06/2006 –

Seaway: original elegance and spirit

Sitting aboard the Seaway on May 19th, enjoying the sunshine and following the fleet of classic yachts gathered in the Bay of Villefranche for the Trophée Pasqui regatta, is truly a unique and privileged position to be in.

The TSMY Seaway was loaned by her owners to the organisers of the Trophée Pasqui. Based in Antibes, the two-masted, twin propeller yacht was built in 1928 at the Dickie’s of Bangor shipyard in north Wales. Since then, neither her name nor home port have changed, and her owners since 1990, a couple who own a vineyard in Fayence, have made only the minimum changes whilst conserving Seaway’s original look. The two engines have been replaced with Perkins, but the original controls remain, as does the wooden structure, which is 17.5 metres long and 4 metres wide. The hull and deck are teak, the framework is oak, the floors are made of ash and oak and the upper parts are mahogany. The interior remains sober, spacious and comfortable, as the owners wished to preserve the simple and unadorned elegance that characterises this yacht. Such attention to authenticity was rewarded by Seaway’s admission as a member of the club “La Belle Classe”, founded last year by the Monaco Yacht Club.

Fine boat, fine sailing

At practically 8 knots, with the sea slamming against the slender hull and a glass of wine from La Grande Bastide in our hands, watching the classic regattas from a yacht like Seaway is a real pleasure. Especially because, at the Trophée Pasqui on Friday 19th May, the conditions were ideal. As soon as they left the port, the passengers could admire the sails being hoisted on board Tuiga and Moonbeam IV, before starting the regatta full sail ahead with 15 knots of wind. Cotton Blossom II, with Dennis Conner at the helm, immediately took the lead, whilst the others vied for second place. As the conditions became rougher, Seaway’s passengers watched the race calmly and serenely, as her narrow hull and stabilisers took all 34 tons of her easily through the waves.

Fine boat, fine crew

With the Alps as a backdrop, the show was grandiose, especially since the other advantage of Seaway is that for the last 5 years she has been skippered by Christophe, a great connoisseur of the seas always willing to share his knowledge and experience. The vocal and passionate skipper provided his passengers with a running commentary of the different stages of the race, with the help of his first mate Gaëlle. Seaway, her owners and friendly crew all share the same generosity, and the yacht’s elegant wooden lines will once again be on display at the forthcoming Voiles d’Antibes, much to the delight of passengers and spectators alike.

-NG-