“We’re full time!”

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“We always liked having a project,” confides Claude. At 67, this former architect, decorator and sculptor does not plan to rest just yet. He wants to remain as active as possible, just like Clélia, his wife and former plastic arts teacher in a therapeutic, educational and pedagogical institute (ITEP).

That's goodfor six yearsthe couple has a more than demanding occupation. Together, they are renovating a superb boat, in the heart of the technical area of ​​the port of Saint-Cyprien (Pyrénées-Orientales).

They fall in love with a racing-cruising sailboat

The name of this boat is Nika. “It’s a name that comes from the translation of victory in Greek,” explains Clélia. In the past, this boat took part in regattas. “He did 12 RORC races (Royal Ocean Racing Club, editor's note), around the Isle of Wight (United Kingdom). One year, he even managed to reach 4^e place,” reveals Claude. This sporting past has left its mark. The hull suffered greatly.

Nothing to worry about for our couple from the Pyrénées-Orientales. In the 90s, Claude “needs an outlet to try to relieve the stress of [son] work “. He then came up with the idea of ​​restoring a boat.

One day we went to La Llagonne for a walk. At the airfield, we see the hull of a small motorboat. I did everything to repatriate her. I discussed it with a friend. He said to me: “I don’t understand why you’re taking this! What you’re going to like is sailing.”

The advice is followed to the letter. Claude and Clélia therefore set out to find a sailboat to renovate. They discover Nika, a magnificent mahogany boat for sale and moored in the port of Valras-Plage (Hérault). It was love at first sight.

Self-taught learning

Amateur sailors practice their skills during numerous trips in the Mediterranean. “When we bought it, we had never sailed. Claude is a self-taught. He learned navigation through his reading,” says Clélia. “For our first outings, my brother-in-law accompanied us. We trained with him,” adds Claude.

On this boat, it's old-fashioned navigation. It really is sport!

For catering, it's a bit the same. “There was a book where I learned two or three technical elements,” continues the husband. But it was by trying, sometimes by making mistakes, that he really got the hang of it. “I felt comfortable with wood, even if it has nothing to do with sculpture,” he analyzes, always supported by his wife.

Clélia and Claude have been renovating it for six years

After a few years at sea, the hull had to receive a complete reconstruction of the planking. On July 13, 2018, the boat came out of the water. The two enthusiasts begin their meticulous renovation. A colossal project that they have been carrying out for six years already.

Initially, Claude and Clélia only came on weekends. For three years, they have spent entire weeks there. “We’re full time!” “, they joke. The technical area of ​​the port of Saint-Cyprien has almost become their second home. “The port’s technical team is always attentive,” Clélia and Claude would like to say.

We were confined in the boat! For a month and a half, we didn't see anyone. We have already celebrated Christmas and New Years here.

Every day, Nika owners have to do a titanic job. To repair the hull, you must first remove, using a router, the four layers of rotten wood. Then, each ply must be replaced (the pieces of wood in the blade, editor's note) damaged.

The wood is immersed in a bath of cold water, before being shaped on a template. “We dry it with a heat gun. This will allow you to find 40 to 60% of the desired shape. The rest is achieved by pushing with straight feet. And it is by nailing that the fold finds its place,” explains Claude.

For this operation, it is not possible to use mahogany. “It’s a protected wood. Instead, we take said imported from Ghana. The mast (11.2 meters high, editor's note) is made of varnished spruce, an Alaskan pine,” explains Claude.

A colossal project for an exceptional boat

When the hull is finished and repainted white, Claude and Clélia will work on the interior. “We want to do it again the same way. We have six beds, but there are two of us,” smiles the former architect.

Nika, a sailboat built for racing

Designed by François Sergent, the boat left the Nautic-Saintonge shipyard, in the Gironde estuary, in 1967. Originally, this mahogany boat was named “Guisalnic IV”. It measures 9.5 meters long, 2.8 meters wide and weighs 6.2 tonnes.

This unique model was, at the time, designed for racing and cruising. During his “career”, he took part in 12 Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) races around the Isle of Wight (United Kingdom).

Renamed Nika by its second owner, this boat is distinguished by its configuration. It is one of the first sailboats to have a detached rudder. This innovative system already made it possible to limit the wetted surface.

Bought in the 90s by Clélia and Claude, Nika no longer has a sporting vocation. “We do contemplative cruising,” explains the owner.

The other big operation to come is the engine change. “The one we have, a Volvo Penta MD7A (13 HP), works perfectly. But we can no longer find the parts…” regrets Claude. The machine will be replaced by a more powerful model (28 HP).

The boat relaunched in two and a half years?

If this mountain of work motivates them on a daily basis, it nonetheless remains difficult to live with at times. “It’s very hard in winter…” admits Clélia. The two lovers make no secret of it: the restoration of a boat can create some tension!

Clélia is the storekeeper. She is the one who manages all the tools. She may be dizzy. Sometimes tools disappear, which can create a certain tension.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of noise on the construction site. But we don't hold grudges! », assures Clélia. “We have been a couple since we were 18. That's not what's going to separate us! », adds her husband.

Despite the difficulties, they intend to complete their project. “We think we can put it back in the water within two and a half years», Announces Claude. The opportunity for them to enjoy a few walks off the sublime coasts of the Catalan country.

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