A Grand Pavois beach in the image of French light sailing?
The Grand Pavois boat show in La Rochelle has a major asset: its beach. Integrated into the exhibition area, it allows the display of all the beach equipment and boats intended for light sailing in their environment. Next to the dynamism of the boatyards of habitable boats intended for day sailing as well as for long crossings, this one was however a pale figure during the 2021 edition. If Tribord, the subsidiary of Decathlon, partner of the show recently established in La Rochelle, occupied an important part of the space with its various boats and inflatable sailboards, few other exhibitors were present. The foil dinghy Birdyfish, the inflatable Tiwal cohabited with some electrified and motorized paddles. No catamaran in sight. The light sailing enthusiast remained on his end.
A necessary development for the yachting of the future
At a time when the age of the yachtsman is worrying boat builders, the place of light sailing in the industry's actions deserves to be more important. Without foils, it would seem that dinghies no longer have a place at French boat shows. Catamarans are very often absent. However, they could be an affordable and fun way to enter sailing and navigation in general. How to involve yacht clubs to take advantage of this showcase? How to motivate manufacturers and importers to participate in the events? The reflection should be at the heart of the debates today to ensure the future of our boats. Perhaps Paris 2024 and the sailing events in Marseille could be an interesting springboard?
