Régates Royales de Cannes – Trophée Panerai - Day 1

The fleet kept in Vieux Port on day 1 of the Régates Royales de Cannes – Trophée Panerai © James Robinson Taylor / Régates Royales

The fleet kept in Vieux Port on day 1 of the Régates Royales de Cannes – Trophée Panerai © James Robinson Taylor / Régates Royales

Legends in numbers

As expected, high force 5 to 6 winds swept the Bay of Cannes on the opening day of the 36th Regates Royales - Trophée Panerai, compelling the Race Committee to abandon racing for all classes. The crews waited expectantly until the decision by the organisers at 1pm, before being able to enjoy the many social activities scheduled in the race village. Tomorrow (Wednesday) racing should resume, in the meantime here are some numbers on the sailing legends present in Cannes.

The weather forecast unfortunately arrived and following long consideration, the Race Committee opted for abandoning today's racing, as the wind was too strong to allow for safe sailing. It was confirmation of what had been hoped for by many spectators and fans who had the chance to admire from just inches away the stunning beauty of the old yachts, their hulls, booms, teak decks and the posters outlining each boat's history and features.

On the subject of sailboats, there are so many details and numbers to consider. The classic yachts taking part in the Régates Royales de Cannes – Trophée Panerai may be considered the quintessence of complexity. Waterline length, hull length, overall length, maximum beam, mast height, draft, downwind and upwind sail area, sail plan, rig, displacement, build year, etc. Each boat has a number of features that make them a unique piece of craftsmanship. In this whirl of wood and canvas some data can help figure out the diversity of the fleet.

Facts and figures:

• The smallest boat: Cabrufa, a Bermudan sloop from 1970 only 7.67 metres long
• The biggest boat: Elena of London, with an overall length of 50.71 metres
• The oldest boat: Marigold, a gaff cutter from 1892
• The youngest boat: in the Esprit de Tradition category, which includes replicas built in recent years but respecting in full the original characteristics, the most recent yacht is Alcyon 1871, that came out of the shed in 2013.

• The tallest mast: With her 48 metre-tall mast, Shamrock V, has the highest rig of the fleet
• The biggest sail area: Elena of London boasts no less than 1,300 square metres of sails. That is as much surface area as 5 tennis courts.

• The most masts: Altair is a three-masted gaff schooner and has the most masts in this year's edition.

• The biggest crew: the Big Boats, Mariquita, Moonbeam IV and Elena of London, have the biggest crew, with more than 30 sailors.

• The smallest crew: Cabrufa, the smallest boat in the fleet is also the one that needs only three sailors to sail it.

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