner always valiant
In 2016, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the "Pretty Girl" is put back in the water. It will be the occasion for a great party with the former crew members, an orchestra and an escort of the SNSM star. Alas, the first owner, who is now 104 years old, cannot be present. But through photos, Philippe continues to talk to him about his boat and gives him news of the "Pretty Girl". It warms his heart to know his boat in the hands of his first crew members.
Back in the Gulf
Since then, the "Pretty Girl" sails almost all year round: " I sail nearly 70 days a year. Every weekend from April and in the summer. I'm lucky I don't live far away." Admittedly, this sailboat is not ideal in the Gulf. Heavy, it requires more than 10 knots of wind to move forward. With its long keel, engine maneuvers are sometimes hazardous (especially in reverse). "But what a pleasure it is to sail again the memories of my childhood.. "
Speaking of money, the renovation of this Rustler 31 (with new sails and engine) came back to about 65 000 euros. Either the price of a new sailboat or at least 2 times the second-hand market price... But how to quantify Philippe's pleasure in renovating the "Jolie Fille"?
