“Sailing means maintaining maritime heritage”: in Sète, the Latin Sails perpetuate marine craftsmanship with passion

Les bénévoles donnent de leur temps pour réhabiliter le patrimoine marin de Méditerranée. – V. G.

L’association travaille sur le chantier de la Plagette, à Sète, en conservant le savoir-faire des artisans de marine.

The smell of wood. The sound of chisels working. Fishing nets hanging from the frame. And tools. Everywhere, a mess. In its workshop dating from 1945, the Voiles Latines association perpetuates the know-how of marine craftsmen. In the old fashioned way, only aided by non-safety machines listed as industrial heritage, volunteers trace, cut, draft, caulk, plane, glue… In a spirit that smells of camaraderie and elbow grease. "We spend as much time tracing as cutting!, underlines a volunteer, at work with his ruler and pencil to paper. We are not specialists. We have people who are strong in maritime construction, and others in something else. We learn on the job. We are just people who share a passion for the sea."

Volunteers at work in the workshop dated 1945.

"Sailing really means maintaining maritime heritage"

We needed people like that to continue to keep this “Campsite de la Plagette”, also called “Campsite Aversa” alive. (named after the historic family of shipwrights, Editor's note) where the winches from 1930 are still in operation. Les Voiles Latines are working on the last restoration and maintenance project for professional boats. Here, several exceptional ships wait their turn to be rehabilitated. We're talking about authentic fishing boats, boats from the beginning of the last century, forgotten boaters, timeless vessels… hellip; These real heritage objects would all have their place in a museum.

The Plagette shipyard allows old boats to be rehabilitated.

"But these are not just dizziness from the past!, Philippe Carabasse, who chairs the ;association with 140 members, including 60 regulars to work on the hulls. These are vestiges of the past that sail. Sailing really means maintaining maritime heritage. It’s perpetuating the know-how and vocabulary that help bring this story to life."

"When we're on the water, we don't stare at each other"

Active since 1988, the Latin Sails association was originally created by enthusiasts who sailed on old rigs. "When we're on the water, we don't stare at each other. We are brought together by something beyond us. So, these people had the idea of ​​continuing the thread of history together", goes back Philippe Carabasse.

The Plagette shipyard is today an intangible place of maritime heritage. "This is the only site that allows any owner in the Thau basin, and even beyond, to repair a wooden boat. He can come in safety and he will be welcomed by enthusiasts, who accompany him in his desire to restore and maintain his boat."

One of the boats that it will be possible to renovate during Stopover in Sète.

Workshops, boardings and talks

For Stopover in Sète, Les Voiles Latines will hold a stand which will cover the history of the Plagette shipyard and describe the marine structural activities. Maintenance workshops and rehabilitation will be offered on two small boats: the Thetis, a Catalan bussi which once served as an annex for sardinals for seining, and the Attends-moi… , small nacelle of the Thau pond.

In the water, the association will offer to embark on the Grace de Dieu, a fishing boat, probably one of the first lamparos in the city of Sète. The public will also discover the Albatross, a Mediterranean boat restored by volunteers, or the Loud, a sponge fishermen's boat from the Kerkennah Islands. A rarity which will be launched especially for Escale à Sète. These boats will, finally, provide an opportunity for talks on board, on the themes of fishing, the sea and its heritage.

Throughout the year, the association passes on its knowledge to adults and young people, to whom it gives the opportunity to work on restoration projects. At the moment, at the back of their workshop, the volunteers are renovating L’Aubane, a tray from 1955. And as with each edition of Escale à Sète, the association will relocate its workshop from March 26 to April 1 (read opposite), with the aim, as always, of transmitting one's passion and know-how.

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