boats Finot’s finesse: pure, sleek and très chic

Jean-Marie Finot’s career spans almost five decades, but this titan of design remains resolutely cutting edge. Peter Poland talks to the classic-creating legend

esign has always fascinated still looking attractive, is bordering on a grounding. Harlé’s lateral (and typically me. At its most black art. Gallic) approach was already producing a fundamental level, it Few designers have come up with a string steady stream of winners in the mid 1960s. encapsulates two basic and of winning and commercially successful Finot helped design such as the sometimes conflicting yachts – without pausing for breath – from Rebelle and Gina. But it wasn’t long before constituents. In the words the 1960s right up to today. Even fewer the ambitious young designer decided he Dof Le Corbusier, good design is a successful have remained at the forefront of was ready to go it alone. And his very first marriage of form and function. It must technological skills and headed the pack as solo design flew unerringly to the bulls- look good and work well. Things that look each major new development hit the eye, resulting in one of the most successful nasty and perform poorly rarely sell. That’s sailing scene, both in the cruising sector production yachts of all time. obvious, you might say, and you’d be right. and in full-on, flat-out racing circles. But combining form and function in Écume de Mer something as complex as a sailing boat, Master of design Finot said, ‘I decided to design an ideal that has to do its job in a wide variety of But one who did is Jean-Marie Finot. Even coastal cruiser and fixed on the name weather and sea conditions while if you’ve never heard of him, I guarantee Écume (meaning ‘spray’) de Mer. I gave it a accommodating its crew comfortably, yet you will have seen hundreds of his designs wide and light , a comfortable cockpit sailing in UK waters. It’s estimated that, with angled backrests, and a layout since Finot took up his pencil in 1967, over that brought all the controls back to the 35,000 yachts to his firm’s designs – from cockpit.’ He then touted the design around About the author small planing keelboats to family cruisers various French builders, but got no takers. n Peter Poland crossed to massive globe-girdling racers – have hit However, the Dutch yard Walter Huisman the Atlantic in a 25ft the water. got wind of Finot’s new baby and, showing (7.6m) yacht in 1968 and Finot was born in 1942 and decided at an great faith in an unknown young designer, later went on to spend 30 early age that yacht design was his passion. offered to build it in aluminium at a years as co-owner of Having studied the theory, he put this into competitive price, provided it fitted into Hunter Boats. He is now practice by joining Philippe Harlé’s the Quarter Ton category and took part in a freelance journalist successful design office (see PBO October this event. So the design had to grow 2009). He could not have enjoyed a better slightly in size. Thanks to its simple chine

28 Practical Boat Owner 521 June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk boats Finot designs

Écume de Mer from £6,000 second-hand Finot’s finesse: Finot pure, sleek and très chic Finot/Lanouë-Bateaux An early production Écume de Mer The Écume de Mer won France’s Boat of the Year award in 1976, but still remains crisp, modern and an ideal coastal cruiser today

Rêve de Mer from £5,255 second-hand

The Pogo 10.50 is one of Finot’s more recent designs Finot Pogo 10.50 new from £132,635 Finot/Erwan Quemere Rêve de Mer was the Ecume’s race-winning baby sister

construction and flush deck, it was built either side of the Channel. So, at his first other minor changes. It won the 1976 Boat quickly and launched in July 1968, just in attempt, the young Finot led the way in of the Year Award in France. Between 1970 time to enter the Quarter Ton Cup. It the field of cruiser-racers. and 1980 a total of 1,385 were built in wasn’t tuned up so didn’t win that time, With a beam of 2.65m (8ft 9in) on a hull various countries. The clever styling means but subsequently it walked off with the of 7.90m (25ft 11in), the Écume offers a that, even today, the Écume looks as crisp prestigious Delta Race in Holland, followed substantial amount of internal volume for and modern as it did when it was first by numerous GCL (the French equivalent a boat of its era. What’s more, its ballast of launched, 40 years ago. of our JOG) races. And so a star was born. 720kg (1,587lb) out of an all-up weight of Now the French woke up, and Chantier 1,800kg (3,968lb) provides plenty of power Rêve de Mer Mallard went into production with a GRP and stability. In the interests of coastal Flushed with this success, Finot and development. The chines disappeared, the pottering, Finot did not give it an excessive Mallard quickly followed on with a baby freeboard came down, the deck sprouted a amount of draught, at just 1.25m (4ft 1in), sister; the Rêve de Mer. Launched in the jaunty coachroof that was high enough to but the bulb on the base of the makes early 1970’s, the Rêve – at 7.15m (23ft 5in) give headroom and the first boat off the sure that the CG is as low as feasible. overall, with a waterline length of 5.30m line just made it to the Paris Boat Show in (17ft 5in) – is considerably smaller than January 1970. It was an immediate Practical passage maker her sister. As a result, the interior layout is sensation. Finot explains: ‘In that era, In keeping with Finot’s desire to produce a open plan, with a double berth forward sailors wanted a boat they could live and ‘proper boat’, the Écume’s internal layout (with WC hidden beneath), amidships sleep in comfortably at anchor or in port. is well suited to passage making. Two long galley and work area and two long settee To achieve this tendency toward comfort quarter berths make sleeping comfortable berths that extend into quarter berths whilst retaining the boat’s seagoing for off-watch crew. One extends into a beneath the cockpit. But she’s a tough little qualities, we fitted in a dinette, standing settee (to starboard) with a dinette style performer in all weathers and excelled in headroom and a forecabin. But the hull table and a simple but effective galley lives GCL and JOG cross channel races. She was structure, rig quality and deck layout had to port. Forward of an amidships heads offered with two different , a long fin to be capable of taking on the open sea. It compartment and hanging locker, there’s a drawing 1.1m (3ft 7in) and a deeper also had to be stable and fast.’ double berth forecabin and extra stowage scimitar-shaped fin at 1.7m (5ft 7in). areas. Of course the fairly clinical internal I recall competing in Cowes Week against Leader of the pack mouldings are typical of the era, so not one of the first Rêves to be imported into There is no doubt that Finot succeeded in particularly welcoming. But everything is the UK. Driven by the great Jack Knights these aims. Not only did the Écume sell in simple and eminently practical. (revered journalist and top sailor), the huge numbers to cruising folk, it won (in Then an upgraded version (in 1975/76) wretched little red boat won virtually every standard form) the 1970 Quarter Ton Cup, saw an enlarged and lengthened coachroof race. The rest of us never got a look in. not to mention countless other trophies on (to give more headroom in the heads) and Sales took off, with the importer leading a ➜

Practical Boat Owner 521 June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk 29 Boats

Revolution one-off racing yacht

Fleur de Mer Finot from £19,267 second-hand

Grand Soleil 34 from £14,012 second-hand Finot Fleur de Mer is a sharp, spacious budget cruiser Top-flight racer that lived up to her name Grand Soleil built 290 of its Finot-designed 34

Bénéteau First 22 from £7,664 second-hand Finot Brin de Folie from £13,137 second-hand Bénéteau The Brin de Folie was a 1970s collaboration between Finot and Philippe Harlé First 22 is a ‘big sister’ of the Bénéteau First 18

convoy of Rêves that sailed over from Centaur and its rivals. While UK cruisers of yacht was sculled – yes, sculled – with a France the following spring in order to get that era tended towards chunky massive sweep into and out of harbour. into the UK before VAT hit the scene. Even construction, smallish rigs and bilge keel This was purist French sailing at its purest. though the Rêve did not sell as fast as her performance, our French friends went for What’s more, Revolution went on to be bigger sister, a respectable 351 hit the sleeker looking craft with fin keels – 1.65m RORC champion for an unprecedented water. And she not only makes a great (5ft 5in) in the Folie’s case – and a sporty four successive years, from 1976 to 1979, as coastal cruiser to this day; her Finot styling turn of speed. The accommodation, well as competing successfully in successive still looks bang up to date. however, was similar to the UK norm; Admiral’s Cups. One could argue that she offering a twin berth forecabin, amidships was one of the most successful and Fleur de Mer heads, dinette saloon, aft galley, aft fixed fashion-busting yachts of all time and the The third Finot design built by Mallard was chart table and a quarter berth. Well over first of many Finot race designs to the larger Fleur de Mer. While retaining the 800 Folies were built over a 10-year period, dominate their fields. More on these later. same sharp styling and performance, the and this model is still sought after as a Comar was another major European 9.6m (31ft 6in) Fleur offered a lot more modestly priced starter boat. When, or if, company to prosper by signing up Finot to space than her smaller sisters. Very few of the Pound to Euro rate of exchange gets design its Italian-built Comet cruisers from the 100+ built made it over to the UK, but back to sanity, these French cruisers of the the early 1970s to the late 1990s. Few made this model is still worth seeking out on 1970s to 1980s are well worth a look. it to the UK, due primarily to the overseas brokers’ sites if you are searching disproportionate cost of shipping. But 26 for a budget cruiser that sails well and Revolution different Finot-designed models appeared, looks good. At around the same time, Finot competed with a grand total of over 3,000 boats with the top names in international yacht being built and distributed throughout Brin de Folie design and created a top-flight offshore mainland Europe. I must confess to As the French market’s appetite for racer that took the world by storm. spending many hours poring over a Comet performance cruisers ballooned in the Predictably, perhaps, this Admiral’s 701 at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in the 1970s, Finot drew another top-seller in Cupper astonished the establishment and mid-1970s, borrowing ideas for the similar collaboration with his old mentor, Philippe won trophies galore. Revolution lived up to size Hunter Sonata that we were Harlé. Jeanneau had previously (and her name. developing at the time. I learnt to perhaps foolishly) turned down Finot’s Built by Huisman in aluminium, understand that nicking one detail is Écume in favour of Harlé’s similarly sized Revolution was unlike anything else on the plagiarism; while nicking several is Sangria. So, in order to cover all the ocean-racing scene. Her high freeboard research. And Finot had many details and options, Jeanneau now asked the two hull, painted in an eye-catching red, was ideas worth ‘researching.’ designers to join forces to draw its new totally flush decked. Her interior was 8.7m (28ft 7in) Brin de Folie. minimalist bordering on stripped. She Grand Soleil This 3.1m (10ft 2in) beam fast cruiser was didn’t even bother with an engine, and The up-market Grand Soleil brand also in many ways the French equivalent of our onlookers gawped in disbelief as this large hung its hopes on Finot in its early days,

30 Practical Boat Owner 521 June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk boats Finot designs

Bénéteau First 28 from £16,500 second-hand

Bénéteau First 18 from £4,500 second-hand Bénéteau David Harding The Bénéteau First 18 is a lively performer First 28 of the early 1980s had conventional accommodation layout with amidships heads

Fastnet 34 Bénéteau First 29 from £18,995 second-hand from £19,950 second-hand David Harding David Harding Fastnet 34 makes a great budget cruiser First 29 built from the mid- to late-1980s featured modernised interior layout

and 290 of its Grand Soleil 34 models were Its fractional rig gives it a lively burnt a lot of midnight oil. Next up came launched between 1972 and 1983, while performance and a pivoting keel puts it the First 28 (1980 to 1982 – with a the bigger Finot designed Grand Soleil 38 firmly into the trailer-sailer market. An conventional layout and amidships heads), and 41 models also sold well. open plan 3-4 berth accommodation plan and First 29 (1983 to 1989 – with modern is simple and basic, but it provides scope aft heads layout). Between them, they Fastnet 34 for coastal pottering. What’s more it enjoys notched up sales of 1,120. As attractive, Another Finot design of the mid-1970s typical Finot good looks. To this day, it’s a middle of the road cruisers that ‘go a bit’ that occasionally crops up on the UK great buy. and offer a variety of keel choices, these market is the Fastnet 34. Around 40 of The 6.95m (22ft 10in) First 22 is a ‘bigger two models are well worth a second glance these handsome 10.2m (33ft 6in) cruiser- sister’; with similar fractional rig, pivoting if this is the size and character of yacht racers were built. It looks very much like an keel, sparkling performance and attractive you’re looking for. overgrown Écume. With its conventional looks. The interior is of course bigger than accommodation layout with amidships the 18’s, boasting a forepeak divided off Perfect partnership heads, and generous beam of 3.4m (11ft from the rest of the boat by a bulkhead. But by the mid 80s, Finot was getting too 2in), owners speak glowingly about the But the minimalist galley is really only fit busy. So he teamed up with the young Fastnet’s comfort down below and for a brew up and all-purpose casserole Pascal Conq to form the enlarged Finot/ eminent suitability for extended ‘live- cooking – not for complicated cuisine. Conq group, which continues to work flat aboard’ cruising. Another top-selling Finot design from out to this day. And the workload grew this era was the First 25. Between 1979 and exponentially as Bénéteau passed ever Bénéteau First 1984, a phenomenal 1,115 were built. This more commissions in Finot’s direction. But Finot really hit the big time when was the heyday of small family cruiser There are too many models to list the lot. Bénéteau came banging on his door. production, and Finot had an uncanny Indeed, the total number of Bénéteaus First up were the First 18 and 22 models. knack of knowing what the market (First and Océanis) to have been built to In those days, even the biggest builders wanted. He explains this success by saying, Finot then Finot/Conq designs has already liked to have ‘starter boats’ in their ranges ‘While the 6.5 to 7m (21ft 4in to 23ft) reached 16,000, and is still rising. And to attract new owners to their brand. yacht is for us the most “alive”, it is limited that’s a lot of boats in anyone’s book. Indeed, Bénéteau does so to this day with as a seagoing cruiser. For family cruising its hugely popular Finot-designed First you need two cabins, a separate toilet Bénéteau Océanis 217. Back then, the First 18 (1,065 built) compartment and headroom. These can Whilst Finot and Finot/Conq’s many First and First 22 (763 built) did the job. be incorporated into a 7.5m (24ft 7in) designs top out at around 32ft (9.75m), Indeed, they still do, as newcomers to boat, which still remains easy to handle they have scaled far greater heights in the sailing continue to buy them as budget and maintain.’ Océanis range. Starting back in 1995, the mini-cruisers. Meanwhile the insatiable Bénéteau 281 was one of the smallest of the Océanis The First 18 fits loosely into the Micro machine continued to demand more and marque to be built. Following Tonner format at 5.90m (19ft 4in) overall. bigger. Finot and his colleagues must have Bénéteau policy, its hull lines ➜

Practical Boat Owner 521 June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk 31 Bénéteau Océanis31 David Harding Bénéteau Océanis281 Finot/Gilles Martin-Raget in 2008. sailing magazineVoiles ’ ‘Voilier del’annee’ Award in 2009 and the Océanis 37 won 31 wontheEuropeanYacht oftheYear with Océanisdesigns.Thecurrent great fastcruiserifyoucanfindone. charter boatmarket.Buta281makes satisfy the voracious (and very valuable) size issimplythattheyaretoosmallto stopped buildingOcéaniscruisersofthis suspect that the reason why Bénéteau comfort in a relatively small package. I which 331werebuilt)offersalotof Layout is‘typicalmodern’andthe281(of there’s no shortage of performance there. this casetheFinot-designedFirst265.So evolved closelyfromanearlierFirst–in 32-footers, is the 323. This great yacht featured inmy recent articleson But my favourite Océanis, as already Figaro Finot/Conq designs. Océanis 423,473and523areall also (40ft) isnotbigenoughforyou, the the modelhasalotofappeal.Andif12m private owners also continue to find that snapped up by charter operators, but A largequantityofthesewere,course, accommodation in a good-looking yacht. combine goodperformanceandample onwards. Asusual,Finotmanagedto 850boatsfrom1991 extraordinary the 411.Thesetwomodelsnotchedupan designs istheClipper400anditssuccessor One ofthetop-sellingFinot/ConqOcéanis Clipper 32 Océanis 281makesagreatfastcruiser Océanis 31was2009EuropeanYacht oftheYear Finot/Conq have also picked up awards Finot/Conq havealsopickedupawards from £65,685second-hand

from £24,522second-hand Boats

from £8,600 second-hand

First Class 8 channel racers. popular withroundthecansandcross slightly tuneddownversion–alsoproved were built.TheFirstClassChallenge–a around 120oftheseexciting9.14myachts got thenod.Overnextnineyears anewFinot/Conqdesignandthis forward Design was selected. Bénéteau duly put and the costs less alarming if a strict One competition wouldbemorechallenging size. But the organisers finally realised that yachts around the Half Ton, or 9m (30ft) handed) hadbeensailedinavarietyof Figaro events(crewedandsingle- Bénéteau: the Figaro 1. Up until 1990, commissioned from Finot/Conq by one ofthemostfamousOneDesigns (and theracierFirst317)isdevelopedfrom First Class quarter tonnerseverbuilt.’ sold moreFirstClass8sthanall the French 8m One Design. In the first year we Faroux andBénéteau,Ideveloped anew Designs so,inassociationwithJaques or efficient. I wanted to develop One expensive, yetwerenolongerseaworthy becoming increasinglycomplicatedand offshore racing. I felt that IOR boats were Council), the international organiser of France ontheORC(OffshoreRating Finot says:‘Forsometime,Irepresented most famousofwhichistheFirstClass8. should notforgettheFirstClassrange, Talking of versatile One Designs, we cruising on the agenda and even relatively cruising onthe agendaandevenrelatively berth accommodation putscoastal lifting-keelers werebought.Basic four- First Class 8, a top-selling One Design Over the years, 969 of these speedy

David Harding Bénéteau Océanis323 David Harding from £52,110second-hand

Océanis 323isimpressiveincomfortandperformance Océanis Clipper400provedapopularcharterchoice Practical BoatOwner521June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk from £83,200second-hand Clipper 400 slightly cramped coastal cruising. performance funboatfordaysailingor its ongoingappealasalowcost/high when planing), but this doesn’t diminish the First Class 8’s performance (especially the FinotdesignedFirstClass7.5surpass course moremodernsportsboatssuchas using itfortrainingandmatchracing.Of and the RYA owned a fleet for many years, lifting keel also makes trailer-sailing viable in cluborclassevents.TheFirstClass8’s inexperienced crewscanenjoycompeting Minis have been at the forefront of yacht leading Mini designer. Over the years, – surprise,surpriseFinotbecame a the gauntletanddominate field.And Transat racenowfinishesinBrazil. Numerous events are held every year. The Minis have prospered and proliferated. the Canaries. To cut a long story short, prophets ofdoom–setoffforAntigua,via assembled and – ignoring the many 22s, EBoats,Muscadetsetc,duly such simple production boats as Anderson 6.5m (21ft 3in). A fleet of 24, including race acrosstheAtlanticforboatsofjust the PenzanceSCtostartasingle-handed in 1977,BobSalmonsomehowpersuaded Mini Transat was invented by a Brit. Back IMOCA 60 world girdlers. (21ft 4in)MiniTransat yachtsormonster supercharged soapdishes,bethese6.50m and semi loony trans-ocean racing in contributions totheworldofhighspeed Finot andConqhavealsomadehuge Mini Predictably perhaps, the French took up Predictably perhaps,theFrench tookup Like many great sporting events, the T

ransat

Bénéteau yacht. To thisday, thiscompany’s amazing designed Pogo2 productionMiniTransat introduced theall-conquering Finot/Conq mainly French)attentionwhen it company firstcametopublic (admittedly built inFrancebyPogoStructures. This found in the upwardly mobile Pogo range, one-offs and single-handed flyers is to be A logical progression from these extreme Pogo to bumpintoJean-MarieFinot. is pushingattheboundaries,youarelikely safety and stability. Wherever yacht design of theIMOCAclass,workingforincreased always beencloselyinvolvedintherules Davies. What’s more,Finothimselfhas (renamed Roxy)inthehandsofSam then came in third in the latest edition won twosuccessiveVendée Globeraces the forefrontofdesign.PRB,forexample, monsters. Onceagain,Finot/Conqareat Then therearethe60ft(18.3m)IMOCA IMOCA buy a Pogo. crave thrills in a production 6.5m flyer, Finot/Conq-designed Pogo 2s. If you class, over half the top 10 finishers were Finot/Conq designs.Intheproduction boats. In2009bothclasseswerewonby divisions: prototypeandseriesproduction evolved in the Mini class. huge mainsailswithsquaredoffheads;all which cant), broad-sterned planing hulls, bowsprits, deepbulbedkeels(someof spinnakers flown from pivoting retractable design. Twin rudders, asymmetric Practical BoatOwner521June 2010 • www.pbo.co.uk Fast, furiousandfun–thePogo 2productionMiniTransat racer The MiniTransat isnowsplitintotwo

sailing public,more’s thepity. yachts are largely unknown to the British UK oneday? Maybe wewillseesomeoverhereinthe whole newdimensiontofastcruising. does itshift.Thisamazingyachtbringsa youneedisthere–andboy,everything accommodation ishardlyplush.Butthen featuring ahydraulicliftingkeel.True, its offering is a detuned cruising version Pogo 40shavehitthewaterandlatest one PhilSharp.Sincethen,numerous unheralded and largely unsponsored Brit, 40 winner(ina26-strongclass)wasan transatlantic event.What’s more,theClass 2006 RoutedeRhumsingle-handed won the inaugural Open 40 division in the boatshottofamewhenit extraordinary at thenewOpen40Class,this and launchedthePogo40in2003.Aimed recipe forsuperhigh-performancesailing, and Structurestookaleapoffaithintheir in the flying Pogo range. But, being the in theflyingPogo range.But,beingthe dramatic yacht is the latest development winning lifting-keelPogo10.50 class.This of thebrandnew, top-sellingandaward- Finot designed, of course. Comet 13), a First 260 and a First 27.7 – all tonner), Concorde (a¾Tonner), Cigale(a Baleine (aYamaha 29),Eglantine (a half then hehasowned,amongstothers, aluminium prototype for the Écume. Since first self-designed yacht was the sailed downtheyears?Jean-MarieFinot’s So whathavethegreatmanandhiswife The master’s own Flushed with the Pogo 2’s success, Finot But what now? Finot has just bought one But whatnow?Finothasjustbought one

Pogo 2Mini new from£33,232

electric poweredwinches. control the Pogo’s powerful rig with and hiswife(whoaregettingonabit) with a rotating carbon wing , and he replaced its standard carbon fibre mast experimental sailorthatheis,Finothas mainsail anda67m I wouldn’t betagainstit. Knowing what Finot has already achieved, she bethefastcruiseroffuture? Pogo 40hasbeenaconsistentracewinner tanks, arotatingwingmast,30.5m keel, has two 300lt (66gal) water ballast lives in the 2.3m (7ft 7in) draught lifting displaces 1.7tonnes,ofwhich 0.6 tonnes (26ft 11in)long,3.2m(10ft6in)wide, you’ll comeacrossLaMouette.She’s 8.2m working onit.IfyouvisitFinot’s website, retractable prop. What’s more, he’s already wants anelectricenginedrivingthrougha peace, quietandecofriendliness–he keel isa‘must’.Then–inthepursuitof also adamant that a deep draught lifting enough performancetogosea.’He’s headroom, enoughspacetoliveinand is a good length. At this size you get Finot replied: ‘I think 8.5m (27ft 11in) modern ageofcompromise. which Ifindhugelyrefreshinginthis bin,’ Finot told me. He’s a purist all right, complex instruments. Put them in the not efficientenough.AndIdon’t like don’t like shallow or twin keels; they’re hull (ahydraulicliftingkeelisessential).I harbour. I like plenty of draught under the only neededforgettinginandoutof ‘I like boats that sail very well. Engines are Put them in the bin Finot And what is your ideal boat, I asked? And whatisyouridealboat,Iasked? new from£136,575 Pogo 40 boats Finot designs

2 asymmetric. Could asymmetric.Could 2

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