The meeting point was Baotic Marina in Trogir. This vast modern port has the advantage of being very close to Split international airport - only 10 minutes by cab. An important detail for the whole Fountaine Pajot team, the journalists, but also many crew members. Not everyone came with their own catamaran, as many crews hadn’t hesitated to charter one so that they could join the party. The staff of the shipyard chartered two, and this is the second advantage of Boatic marina, which is home to large fleets of rental catamarans. Beyond these practical aspects, Croatia proved to be a smart destination for this tenth edition of the Fountaine Pajot event. This sailing area located on the Adriatic Sea is still as attractive as ever, with its 600 islands, its vast bodies of water protected from the swell, its turquoise waters, and its remarkable historical heritage. These are the reasons why Fountaine Pajot catamaran owners are so keen to take part in the festival. The only unknown factor for such a gathering is, of course, the weather: it was late May. The sun was shining, even though the water temperature was still cool - it was the beginning of the season.

First anchorage: The Blue Lagoon! The water here is a particularly attractive turquoise color - time for that first swim…

From 40 to 50 feet

When I arrived, the warm wind and clear skies made for a beautiful sunset - so at least the weather appeared to be cooperating! The shipyard team had set up a tent to welcome the crews, offer them a drink and present the program. Everyone was free to dine where they wished. Within reach of the dinghy, Trogir, with its medieval city and its marble quays, is well worth a visit, and is a logical choice for strolling and eating: shuttle buses were organized from the marina. Before nightfall, I couldn’t resist a tour of the pontoons to get an idea of just who was there. From a Lucia 40 to a Saba 50, numerous models were represented. I spotted an Astrea 42, an Elba 45 and a nice fleet of Saona 47s. Overall, the fleet was quite recent. The oldest multihull was undoubtedly the Salina 48 which belonged to Yves Pajot - co-founder of the shipyard. This model, with its carbon mast extended by 6½ feet (2 meters) compared to the standard sail plan, stood out amongst all the aluminum... If a dozen of the catamarans present had sailed from their home port - sometimes far away - to be at the meeting, the 108 crew members present represented even more diverse nationalities - South Africa, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Mexico... The purpose of these meetings which are organized by the shipyard is for the owners, and the 12 Fountaine Pajot staff members present, to share their experiences. From the very first evening, there was lots of interaction. One suggestion would be for the shipyard to set up a “catamaran workshop” staffed by technicians who could help with after-sales service details or diagnostics. Other builders already offer this service which is greatly appreciated during similar gatherings. 

Ile de Rey – Saona 47

Stéphane and Catherine are young retirees; they discovered sailing in Quiberon, Brittany, and then sailed the Mediterranean, settling near Nice. After a Sun Shine and a Sun Magic, they opted for a powerful Monte Carlo 47 cabin cruiser. It was the retirement project that motivated the purchase of a catamaran: “We want comfort,” explains Stéphane, “For us, having unrestricted water and electricity, being able to invite friends, spending the winter in the West Indies, but also managing the boat with two people is all part of our specifications. To reach the level of comfort of this 47-foot boat on a monohull, you would need a 60-footer!” A few visits to boat shows convinced Stephane and Catherine to opt for the Saona 47, which was named Ile de Rey, because Stephane’s last name is Rey. “We liked the layout, the three distinct levels, the large platform, the well-integrated galley with its central island, the storage possibilities in the hulls, and finally the helm station that communicates with the cockpit and the flybridge. When we received an email announcing this Owners Rendezvous in Croatia, we decided to leave Hyères on April 30, which rather handily set a schedule for our first season in the Mediterranean.” “And we really enjoyed meeting the other crews,” concludes Catherine, “Especially since I love speaking English!”

Regatta fever

Aboard a Saba 50, Claire Fountaine (President of Fountaine Pajot) and Romain Motteau (Managing Director) are in charge of strategy and sailing.

The first day of sailing started under the best auspices - the sky was still clear. Initially, the route led the catamarans to the famous Blue Lagoon anchorage. This spot is famous for its shallow and turquoise waters. Here we had our first swim (the sea was still a little cool at 70°F/21°C) and went paddle boarding. All the crews enjoyed this first break, despite the combination of different lifestyles: whether it’s loud music or contemplative rest, sometimes you just have to get along!

The first race was organized after lunch. Well, it was obviously not an official competition: the organizers had nevertheless anchored a buoy and a committee boat before initiating a starting procedure. I was surprised to see that even those crews that were less experienced with starting lines, clearing buoys and markings were getting in on the act. On board the Saona 47 Ile de Rey on which I embarked, the gennaker was unfurled without delay, then giving way to the solent as soon as the fleet encountered the windshift of the island that we were sailing around. There followed a long beat: it was quite hectic, and we tacked at every opportunity. In this particular discipline, the Salina 48 and its skipper proved to be untouchable. Let’s not forget that Yves was crowned World 505 Champion (1974), World Flying Dutchman Champion (1975) and Flying Dutchman Gold Medalist at the 1975 Mediterranean Games in Algiers. If you’re interested in his catamaran, it’s currently on the market! The sun was sinking towards the horizon, and all the Fountaine Pajots were moored as if on parade on the quayside of the Maslinica marina. Our first «sporting» prize-giving was rounded off with a prize for elegance. The best dressed crew had the right to spend the night in a suite at the Marchini Marchi Heritage hotel-restaurant, which had been privately reserved for the occasion. But before that, there would be a gastronomic meal and a wild party around the pool...

Even crews who were previously strangers to racing have taken to it - almost to the point of making contact! 

A double-petaled daisy

Mooring twenty catamarans in daisy formation requires the aid of dinghies to help the crew pass the mooring lines.

The next day, we headed for a well-sheltered cove on the island of Šolta. The day’s first mission was to anchor all the catamarans in a circle - a sort of giant double-petaled daisy, which was not easy to set up. But the dinghies were there to help the skippers position themselves and then pass mooring lines. Once the catamarans were in place, the crews could change tack... as for the aft sugarscoops, they bordered a giant pool where numerous swimming enthusiasts gathered. As on the day before, the wind had the bright idea to pick up at the beginning of the afternoon. So it was time to hoist the sails and race again, with our destination being Milna, a very pretty port on the island of Brač. A beautiful 6-mile course once again allowed the best sailors to demonstrate their talent... This time, I boarded the “presidential”Saba 50. The flagship catamaran of the fleet is indeed crewed by the directors of Fountaine Pajot. Claire Fountaine and Romain Motteau, in spite of their enormous experience in regattas, didn’t quite succeed with their daring port tack start... but a good understanding of the racecourse allowed them to claw their way back to the second position - still behind the untouchable Salina! The evening in Milna continued inland - a bus took two trips to take us to an old olive oil factory and a typical local restaurant. This was obviously the ideal moment for a second prize-giving ceremony, in which Multihulls World participated - T-shirts and subscriptions galore!

The 22 catamarans occupied the entire southern dock of Maslinica marina.

Chérie Amour – Elba 45

Kenneth Frantz is based in Virginia, USA. He owns an Elba 45, but previously owned a Salina 48. “My two proudest achievements with Fountaine Pajot are that I was the first skipper to win the ARC in the Multihull category on a Fountaine Pajot catamaran. I can also claim the absolute speed record for the brand with a peak speed of 23.2 knots”. Amazed by the beauty of the host ports, Kenneth seems to be under the spell of Croatia, and he really appreciated the quality of the organization. It is likely that we will find Chérie Amour in the BVI in November 2023...

A last spritz in Split...

The award ceremonies are always a popular moment of conviviality, and this amphitheater was a perfect location for them.

For the final day, the rally route to Split started quite early, as the south-east wind was forecast to be quite strong - 20/25 knots in the afternoon. The first catamarans would leave their moorings at 8:30 am. The 10-mile route is set on a north-easterly course. The wind on the starboard tack started to pick up at 9:30 am - a good 20 knots. The southeast wind was strong enough to create an unusual chop on these usually very protected waters. Many crews reefed, and even rolled a little genoa. On board the Saba 50, we kept on top of everything. Claire, always competitive, didn’t hesitate to push the Saba to 10 knots, and with a smile, she confided that Jean-François (her husband) would have reduced sail...

In Split, the plans had changed a bit - we were welcomed in a perfectly protected area of the ACI marina because the quay of the outer harbor which was dedicated to us was too exposed to the swell. After a superb visit to the historical center, the event ended on a rooftop for “one last Spritz in Split”! After a few speeches and goodbyes, it was the end of this owners’ meeting. Some catamarans stayed on for a while, whilst others were brought back to their charter base. The remaining ones continued their Mediterranean adventures. What about next time? It’s already planned for November 2023 in the BVI!

Fountaine Pajot is celebrating its 45th anniversary - but it wasn’t until 1983 that the Louisiane, the brand’s first liveaboard catamaran, was launched.
The Marchini Marchi Heritage hotel-restaurant had been privately reserved, and so had the pool!