Grand Pavois - A chance to catch up with the trends

by Veronique Largeau on 3 Sep 2014 Grand Pavois, the international in-water boat show, will be held from 2014, 17 to 22 September at the Port des Minimes in La Rochelle (France). 700 exhibitors are expected on 100,000 sq. metres of exhibition space. 250 boats will be on show in-water, out of the 650 on display in the show. Themed spaces for the 100,000 visitors. The 'one for real fans', Grand Pavois offers the unique chance of trying the boats at sea before buying.

A strong point of Atlantic show, the Grand Pavois offers sea trials. In this way, it enables visitors to try out, almost exclusively, the range of new launches and previews presented at the show. Besides the boats on the 'Trial' pontoons, which are available from 10am - 7pm, it is also possible to try the boats on show in the in-water space from 6pm onwards, thanks to the opening of the pontoons. A unique bonus for enthusiastic visitors in search of the boat of their dreams!

'Grace is an attitude', the unmistakeable signature of the Beneteau shipyard!Two new launches in the Monte Carlo Yachts range will be on display at the show, the Monte Carlo 4 and Monte Carlo 5. A very good combination of the best Italian design and the Groupe Bénéteau's industrial know-how gave birth to these luxury boats with their sophisticated, elegant designs which seduce those sailing for pleasure. Layout: large saloon, fitted kitchen, spacious cabins, comfortable sundeck, etc - everything's there to create great sailing opportunities. It's a stroke of luck for visitors to the Grand Pavois, who will be able to see them in-water.

The Grand Pavois highlights multi-hulls by creating a specific space with two dedicated pontoons, laid out and decorated, and an area on land. A strong trend in water sports, multi-hulls allow sailing which is both more comfortable and faster, while offering undeniable performance. More than thirty will be on show, some world-wide exclusives!

• The Saba 50. Latest model from the Fountaine Pajot shipyard, the catamaran Saba 50 has been designed in the same spirit as its predecessors: bright, spacious, handling well, and offering all the pleasures of the sea, whether sailing or at anchor, where relaxation is synonymous with comfort and pleasure. The on-board spaces have been optimised to make superb living areas, whether it be in the saloon, the cockpit, even in the gangway, or again in the light, spacious cabins. Available in two versions - Maestro (private suite + three cabins) or Quintet (five double cabins + one crew cabin) - the Saba 50 is ready to take its passengers over all the world's oceans.

• The Corsair Cruze 970. A fast and foldable 10-metre trimaran. Sporting and lively, the Cruze 970 has more than one string to its bow: its optimised living area, its manoeuvrability and especially its easy, fast folding system. In fact, you only have to remove four bolts (two per float), adjust the backstays and then the floats can easily be tipped up. It's a real godsend when mooring in the harbour. Another strong point is that it can be beached without any difficulty, so passengers can take advantage of the beach, only a few centimetres away!

• An innovative live-on boat ; and sailing in perfect freedom
Here's an innovative concept! The Americans have the 'pontoon boat'; we have the Beach(r). This boat is a platform designed for day trips. Built on an aluminum base, with polyester laminate superstructures, it can manoeuvre between sand banks, and easily moor above them. A forward sundeck; a lunch table; two small folding lateral bulwarks (platforms) which allow the useful surface area to be increased and make access to bathing easy; and a retractable canopy to give a patch of shade. The Beach(r) can accommodate up to 15 guests, contains safety equipment and chairs ... and is 75% recyclable. Two 100 hp Honda engines under the hatch allow bursts of speed up to 32 knots. A boat not to be missed at the Show, and one which will draw all eyes!

• Joystick for 'easy and intuitive' manoeuvring. Say goodbye to complicated manoeuvres on twin-engined outboard motors! Thanks to the 'joystick' produced respectively by Mercury Marine and Yamaha Motor France, owners will no longer have a problem, especially when piloting in the harbour. In fact, these systems allow boats with several motors to be moved in any direction, each motor independently, by simply pushing the joystick to the left, the right or any other angle - an undeniable asset when turning in a narrow space.

Two exclusive models from the Chantier des Ileaux will be on show at the Grand Pavois, le Sarbacane and le XO. Le Sarbacane is a 7-metre neoclassic day boat designed by the duo of marine architects, Mortain-Mavrikios. Following a request from a customer who definitely wanted this boat, the shipyard decided to take on its manufacture; construction of the first unit began in September 2013. The Sarbacane will be presented as a preview at the Show. Designed and developed by Paolo Bua in collaboration with the shipyard, the X. O is a 7.5 metre beachable cruiser. Its construction in strip planking / mahogany / glass / epoxy began in January 2014, and should be presented exclusively to visitors.

Great voyages around the world are, today, the ultimate goal for many families. For travel in the tropics or going to flirt with icebergs, the new Garcia Exploration 45 from Garcia Yachting is an ocean-going cruiser, developed with Jimmy Cornell, founder of the famous Rallye de l'ARC. A yacht made entirely of aluminium: lounge deck with panoramic view and inside wheelhouse, fitted with fore and aft watertight bulkheads, large water and diesel tanks which can be ballasted from one side to the other, etc - a boat clearly intended for long voyages. Don't miss it!

The biggest boats in the show

• Privilège série 5: this superb catamaran is the largest in the show, with 140 sq m of habitable space. The Privilège 5 is a real palace: large saloon with open kitchen, comfortable dining area with large benches and sea views, owner's cabin worthy of five stars and guest cabins, all with en-suite facilities. Outside space with kitchen.
Privilège Marine - 85100 Les Sables d’Olonne

• Dufour 560: with its 17 metre length by five metre width, the single hull Dufour 560 has a living area of almost 90 sq. m! The spacious, adaptable interior allows for personalisation and can be laid out with three, four or five cabins. The owners can also have a choice of wood and fabrics. Wardroom and exterior kitchen, large sundeck …

Co-sailing, co-ownership … new ways of sailing while cutting down the costs have appeared in the last few years. At the show, you'll find these new companies which offer owners and sailors the chance to share the costs, and to meet enthusiasts. Visitors can get information from Voguavecmoi, SailSharing, etc.

From 19 to 21 September, during the Grand Pavois, The Sosh Legends Games aims to allow young people to meet champions like Antoine Albeau, one of the show's patrons and Robert Teriitehau. In fact, Sosh and the Surf Insertion association are coming together to allow young people from the cities and rural areas try out watersports, and to help in the effort of eco-citizenship on the French coastline.

The Grand Pavois lets its fans live their dreams. As proof, the Grand Pavois Sea Fishing Competition allows fishing fans to sail with professionals. Every morning, amateur/professional teams are made up, with the loan of branded equipment, advice, and so on. It's a way of learning the techniques and the secrets of the greatest French fishermen.

The XV Pro from Zeppelin will also be on display for the first time at the Show. This inflatable, almost seven metres long, with its adventurous look, can carry the equipment for light sailing such as a paddle, a kayak, etc. thanks to its mezzanine-style metallic structure. A new, more ergonomic console, redesigned seats, inflatable sundeck ... the XV Pro has everything going for it. Don't miss seeing it at the Grand Pavois.

Nimrod of Hamble is an offshore launch built in 1969 by the Fairey Marine shipyard in England. Made for racing, this very pretty little boat has just been restored and has been listed as a Bateau d’Intérêt Patrimonial (Boat of Historical Interest). And just for the record, these launches can be seen in the James Bond 007 'From Russia With Love', with Sean Event website