Solid offshore experience
Frédéric discovered sailing on the shores of the Mediterranean in his teens. An adept of minimalist sailing, preferring the sextant to GPS, he avoided as much as possible the use of onboard electronics, which were unreliable when he started out.
He then passes on this passion to his own family, with whom he shares long cruises.
He has sailed as far as Polynesia. He has also completed several transatlantic crossings, and a large number of delivery trips on yachts designed for blue water cruising. Frederic has turned his passion into a profession, running Meta Yacht Service in Port Navy Service. He specializes in a niche market, namely the sale and preparation of sailing yachts destined to travel the world.
Frederic, whom we met during his preparations for his non-stop round-the-world trip, tells us a little about what motivates him to set off on this committed voyage:
"I've always loved the feeling of being alone on board in contact with the boat and the sea. I'm looking forward to covering the southern seas, for which I've prepared so many boats, without ever sailing there."
Man of War, the aptly named
For this adventure, Frederic has chosen a sturdy unit that he knows inside out. But he didn't want to set sail on a safe boat with no steering feel. He has set his sights on Man of War, a sturdy sloop that has proven its capabilities over the long haul:
" It's a former 44-foot German Frers-designed admirer built in aluminum in Australia for the 1986 Sidney Hobart under the name Contractor. At the time, she came in 9th e out of 106 participants."
"Lengthened to 48 feet in New Zealand in 1992, she then took the name Man of War. After her arrival in Europe, I shortened her to 47 feet and adapted her for single-handed use."
"Its name doesn't refer to the Radiohead song, nor to a type of 17th-century warship, nor to a future American feature film."
"Despite its warlike connotations, "Man Of War" is mainly another name for the physalia, also known as the "blue sail jellyfish". This living organism crosses the oceans thanks to the wind, and floats thanks to a gas-filled bladder topped by a vertical membrane that resembles a large sail."
A race with a minimum of constraints
The Longue Route 2024 is a non-racing, solo, non-stop, unassisted round-the-world sailing race aboard a yacht not exceeding 52 feet in length. There are no restrictions on onboard equipment. Start and finish must be above the forty-fifth parallel.
This Longue Route 2024 pays tribute to Bernard Moitessier and aims to bring together a community of sailors, men and women, eager to make their dream come true. No specific category of sailboat is required, as good preparation is all that's needed.
Participants will have the pleasure of sailing through the three southern capes, following in the footsteps of the great names of navigation, with no set route or time limits.
The departure is open since August 11, 2024, from Lorient or other locations.
