P E T I T   B A T E A U   2 0 0 6

Single-handed Channel Race Week
Race - Course - Entries - Tracking - Results
Weymouth-Alderney-St Peter Port-Treguier-Fowey-Falmouth

PB2006 Race Report

There was a hint as the fleet assembled in Weymouth that this race week was going to be special, the ‘No Mooring’ signs provided by the harbour master to reserve our berths were passed outboard as boat after boat arrived, almost blocking the river as the raft of Petit Bateau competitors grew steadily larger, race flags sprouting and greetings exchanged. 30 boats, all solo, all ready!

A quiet confidence was detectable among the skippers at the welcome supper in the palatial dining room at Weymouth sailing Club. Guest speaker Steve White, winner of the Ostar 2005 revealed his plans for his newly acquired Open 60 ex Gartmore and the around the world solo race 5 Oceans 2008 which is moored conveniently at Portland Harbour. The relaxed friendship between the skippers that was apparent from the first meeting is a feature of all shorthanded events but this group seemed to gel from the outset and strong bonds of comradeship developed as the week progressed.

The racing was hotly contested throughout the fleet in some very lively and testing conditions, the standards of seamanship and boat handling were exemplary as you might expect from skippers confident enough to take big boats racing on their own. All the yachts were in excellent state of preparation and there were very few retirements though gear failure or damage. The activity through the week was almost frantic, with little time to recover between races. Mary Falk and Stuart MacDonald were worried that the youngsters would not be able to stand pace but they coped very well in the end.

The most remarkable stage was the long leg from Treguier to Fowey overnight, 101 miles, memorable for the testing weather conditions but I am not going to attempt to describe here this amazing experience as skippers will be able to dine out on their stories for decades to come! Suffice to say that it was dramatic sailing in possibly unique conditions.

A long and complex event such as this would not be possible without a lot of help from clubs and individuals along the way, many of who had never heard of Petit Bateau before we arrived and gave their time and effort most generously. Weymouth sailing club sent out a committee boat to get us away promptly on the first Sunday after allowing us to use their committee rooms for briefing and registration. Alderney Sailing Club welcomed us in their bar on the same day as their Around Alderney Race. Guernsey Yacht Club entertained us in grand style in the dining room, commodore Alan Richards made a speech of welcome and Jeremy Ozanne fired the start cannon early on Tuesday morning. At Treguier we enjoyed the pot d’amitie with the deputy lord mayor, Philippe Chatelain, and the club president Gilles in Club Nautique Treguier. Fowey was delightful with the fleet rafted together on a big pontoon we dined at the Gallants club in the evening and took breakfast together at Royal Fowey Yacht Club before a relaxed start at 11.00.

Mylor Yacht Club did us proud as always with a very warm welcome at their club and the members worked very hard to give us an excellent day race in Falmouth Bay to round off the week’s competition. Roger Graffy provided the committee boat with his magnificent motor yacht Silver Crescent and the rib crew allowed Officer of the day John Cruise and his team to set a testing course, laying an excellent windward start line with just enough port bias to see Fluffy cross ahead of the entire fleet, sweet!

Within our own organisation special thanks must go to Paul Brant who took on the challenge of the race programme at very short notice and in difficult circumstances, producing an excellent document in double quick time. Martin Berkeley looks after the web site and had to spend much of his free time typing in finish times to get the results on the web at the end of each stage. Special thanks must go to Paul Peggs, as race director, not only did he act as committee boat at three of the starts but he also won the starts and several of the first beats, Audacious deservedly won the main trophy, the Anna Quaiche, for best open class, fending off strong challenges from Mary Falk in QII and Barry Hurley in the J109 Blondie.

The final act of the week was the prize giving and buffet at Mylor yacht club on Saturday evening, Diana Holder founder member of PB in 2000 presented all the trophies and endured the soft embrace of many bearded chins! Commodore Donald Macaulay made a generous speech and invited us back again next year, which leads me conveniently on to say that work started several months ago on the plan for the 2007 race and we hope to be able to make a detailed announcement early in January. You can be sure that the sailing will be testing, the course rewarding, the ports and clubs hospitable, the food excellent and the craic riveting. Keep the second half of July free and if you don’t have a one, please get a boat.

PB 2006 set a new standard in competitive solo sailing with six starts and 300 miles of racing, more boat handling and manoeuvres than you would get in a month of open ocean racing, those who took part can wear their claret shirts with pride.

Jerry Freeman.

Petit Bateau 2006 is a single handed ocean race for boats of 28-40 feet LOA. The one week programme has been designed for experienced sailors keen for single-handed competition. The course zig-zags down the English Channel with six stopovers in England, France and the Channel Isles.

There will be fleet restarts at the beginning of each leg, ensuring all competitors, fast or not quite so fast, keep together and an active social program in each stopover is expected.

Petit Bateau 2006 is an event organised BY single handed sailors, FOR single handed sailors. Not professionals, but Petit Bateau members. The event may be friendly, but the competition will be as good as you will get anywhere in the world. In a format that makes the racing accessible to everyone.

Entries are expected from many nations.

Useful Links

• Race Programme
• Declarations
• Sailing Instructions
• Notice of Race
• Rules
• Poster (for your club noticeboard)
• Leaflet (handout at boatshows)
• PB2005 Race
• PB2004 Race

More questions? Email

Event Sponsors

Prize Sponsors

Saltire Management Ltd