Around ten of the catamarans at the event had sailed from their home port – in some cases quite a distance – to attend the event. The remainder were Fountaine Pajot boats based in Croatia and chartered by owners, dealers of the brand or even the shipyard staff (represented by two boats). As for the 108 crew members, they represented a wide range of nationalities – South Africa, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Mexico... The interest of these meetings organized by the shipyard is precisely to share experiences – between owners, of course, but also with the Fountaine Pajot staff.
The first day’s sailing took the catamarans to the famous Blue Lagoon anchorage. After a swim (sea temperature of 70°F/21°C, so still a bit cool) and some paddleboarding in the incredible turquoise water, there followed a first race. All the Fountaine Pajots were moored up as if on parade on the dock of Maslinica marina – whose hotel-restaurant Marchini Marchi Heritage had been privately rented for the occasion. The next day, they headed for a well-sheltered cove on the island of Šolta to anchor all the catamarans alongside one another in a circle – not easy to set up, but the dinghies were used to help pass the mooring lines across. In the afternoon, in Croatia, a thermal wind usually picks up during the season, so it was time to hoist the sails and race again to reach Milna, on the island of Brač. The evening festivities continued ashore, some way inland – a bus making two trips was required...
For the final day, the boats made an early start on course for Split, with the south-east wind gradually increasing to 20/25 knots. After an enjoyable tour of the historical center, the event concluded at a rooftop venue for “a last Spritz in Split”!
The next Rendezvous is scheduled for November 2023 in the BVI.
