The tide is high enough. I move the trailer back to the Ty Mor slipway in Hennebont. With 30 cm of draft, the launching is easy. First observation, the boat lacks stability, but becomes wiser as soon as we give a little drift. At first sight for the rest, the chosen rigging and fittings options seem to work well.
euros drifting without drifting on the Blavet
Sails up, I overflow for a few tacks on the beautiful Blavet water. Very quickly, I have to face the facts, the sails are showing the weight of the years! I knew it, but now the boat is dragging and struggling to sail upwind. I try to make some adjustments, play with the daggerboard when suddenly the boat seems to run aground. I start the engine, the boat moves, but is uncontrollable. The daggerboard cable forms a strange angle and I guess that the daggerboard has come off and that this 80 kg piece of cast iron is hanging under the boat, only held by a few millimeters of cable. With the engine at full throttle, the boat progresses very slowly, following trajectories as random as the oscillations of the daggerboard, which does everything to get in the way. I am afraid to lose it, knowing that this part does not exist anymore and that the only way to replace it would be on a wreck.
The eyes in front of the drift hole
After two good hours of skimming the river from one side to the other, I reach the pontoon as night falls and the reverse is well established. I plunged into a very fresh water to ensure the drift, then I collected a few onlookers to help me get the boat back on the pontoon. Without any fanfare, the boat returned to its trailer. It turns out that I carefully bolted the daggerboard axle right next to the hole that allows its articulation! This is a common mishap and did not surprise the other Figaro owners. A few days later, the boat was lifted, the daggerboard was put back in place and its operation was duly checked.
A new release and detail improvements
This time, the launch does not have the same taste of novelty, but the boat's behavior is logically different. Without being a thunderbolt, it behaves honestly and is even very pleasant from the beam. It is certain that a more recent set of sails would greatly improve its upwind performance. This family outing allows us to sail this wonderful part of the Blavet between Hennebont and Lorient harbor and to have a drink under sail in the setting sun.
It's also an opportunity to note the details to be improved and there are a few. The most obvious one is the original bar that is too low and that I will replace by a new one made of glued laminate. The hinges of the hood will also be revised. They are too weak and tend to tear off. For the rest and with some detail adjustments, everything works without a hitch.
Around Groix and at the Rendez-vous de l'Erdre !
The next trip saw us going down the Blavet river again, but it was to spend the night on board, at the mooring opposite Locmiquélic. The next day, we sailed to the island of Groix, thinking to stop at the anchorage of the Pointe de la Croix, which we liked very much. The boat behaved well and it was such a pleasure that we sailed around the island from the east to finally go all the way around. The next test is a road test to bring the boat to Sucé-sur-Erdre. The whole thing is well towed despite a particularly modest car.
We take part in the Rendez-vous de l'Erdre, this superb event which gathers every year about 200 boats on a background of jazz music, provided that they answer closely or by far to the very broad definition of "beautiful yacht". During 3 days, this motley flotilla goes down the river under sails until it enters Nantes in a joyful and exciting way!
The Figaro 5, is now based in the Rochelaise region and its outings have as destination the islands of Ré, Aix or Oléron. It is a pleasant little cruiser with a program as modest as its cabin, but which allows a pleasant coastal camping.
