A fascination for solo sailors
Pierre-André Huglo owes his passion for sailing to his father. His father, who owned a Caravelle, took his son aboard when he was just two years old. The sailor recounts: "I loved it right away. It's never left me. I sailed a lot as a child, as a teenager, on family cruises. It was the great thing in my life to sail, even though I have other passions."> From an early age, he was fascinated by solo sailors. When it was published in 1971, he devoured in one night "p1"by Bernard Moitessier. This book made him dream. From then on, he read everything he could get his hands on about sailing and long-distance cruising, particularly single-handed around the world.
He recounts: "p1"> He also has a taste for racing and regattas, and is a great admirer of Eric Tabarly.
A first experience of solo coastal sailing
The young boy continued to sail with his father, until he decided to experiment with solo sailing. At the age of 14, he took the helm of the Caravelle and sailed alone for 3 weeks, as he recounts: "p1"During the year I did regattas, weekend outings, but the important thing for me was to be able to go far away, to discover the open sea and coasts that make you dream. I was, I think, almost at the maximum of what a Tequila can do."p1"small-big"I'm originally from Picardy and we used to sail in the Bay of the Somme. I sailed for 3 weeks in the large bay of the Eastern Channel. That's where I discovered solitude for the first time. Real solitude. It's not the same to dream of sailing alone and actually do it. Being alone could be psychologically hard. I realized that, but it never stopped me.
Learn more about single-handed sailing on a Tequila Sport
unsinkable racing boat, capable of doing the Transquadra. I fell in love with this boat. I saved up a lot of money to buy her in 2003."> For a number of years, Pierre-André sailed sporadically, before buying a 7-meter Tequila Sport at the age of 35. He started sailing with his wife and first two children, but the family didn't take to it. Not wanting to impose the boat on anyone, he found a solution: he would do the transport by boat, while his wife and children would travel by road.
small sailboat could be perceived from a bridge changed my relationship with the sea. I've kept in touch with the boat's captain. It creates bonds."> At the time a philosophy teacher, Pierre-André took advantage of almost two months' summer vacation to sail. He perfected his mastery of solo sailing on his small boat, and made two trips to Ireland. He explains: "small-large"
Find a "old" boat
book. I couldn't see myself celebrating my birthday in my scullery with a glass of champagne. I wanted to celebrate it at sea. Born in December, I told myself that on a round-the-world voyage, I'd be in the Pacific by then. That's pretty good. I'd been dreaming about it for 45 years. What's more, it was the 50th anniversary of the Long Route."> Pierre-André is then looking to invest in a bigger boat, one that he describes as a "> To be continued...
