It is now just one month to the day until the Paris International Boat Show opens its doors. The logistics are already in operation, the countless transport has been organised, the routes of the convoys through central Paris have their specific time slots, the majority of the entertainment has been confirmed and the plans for the different Halls have been fixed. Bustling about, thousands of technicians, chauffeurs and craftsmen and women have already set to work to enable the many enthusiasts to see, feel and experience the very best that boating has to offer in the depths of winter. The highlights of this 2015 edition are now revealed in this brief overview of the unmissable events of this Nautic 2015.
Truly exceptional, the routes adopted by the show’s boats will this year include the most prestigious of Parisian avenues, Les Champs Elysées. Indeed, on 24 November, the convoys of the Nautic’s largest craft will cast off for the pontoons of the Porte de Versailles showcase in a Paris by Night tour, which simply cannot go by unnoticed.
Naturally there will be another exceptional range of new features, with a number of world premieres including Bénéteau’s new Océanis 41.1 and a wealth of surprises among the motorboats. Trending this year is the “Small is Beautiful” theme, illustrated by an array of new additions of reasonable proportions that include the Hanse 915, RM980, Django 980 and the Ikone 750. Indulging yourself no longer has to mean frightening yourself, whether it be in terms of size or budget !
Out in even greater numbers this year, there will be some 500 competitors setting off along the River Seine in the Nautic SUP Paris Crossing on the morning of Sunday 6 December. That’s some 100 more than last year and those places were snapped up in a matter of minutes… Indeed, one might be forgiven for wondering where the explosion in this sport will end and whether the Seine will have to be widened to accommodate this already legendary race.
Always just as ready to do battle on the water as they are to share their passion, the skippers and champions will be sure to make their presence felt at the show. Just back from Brazil, the big names from the Transat Jacques Vabre will be out in force and with them the young offshore hopes with the prize-giving for the Mini Transat on Saturday 5 and the election of the French Sailing Federation’s Sailor of the Year award on Monday 7. The most popular French sailors will naturally be putting in an appearance too like Olivier de Kersauson, Michel Desjoyeaux and Franck Cammas, the three musketeers that make up Groupama Team France, the French challenger for the 35th America’s Cup, who will address the public on Saturday 5. Of note is the fact that Lorient in southern Brittany will be the team’s port of registry, at the very heart of France’s sailing valley.
A celebration through and through, the Nautic will welcome the upcoming Brest Maritime Festival 2016 and the Nautic Night on Friday 4 will doubtless be the number one sailors’ bistro for one night only! There will also be a series of major events, combining the old and the new with the return of the Funboard to Bercy, The Bridge against the Queen Mary race, the Tour de France à la Voile and The Transat…
Let’s not forget that the Nautic is also a Classic, opening its doors each winter to some legendary boats. Following on from the Pen Duick fleet, Yves Carcelles’ Runa and Baron Bich’s France 1, a plethora of other characterful hulls will be on display this year, including Winnefox, a Class A scow meticulously restored by Francis Van de Velde. These scows have been sailing on the great lakes at speeds equivalent to the modern multihull thanks to their ultra wide hull beneath the waterline… The classic wave is also breaking in the motorboat world too with the Cercle du Motonautisme Classique exhibiting a dozen or so runabouts and speedboats dating back to after the war. Pleasingly, the restoration of old motorboats is as popular as the classic car trend it would seem. That said, Jeep® will only be exhibiting its very latest models to reflect the brand’s legendary modern day towing forces.
Oozing fun, the Nautic Basin will be the winter’s new Spot with a series of introductory sessions, demonstrations and competitions punctuating what is sure to be an emotionally charged week. Indeed, there will be introductions to the latest boardsports, safety gear demonstrations by Macif, as well as Wakeboard champions galore, SUP Polo and Wake competitions and, let’s not forget, the very best the world has to offer in the Stand Up Paddle world with the 2nd leg of the Nautic SUP Paris Crossing due to be contested on the afternoon of Sunday 6.
This year, the Nautic will be better connected than ever before as the Nautic Start Up Contest will enable new talents in online services to mix it up on their own terms with the reality of the watersports market. Indeed, following on from the success of the 2014 edition of the Nautic Start Up Contest, 2015 promises an abundance of ideas, innovations and creativity.
Design will also be crucial to the show with the Nautic Design Awards, whose prestigious jury selects the most polished design, according to a public vote. President of the jury, Odile Decq, her journalist colleagues and designer Philippe Starck will be tasked with nominating the most finely studied motorboats, be it in the fit-out, the handling of the volumes, the lines or the ergonomics.
With the boat show hosted as the COP21 draws to a close, one would be hard pushed not to address the specific problems associated with the coastline and watersports. As such, on December 8, the European Boat Industry is reviewing the recycling of boats, which have reached the end of their working lives, a complex issue with which French industries have made a great deal of progress. Following on from that, December 9 will be environment day with a number of hot topics under discussion like the various hybrid and electric propulsion solutions and the SHOM’s (Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service) latest observations regarding sea levels, the 7th continent expedition as well as the famous laboratory-yacht TARA. In addition, Stéphane Mifsud, world Freediving record holder and patron of the Nautic 2015 will be presenting the educational and scientific missions explored within his Odyssée Bleue project.
Exciting yet accessible, fluent and innovative, modern boating is constantly renewing itself, inventing fresh challenges, producing magnificent machines and very pretty boats, writing legends and promising the world in a holiday. Come along and sample the delights of this explosive elixir at Porte de Versailles from 5 to 13 December, with its burst of energy reinvigorating the urban greyness.
More information at www.salonnautiqueparis.com
