Sailing, a family passion
Nathalie and Renaud have been sailing since childhood. In 1979, Renaud even took part in the second edition of the Mini Transat on a Muscadet. When they met, they continued the family tradition of sharing cruises with their 3 children.
Their first sailboat was an Océanis 390, which they kept for 10 years. But health problems for Renaud forced them to sell the boat. They took a 10-year break to let their children grow up.
A sailboat used by the whole family
When her parents died, Nathalie decided to look for a new boat: " Not for us "she explains but for our children. A sort of gift from my dad. "So it won't be the parents' boat, it will be the family's boat. This boat will be shared between the 4 couples, from grandparents to grandchildren.
To this end, they are looking for a second-hand unit in the 36 to 38 foot range, to keep them in easy-to-maneuver sizes. Grand Soleil yachts have always appealed to them, with their elegant lines and good walkability. Nathalie came across an advertisement for a Grand Soleil 43 and showed it to her husband without really believing it. But the sailboat clicked in Renaud's mind, and he immediately woke up and came to life. The boat is in Propriano, Corsica, and they're off to visit it. It wasn't to be the right one, as it required a lot of work, but they liked the model. Scouring the ads, they find Nausicaa visible in Alghero in northern Sardinia.
A Grand Soleil 43 dating from 2000
This large Soleil 43 dates from 2000. It was bought new by an employee of the Del Pardo shipyard, who made a few modifications to the fittings, but was unable to sail it. Nausicaa stayed dry under canvas for its first 5 years. The 2nd Italian owner did some coastal sailing, and the 3rd used her for 6 to 8 weeks a year, mainly in Sardinia. Nathalie and Renaud will buy Nausicaa in 2020 in Alghero.
Nausicaa loves sailing!
The first sail was an epic one, in November, to Bonifacio. Renaud recalls: "We set off in a group of 4, with my wife, one of my sons and my son-in-law. We weren't well equipped. I think that was the coldest part of the trip! But what a pleasure to see Nausicaa gliding along! That day, for our first outing, we reached 14.6 knots. Although after that, the boatâ??s record was raised to 15.4 knots."
Skimming the Mediterranean
After a season departing from Bonifacio, Nausicaa has taken Port-Napoléon as its home port. It is here that Nausicaa will undergo major maintenance work. Then it will be on to the whole of the western Mediterranean: Corsica, Sardinia, Tunisia, Italy... Finally, in 2023, Nausicaa was convoyed to Greece via the Corinth Canal, where she now sails. She is currently wintering on the Peloponnese, near Athens.
Caught in the Corsican gale in 2022
We had some great adventures on board, including some excellent fishing and some big catches. But the story of August 18, 2022 will remain engraved in the crew's memories. Nausicaa was anchored that day in front of the family home in Sagone. No one slept aboard the yacht anchored in the bay on its 20 kg Delta anchor, 40 m of 10 mm chain and cable. Early in the morning, an unpredictable gale kicks up. The same gale that has driven so many yachts aground, with winds measured at over 100 knots. All they can do from home is watch their sailboat being tossed about by the wind.
" I can still see the anchor light pitching madly "Nathalie recalls. " At one point, we saw the boat drifting away, probably because the anchor had come loose at that point, but finally 200 m further on, by chance, it came to rest. I was sure we were going to lose the boat that day "adds Renaud. When the weather calms, Nausicaa remains the only sailboat at anchor, the only one on which the storm has had little or no effect. " In this gale, the navigation system couldn't take it and a solar panel flew off. But that was all! "says Nathalie.
A Grand Soleil 43 in 3-cabin version
Nausicaa is a 2000 Grand Soleil 43 in 3-cabin configuration. She's in good condition, but Nathalie and Renaud, who are looking forward to many years aboard, are undertaking a thorough renovation. Starting with the standing rigging, which is being replaced, then all the valves and through-hull fittings to ensure perfect safety. The windlass, which was showing signs of weakness, was replaced by a more powerful model, a Lofran 1500 W. The engine, a 55 hp Yanmar, has been overhauled and all the pumps (freshwater and seawater) replaced. Major work was also carried out on the exterior.
Stored under tarpaulin in winter, the teak on deck is beautiful. The cockpit teak needs replacing. Two deck hatches are leaking, so all 4 deck hatches are replaced by new ones. The hull is also repainted in an elegant light gray. Originally, this Grand Soleil had a navy-blue hull, which captures the heat during Mediterranean summers. While the headsails remain unchanged (the 6-year-old genoa gets a new UV band), the full batten mainsail is new. Finally, this yacht gains a tender and a Honda 4 hp outboard.
On sale to get on board bigger
The list goes on and on of all the work that has gone into keeping this sailboat in perfect condition. Today, the boat is ready for sea. It has to be said that this family hadn't planned to change boats anytime soon. The grandparents even wondered whether the next season might not be their last. To avoid taking "one cruise too many". But their path crossed that of a Grand Soleil 50, bigger, more comfortable and better suited to the growing family.
That's why Nausicaa on the second-hand market, available in classified ads . Ready for more great adventures, whatever the conditions, because as Renaud tells us: " I'm really safe on Nausicaa. We found ourselves near Sifnos in the Cyclades in Greece, with gusts of over 60 knots - 63 at the max to be exact - with the solent and 3 reefs, and we were serene on board. "
