La Rochelle 2006

Something old and something new... The boats I talked about last year were back this year. I couldn't resist this shot of the front of Franck Roy's classic Sèol runabout. The Bahama 20 from TAG Yachting was back too, but this time in number, two on dry land and a third on the water. Great seeing a popular success like this for a new boat with nice classic lines. Links to company sites with great professional photography at the bottom of this page.

My favorite Franck Roy boat is the Morgann 5.50 (I'm always a sucker for a beautiful rear end...). This would be a lovely project to build strip planked from plans. I talked to the designer last year and unfortunately he no longer owns the rights to offer a set of plans for amateur boat builders. There is a 7+ metre version available as plans, but I feel that size is too big, the 18 footer is the real sweet spot for a boat like this.

If you want Franck to build you one it will set you back 38K Euros or so depending on options. As the cockpit detail shows you get what you pay for! Note the lift up keel and the loads of room up front under the deck. A bit of canvas over the boom is protection enough for lunch out of the sun (or the rain for that matter).

The Nantucket was back in its final production version, "Nantucket 2". Read all about the changes in a page dedicated to this lovely day boat.

I talked with the director of Lignes d'Eau who provides plans and kits for his boats. I have invited him to present them here in these pages. The plans and kits are all, of course, conform to European regulations. Which leads me to my most interesting conversation of the day with a project manager from the leisure boat division of the Ministry of Transport. More to come in an editorial on that. Other designers and companies have also been asked to present their boats here, as these people are very busy after a big show like this we may see some boats before Christmas.

As you are now getting used to my habit of posting photos to the gallery I will add comments to them there instead of a long winded article. All in all this years show had a better buzz to it from the amateur builder point of view. Nothing earth shaking, just a feeling that boat building may become a normal leisure activity once again here on the old continent...

Bahama 20 French site English version "under construction"
Franck Roy in French

Tony Grant, La Rochelle September 23rd, 2006