Jérémy Revel is in a good position to say so: " Here, when we go frost-free, we really go frost-free! You have to be strict about winterizing and protect the engine blocks. On the plus side, the absence of salt means less wear and tear on the boat's hulls ." Manager of the Chablais shipyard, which employs five people, including an apprentice, for almost 150 boats in the customer base, Jérémy Revel set up the Savoy-based business with a partner at the end of 2012 in a 1,200 m² hangar. Now at the helm alone, he still occupies the same premises, located on the banks of the Dranse, on the shores of Lake Geneva. With a well-established reputation, he continues to specialize in motorboats: " I was brought up in the family of a car electrician, tools in hand. For me, sailing is another profession ."
Many motorboats but no personal watercraft
CNC maintains, stores and winters nearly 150 boats, including 90 under cover. Jérémy Revel explains: " They're a maximum of 8 metres long and I've got hardly any diesel ." On Lake Geneva, motorboats easily rub shoulders with sailboats, with the exception of personal watercraft, which are prohibited by the prefecture. One of the lake's other special features is its emblematic race, the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, the world's biggest regatta in a closed basin. This showcase of Swiss sailing consists of a round-trip of the lake lengthwise from Geneva to Bouveret and back. Motorboats are also out in force for the occasion.
Marinas non grata
But there is another, less pleasing specificity that also characterizes the shores of Lake Geneva: the level of "delirious" land prices. A challenge made all the more complex for the shipyard by the scarcity and high cost of boat berths. Jérémy Revel and his team handle with an overhead crane: " No room for a forklift. And we sometimes store on three floors ." The shipyard intends to continue down the path of verticalization: it has just obtained planning permission to rebuild the building and expand from 90 to 140 boats, with a heated workshop to follow.
Boat berths are all the more sought-after as existing ports are not being extended. Jérémy Revel observes: " It's not uncommon for yachting enthusiasts to buy old nails in order to get a place, and then change boats ." On the shores of Lake Geneva, marinas are still non grata.
