Stopover in Sète 2024: Who will be the best boatswain of the festival ?

Raymond Dublanc avec les différents travaux que devront réaliser les boscos. midi libre – philippe malric

Pour la première fois dans un festival maritime, les boscos de chacun des grands navires présents à Escale à Sète, vont se mesurer dans des épreuves techniques.

The idea was born for Escale à Sète and should be reused in all other maritime festivals of the kind: during their stay the boatswains, responsible for the rigging and their maneuvers , larger ships will participate in a seamanship test. "This will be the Boudriout-Berti trophy named after the architect specializing in the 17th century navy and his publisher. Between them, they launched the first collection on French naval architecture", says Raymond Dublanc, co-president of the association running the festival and creator of this competition du Best boatswain 2024.

Several tests to be done in public

Sitting on a sailboat bench specially built for the occasion and installed on the quays, the boatswains will have seamanship and sailmaking tests to complete. &quot ;It’s nothing extraordinary. This is the basic knowledge of a sailor on a sailboat", says the marine carpenter who himself carried out the tests he will ask the candidates. This will involve, among other things, making a garchette braid, a lighthouse clew with the installation of a rope and the making of a hand-sewn eyelet, the installation of a thimble tab , but also a bag with a square braid or even a Turkish cap.

Traditional rowing events too

À the initiative of Annick Artaud, the other co-president of Escale & Sète, the crews will have a double ration of sporting competitions for this 2024 edition. On the one hand, they will participate throughout their stay &agrav; a great shooting event the rope, but also &agrav; traditional rowing races. Two disciplines where the cohesion of a group is more important than pure physical strength.

A transmission through gesture

"When the public watches them work, sees them perform these gestures, there will be a transmission of the practices of the time"< /em>, Raymond hopes. At the end of five days, the best boatswain will be crowned. He will be given several prizes, including books by Berti, as well as seamanship tools created by the Sétois.