Demanding restoration serving a regional project
Built in 1968 at the Boudignon shipyard in Arles, the boat formerly known as the The 4 Gabians was completely rebuilt by the Vent d'Ouest construction site in Carnoux-en-Provence. The shipyard relied on a team of young carpenters committed to passing on traditional woodworking techniques. The completely restored hull retains the DNA of the Rhone barquettes, while meeting modern requirements for robustness and durability. This in-depth work testifies to a technical know-how that remains central to the artisanal maritime economy of the southern region.
Electric propulsion for maritime work
Marius' technological tipping point lies in the installation of an electric propulsion system developed by SBEP Motors / OASO. This marine motor has been designed for professional use, integrating specific constraints of resistance to salt water and high temperatures. Unlike other pleasure-oriented conversions, this choice assumes real operational missions, in compliance with NUC standards (navigation for commercial use). The motorization paves the way for emission-free, low-maintenance day-to-day operation on a wooden working hull.
Educational uses
Capitaine Coco positions Marius as a multifunctional platform. The unit welcomes school groups for seaworthy education outings, plankton collection workshops, or the study of the sea leash. At the same time, research missions are carried out in partnership with the Observatoire de l'Invisible, mobilizing the boat to collect environmental data in Marseille harbor. The program is also open to tourists, both local and visiting, who appreciate a gentler, slower approach to the sea.
A model for occupying the public domain to be developed
Installed for five years on the Vieux-Port in Marseille, thanks to an AOT, Marius embodies a model of port integration rare in Mediterranean metropolises. The project, spearheaded by Fanny Havas, founder of Capitaine Coco, aims to reconnect the city with its seafront, through collective access, slow reappropriation and cultural narration. This is part of a sustainable development approach, with a business model based on versatility: education, events, research and mediation.
With Marius, Capitaine Coco confirms that it is possible to combine naval heritage, energy innovation and social utility. This revisited barquette, designed as a mobile platform for marine knowledge, is a concrete example of intelligent reconversion. For shipyards, equipment manufacturers and local authorities, this type of project prefigures new ways of bringing small urban ports to life, while stimulating a sustainable timber construction industry compatible with the challenges of the maritime energy transition.
