In Le Havre, every Thursday evening in spring, a strange ceremony takes place. One of the 3 local yachting clubs: the Paul Vatine nautical centre, the Société des Régates du Havre and Sport Nautique et Plaisance du Havre, proposes in turn, a tour of the Bay of the Seine.
In fact, it is a tradition shared by a number of clubs that offer a weekly outing on the water to their members .
Benevolent Navigation
The philosophy behind these outings is simple: benevolent and free navigation in a supervised area. The outing is supervised by the organizing club and is open to all, novices as well as experts, dinghy or houseboat. While some competitors come to perfect the crew management (communication, synchronisation, technique ...) others come to enjoy an afterwork with colleagues or friends.
The principle of participation, voluntary and free of charge, is elementary. At 6 p.m., the organizing club displays the circuit selected among the 5 available by flanking the pavilion corresponding to this route. Afterwards, each regatta (or walk) at his own pace and at his own ease in the currents not so obvious as the Le Havre bay.
The organisers ask all participants to make a real effort to pay attention and to work together, in the original sense of the word and in the tradition of yacht-men's camaraderie.
The 5 planned courses (at the foot of Cap de Hève) are between 5 and 7 miles long. They use signal buoys always stationed in the bay. The organizing club ensures a departure procedure at the alentrous of 19h.
No participation formalities
Participation formalities are reduced to the strict minimum. No registration, no results, each skipper is responsible for his crew and his boat. The spirit is not to compete, but to help each other and have fun, in the respect of the nautical tradition.
The larger boats help the smaller ones, the motorized ones help those who do not have propulsion (especially for harbour entrances and exits).
Theme Evening
Because once you're back at home, the night is just beginning. The organizing club proposes to all the crews a generally themed meal (paying that one).
An opportunity to replay the outing, pass on experiences and develop a spirit of understanding between club members and perhaps attract other sailors?
Does your local club offer such outings as well? Come and tell us about it on the forum yacht Club
