Qui choisit d’acquérir un D12 au 21ème siècle ? Un bateau créé en 1913 ?
Surtout pas
les amateurs de classe à restrictions dont la passion, tout à fait légitime,
est de faire des progrès en respectant des règles communes, comme la surface de
voilure, le poids, la longueur de coque, etc.
L’exemple que je connais le mieux
est le Moth : 3,35m de long, 8m2 de voile (nous ne sommes pas très loin de
nos dinghies), cette classe à évolution a stimulé la créativité de toutes
sortes d’architectes et d’amateurs éclairés depuis 1929. Cette évolution passionnante
a conduit à adopter des foils et désormais les Moths volent au-dessus de l’eau quand
leur coque ne pèse que 10 kg…
Néanmoins, même certains mothistes convaincus se
sont lassés de cette course impitoyable vers le progrès, condamnant les modèles
des saisons passées à une rapide obsolescence et c’est ainsi qu’en 1963 on a
figé UN modèle de Moth qui est devenu l’Europe. Etrange, non, pour une série à
restrictions ?
Pour d’autres exemples de
jauges à restrictions, on peut citer la classe America ou la jauge Imoca. Comme
pour les formule 1, la jauge définit quelques maximum et minimum à respecter,
et chacun fonction de son intelligence et de son budget fait au mieux pour
avoir le bateau le plus rapide.
Je crois qu’il est
évident que les dinghystes ne sont pas fondamentalement des modernistes. La
coque est à clins, elle n’est pas spécialement planante, le gréement est une
voile au tiers gambeyable, ce ne sont pas des choix qui seraient retenus par un
architecte naval en 2016 qui voudrait dessiner le prochain succès de nos
plages. Comparons le dinghy 12’ avec le laser qui date de 1970 (bientôt 50 ans !)
et nous contemplons vraiment 2 époques très différentes. Poids, matériaux,
lignes, facilité d’entretien, nombre de ventes, tout les sépare
Si je me reporte à mes
propres raisons pour acheter mon dinghy en 2010, je voulais un bateau en bois,
traditionnel, avec un gréement autre que bermudien, avec lequel je pourrais
concourir de temps en temps avec d’autres bateaux similaires. Le Dinghy 12’ m’allait
comme un gant, je suis allé en Hollande et en ait ramené un joli canot fabriqué
en 1943.
Coup de chance, le Dinghy
12’ International devenait subitement à la mode en France (toutes proportions
gardées !!) tout allait bien pour moi !
Sauf que… le dinghy 12’ n’est
pas que hollandais, il est aussi classe italienne et dans ce pays, il a profondément
évolué. Pas dans ses formes extérieures, ni dans sa voile (encore qu’il est
difficile de savoir si les italiens respectent encore les 100 pieds carrés d’origine)
mais ses matériaux ont drastiquement changé (coque en polyester, mat en tube d’aluminium
au lieu de bois plein, safran ultra léger repliable) ce qui a conduit à un
allègement du bateau. Ajoutons encore toutes sortes de réglage autorisés en Italie
et interdits en Hollande, nous obtenons un bateau substantiellement plus
rapide, surtout par vent léger.
La jauge française en D12
n’existe pas, elle admet donc les canots des 2 jauges hollandaise et italienne.
Tant pis si les performances sont différentes.
Et maintenant en France,
c’est la querelle des anciens et des modernes. Autant vous le dire tout de
suite, je suis résolument Ancien. Tradi. Réactionnaire sur le Dinghy.
Fondamentaliste du 12’. Je trouve que les hollandais sont un peu trop
permissifs.
Il y aurait une
cinquantaine de D12 en France. Majoritairement en bois. J’aimerais avoir des
données exactes, mais je pense que les hollandais sont plus nombreux que les
italiens. Néanmoins la classe France est dirigée par des modernistes qui
pensent que c’est la modernité qui relancera cette très ancienne classe
olympique.
Si on laisse entrer le plastique
dans une classe bois, le bois disparait à terme (cf. le Finn, le Star, etc.). A
ceci, les modernistes répondent que sauf à laisser entrer le plastique, c’est
toute la classe qui mourra (cf. le Sharpie, le Plongeon, etc.).
J’ai regardé sur le site
de la Fédération Française de Voile. Il y a à disposition les handicaps de 160
modèles de voiliers légers pour qu’ils courent à armes égales entre séries
différentes. Sur ces 160 modèles, combien de dériveurs en bois ? Pas un
seul à part le dinghy 12’.
Ne peut-on pas préserver une classe tradi bois ?
A l’époque où toutes les classes bois mouraient, personne n’y prêtait
attention, tous les bateaux étaient en bois. Maintenant que notre Dinghy est un
fossile vivant, le cœlacanthe des dériveurs, je pense que justement des gens
tels que moi iront vers le dinghy parce que c’est la dernière possibilité pour
régater quasiment comme en 1913. Le rétro est à la mode, il n’y a pas d’autre dériveur
léger aussi charmant et aussi disponible en Europe, il devrait survivre si on
lui en laisse la chance
Que faire alors en France ?
Peut-on continuer à
courir en monotypie multi-jauges alors qu’on sait qu’à barreur égal, le plus
moderne des 2 bateaux gagnera ? Les Dinghies bois se lasseront de perdre
chaque évènement et ne viendront plus. Fin du bois.
Doit-on passer en classe
à Handicap, ce qui obligera les organisateurs de chaque régate à chronométrer
les concurrents pour savoir après coup qui a gagné ? Ce sont les
organisateurs qui se lasseront. Fin de la classe.
Je pense que la seule
solution est de définir en France 2 jauges, comme pour le vaurien qui a la
jauge traditionnelle et la jauge moderne (évolution de 2009). L’AS Vaurien gère
les 2 classes, les évènements organisés par eux regroupent souvent les 2 mais
les départs et les classements sont différents.
On aurait ainsi dans la classe
Dinghy 12’ France une division Hollandaise et une division Italienne. Les uns
pourront régater efficacement avec les hollandais, les autres avec les
Italiens. Et tout le monde ensemble pourra participer au Cockshott Trophy qui
admet les 2 jauges (et c’est probablement un bateau italien qui gagnera)
 |
| still lovely, but different |
Who chooses to
buy a D12 in the 21st century? A
boat created in 1913?
Certainly not the development class enthusiasts whose passion, entirely legitimate, is to generate progress while respecting common rules, as the sail area, weight, hull length, etc.
The example I know best is the Moth: 3.35m long, sailing area 8m2 (we are not very far from our dinghies), this evolution class stimulated the creativity of all kinds of architects and amateurs since 1929. This exciting development has led recently to fit foils underneath them and now the Moths fly over water and their hull weighs only 10 kg ...
However, even some enthusiast mothists got tired of this relentless race towards progress, condemning the models of past seasons to rapid obsolescence and so in 1963 some sailors froze the Moth by adopting a model that has become the Europe dinghy. Strange, isn’t it, for a development class?
Certainly not the development class enthusiasts whose passion, entirely legitimate, is to generate progress while respecting common rules, as the sail area, weight, hull length, etc.
The example I know best is the Moth: 3.35m long, sailing area 8m2 (we are not very far from our dinghies), this evolution class stimulated the creativity of all kinds of architects and amateurs since 1929. This exciting development has led recently to fit foils underneath them and now the Moths fly over water and their hull weighs only 10 kg ...
However, even some enthusiast mothists got tired of this relentless race towards progress, condemning the models of past seasons to rapid obsolescence and so in 1963 some sailors froze the Moth by adopting a model that has become the Europe dinghy. Strange, isn’t it, for a development class?
For other examples
of development classes, see the America class or the IMOCA. As
with Formula 1 cars, the class defines some minimum and maximum to respect, and
anyone according to his cleverness and his budget is striving to obtain the
fastest boat.
I think it is clear that the 12’ sailors are not trendy modernist. The hull is clinker made, it is not especially good at planing, the rigging is a standing lug, these are not choices that would be retained by a naval architect in 2016 who would draw the next hit on our beaches. Compare the International 12’ dinghy with the Laser that was launched in 1970 (almost 50 years ago!) and we really contemplate two very different eras. Weight, materials, lines, easy maintenance, number of sales, all separate them.
If I look at my own reasons to buy my dinghy in 2010, I wanted a wooden boat, traditional, with a sailplan other than Bermudian, with which I could compete at times with other similar boats. The International Dinghy 12' fit me like a glove, I went to Holland and brought back a nice boat made in 1943.
Luckily, the Dinghy 12 'International suddenly became fashionable in France (relatively speaking !!) everything was fine for me!
Except that ... the dinghy 12 'is not only Dutch, it is also an Italian class and in that country, it has changed a lot since 1913. Not in its external shape, or in its sailing area (although it is unclear whether the Italians still follow the original 100 square feet rule) but its materials have drastically changed (a polyester hull, an aluminum tube mast instead of solid wood, a lightweight foldable rudder…) which led to a much lighter boat. Let us add all kinds of adjustments authorized in Italy and banned in Holland, we get a significantly faster boat, especially in light winds.
The French did not develop their own D12 class rules, so we admit both the Italian and the Dutch class rules. Too bad if their performance is different.
And now in France the Ancients and Moderns quarrel. I’d better disclose it to you right now, I am resolutely Ancient. Traditionalist. A reactionary Dinghy owner. A fundamentalist of the 12 '. In my opinion, I think the Dutch are too permissive.
There could be around fifty D12 in France. Mostly wooden. I would like to have accurate data, which I don’t, but I think the Dutch boats are more numerous than the Italians. Nevertheless the French D12 class is led by modernists who think it is modernity that will reboot this ancient Olympic class.
If one allows plastic into a wooden class, the wooden boats soon disappears (see the Finn, the Star, etc.). To this statement, modernists answer that unless we allow plastic in, the whole class will die (see the 9m2 Sharpie, the Plongeon, etc.).
I looked on the website of the French Sailing Federation. There are showing the handicaps of 160 models of light sailboats so they can race on a level playing field between different series. Of these 160 models, how many are wooden dinghies? Not one except the dinghy 12 '.
Can we not preserve a traditional wooden racing class? At the time when all the wood classes were dying, nobody paid attention, all boats were wooden. Now that our Dinghy is a living fossil, the coelacanth of the dinghies, I think a few people like me would chose to own a dinghy 12’ because it's the last chance to race almost as in 1913. The retro is fashionable, there is no other dinghy as charming and as easily available in Europe, it could survive if we leave him the chance
What can be done in France?
Can we keep racing in one-design multi-gauges when we know that given an equal helmsman, the most modern of the two boats will win? Wooden dinghies owners will tire of losing each event and will not come anymore. Wood ends in France.
Should we switch to a handicap system between wood and plastic, forcing the organizers of each regatta to time the competitors to find out afterwards who won? It is the organizers who will get tired. End of the D12 class in France.
I think the only solution is to define 2 class in France, like the Vaurien’s class who has both traditional and revisited boats (they modernized a lot in 2009). Their association AS Vaurien manages the two classes, all sailing events are organized by them but often include two different departures and rankings.
Thus, we could set up a Dutch division and an Italian division in the Dinghy class 12 'France. Some sailors could race with the Dutch, the other with the Italians. And everyone could participate together in the Cockshott Trophy which admits both class rules (and probably an Italian boat will win it!)
I think it is clear that the 12’ sailors are not trendy modernist. The hull is clinker made, it is not especially good at planing, the rigging is a standing lug, these are not choices that would be retained by a naval architect in 2016 who would draw the next hit on our beaches. Compare the International 12’ dinghy with the Laser that was launched in 1970 (almost 50 years ago!) and we really contemplate two very different eras. Weight, materials, lines, easy maintenance, number of sales, all separate them.
If I look at my own reasons to buy my dinghy in 2010, I wanted a wooden boat, traditional, with a sailplan other than Bermudian, with which I could compete at times with other similar boats. The International Dinghy 12' fit me like a glove, I went to Holland and brought back a nice boat made in 1943.
Luckily, the Dinghy 12 'International suddenly became fashionable in France (relatively speaking !!) everything was fine for me!
Except that ... the dinghy 12 'is not only Dutch, it is also an Italian class and in that country, it has changed a lot since 1913. Not in its external shape, or in its sailing area (although it is unclear whether the Italians still follow the original 100 square feet rule) but its materials have drastically changed (a polyester hull, an aluminum tube mast instead of solid wood, a lightweight foldable rudder…) which led to a much lighter boat. Let us add all kinds of adjustments authorized in Italy and banned in Holland, we get a significantly faster boat, especially in light winds.
The French did not develop their own D12 class rules, so we admit both the Italian and the Dutch class rules. Too bad if their performance is different.
And now in France the Ancients and Moderns quarrel. I’d better disclose it to you right now, I am resolutely Ancient. Traditionalist. A reactionary Dinghy owner. A fundamentalist of the 12 '. In my opinion, I think the Dutch are too permissive.
There could be around fifty D12 in France. Mostly wooden. I would like to have accurate data, which I don’t, but I think the Dutch boats are more numerous than the Italians. Nevertheless the French D12 class is led by modernists who think it is modernity that will reboot this ancient Olympic class.
If one allows plastic into a wooden class, the wooden boats soon disappears (see the Finn, the Star, etc.). To this statement, modernists answer that unless we allow plastic in, the whole class will die (see the 9m2 Sharpie, the Plongeon, etc.).
I looked on the website of the French Sailing Federation. There are showing the handicaps of 160 models of light sailboats so they can race on a level playing field between different series. Of these 160 models, how many are wooden dinghies? Not one except the dinghy 12 '.
Can we not preserve a traditional wooden racing class? At the time when all the wood classes were dying, nobody paid attention, all boats were wooden. Now that our Dinghy is a living fossil, the coelacanth of the dinghies, I think a few people like me would chose to own a dinghy 12’ because it's the last chance to race almost as in 1913. The retro is fashionable, there is no other dinghy as charming and as easily available in Europe, it could survive if we leave him the chance
What can be done in France?
Can we keep racing in one-design multi-gauges when we know that given an equal helmsman, the most modern of the two boats will win? Wooden dinghies owners will tire of losing each event and will not come anymore. Wood ends in France.
Should we switch to a handicap system between wood and plastic, forcing the organizers of each regatta to time the competitors to find out afterwards who won? It is the organizers who will get tired. End of the D12 class in France.
I think the only solution is to define 2 class in France, like the Vaurien’s class who has both traditional and revisited boats (they modernized a lot in 2009). Their association AS Vaurien manages the two classes, all sailing events are organized by them but often include two different departures and rankings.
Thus, we could set up a Dutch division and an Italian division in the Dinghy class 12 'France. Some sailors could race with the Dutch, the other with the Italians. And everyone could participate together in the Cockshott Trophy which admits both class rules (and probably an Italian boat will win it!)
