Newport International Boat Show.

The season is launched at Newport. I understand that the show is bigger than last year. My own impressions strolling through it even before it was open, is that on the power boat side, the majority of the boats have adopted an Italian look. That on the sailboat side the appearance is more "modern" than ever, with high freeboard, chiseled lines and wide stern without forgetting double wheels.

The other show, the Brokerage Boat Show at the Shipyard is much more interesting in my view. The boats come in all sizes and shapes and if there is one thing in common is that how well maintained they all are. Of course, because you are trying to sell you have to show best  but besides that, American owners have a tendency to really care about their boats.



Rolex Cup, Sardinia

Due to light air, only 4 out of 7 races were run. Coming on top is Bella Mente, the new J/V 72, Mini Maxi.
My daughter Dominique is part of the shore crew when the boat is racing and she sent the pictures.
Having presently a commission to design a Mega Yacht, there is a challenge there, but it would be interesting to design racing boats again.

La Malbaie. Pointe au Pic.

I was in Canada over this Labor Day  

weekend. To visit old family and related friends.

Where there is water, there are boats and I wanted to see them. Just North, at a place called Point a L'aigle, there is a small harbor on the Saint Lawrence, a shelter really for the wind is blowing hard and the tide is substantial. The access is adventurous as the docks are moving in strange ways. The photo was taking another day, a calm day and many boats were out sailing. The interesting thing was to see all kind of production, all kind of representation of what has been built a few years ago. Feeling, Hunter, Cand C, Beneteau, Nonsuch, Janneau, Tanzer, Nauticat, J Boat etc. One of each it seems, a microcosme of the fiberglass boat building frenzy of only a few years ago.

Not far North from Pointe au Pic, there is this delicious spot named Port au Persil. Site of a cascading fall where the ancient explorers of this New world resupplied their vessels with fresh water.