Le Maraudeur

[David Bewick]

I came across an interesting post on Francois Vivier's blog today.  it seems he has a project underway to re-work a classic French design called le Maraudeur.  I have not heard of this design although I did know a big old plywood boat called a Marauder in the mid seventies.  This one is a small (4.83m) sail boat with a "crawl in and die" kind of cabin.  If it rows as well it might be the kind of boat that some of us are dreaming about.
Le Maraudeur

Best regards,

David.

[Frogsider]

I try to keep up with Francois Vivier's blog, but I hadn't seen this.  Thanks for pointing it out.

As I live in France, I had heard of, and seen the Marauder design of Jean-Jacques Herbulot.  He was one of the most innovative designers of his day, doing much with his uncomplicated and inexpensive designs to make sailing accessible to all classes in post-war France.

He was a friend of the founders of the Glenans sailing school, and may have shared their left-wing political views.  Most of his early designs were commissioned by the Glenans school.  For one of his most successful designs, the commission demanded a boat that could be built for the cost of a bicycle.  The result was the Vaurien, still a popular boat in France.

The Marauder is not unlike the old boat I am currently restoring, a Tricorn cruising dinghy designed by Illingworth and Primrose in 1961.  I hope to have it ready for the Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan in May next year, for which I have already entered.  I'm sure there'll be some old Marauders there.  Almost certainly Francois Vivier will be taking part, too.