BIOGRAPHY
November 8, 1952: Birth in a small village in the South of the Aisne: Bézu saint Germain
Summer 1956: Successful debut in swimming
Summer 1965: Beginning of a passion for sailing
1971: Diplomas of swimming teacher and sailing teachers. Crossing of the « Channel » alone without assistance
1973: Military service in the navy. Swimming crossing between Le Conquet to Ouessant with fin alone and without assistance
1975: First Atlantic crossing, sailing as a skipper.
1976: Purchase of "Ras le bol", a sailboat of 12 m "dream of Antilles". Transformation and redevelopment. 1500 hours of snorkeling and underwater hunting
1978: Design and construction of Salamandre aluminum sloop (40 feet). 1st trans-oceanic regatta: the "Route du Rhum". (*)
1980: Design and construction of the proa Funambule. Beginning of piloting gliders.
1981: New-York Brest with the proa "Metabo Oceans" (*)
1982: La Rochelle - New Orleans with the proa "Lestra Sport" (*)
- Death of my father
- Construction of the proa "Rosières"
- The articulated Proa Rosières folds eighteen minutes after the departure of the "Route du Rhum". Insurance destroys it during towing!
1983: Conveyor of a large ketch between Balearic Islands and Los Angeles
1984-1985: Building of the proa "Montpellier-Languedoc-Roussillon"
Aircraft and ULM pilot certificates
1986: Broken mast of "Montpellier-Languedoc-Roussillon" and cessation of the operation
1987: Creation of a ULM pilot school in Millau
1988: Organization of a ULM hydro rallye on the lakes of Aveyron
Organization of an ultra light air show in Millau
Deposit of a patent about seaplane float. Realization of the first floats intended specifically for trikes microlights!
1989: 2nd edition of the "Translacs", hydro ULM rallye on the lakes of Aveyron and Tarn!
1990: Preparation of "La Route de Mermoz" in ULM (Nantes - Récife in ultralight)
- Training in voluntary insomnia with the service of Pr Arbus (Rangueil hospital Toulouse)
- Design and construction of 3 microlights for Atlantic crossing
November December 1991: Nantes to Recife by ULM (first crossing of the equatorial Atlantic in ultralight)
1992-1993: Preparation of the Atlantic crossing for swimming and drifting
Deposit of several patents (fins, mask, wet suit)
Studies, design and construction of materials intended for the crossing.
1994-1995: "OceaNantes" or the Cape Verde islands to Barbados swimmig and drifting
1996-1997: Preparation of "Mission Oxygène" (submarine drift in the Indian Ocean)
1998: Realization of "Mission Oxygène". Ocean Observer sank after 13 days of drift ! I survived !
1999-2002: Construction of the catamaran Izamma
2000: Creation of the event the "Merveilleux fous navigants" in Saint-Raphaël (ecological gear)
Continuation of the catamaran construction
2002-2006: Cruises in the Caribbean with the catamaran Itzamma
2006: Start of construction of the Dagda monohull
November 2009: patenting an aeration gear for pleasure sailboats (Dorcap)
May 2010: Skipper for a convoy of a catamaran from Saint Martin to Tahiti
August 2012: Launching of Dagda 65 feet monohull
August 2012 - August 2015: Navigations in the Caribbean and the Pacific (French Polynesia) with Dagda!
11 August 2015: Dagda shipwreck deemed insubmersible after night shock with an OFNI in the South Pacific
August 2016: Back in France and creation of a micro consulting company!
(*) Sailing palmares:
1978 - Rte du Rhum: second in class less than 40 feet, 9th in scratch,
1981 - multihull trophy: 1st to scratch
- best time of the tour of Guadeloupe
- world sailing open speed on a base to (27.7 knots). Time hold during 7 years
- 1st in class New york Brest and second in scratch
- Smallest boat and third boat to beat Charlie Barr's time on the Atlantic crossing!
1982 - La Rochelle New Orleans: 1st in class and 3rd in scratch
(**) 430 000 nautical miles sailed / 11 000 flight hours on different types of aircraft (light aircraft, gliders, microlight, paragliding, deltas), 150 parachute jumps, about 10 000 hours spent on diving or in apnea ...
>BLOG
PROAS
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These amazing machines are an important part of my life. I have divaveled 70 000 miles of oceans on my three praos and even if they were also sources of accidents of life, I remain passionate about this type of multihull because they are stuffed with talents both in cruise and in competition .
Why do all those who enter the world of proa remain attached to these particular boats as soon as they have tasted their indivinsic qualities? There are many reasons that justify this craze:
1. Because the proas allow to go closer to the edges of the speed polar, in areas inaccessible to the catamarans and trimarans close in their geometric characteristics ,
2. Because they are economically interesting sailing boats as soon as we are able to optimize their structures,
3. Because they are the only sailboats that have a real reverse, an important cruise element of comfort and safety ,
4. Because they are the only ones that can be totally stopped even in heavy weather.
5. Because they require to question his marine knowledge, and therefore offer the opportunity to intellectualize the use to his boat,
6. Because they are "logical" sailboats and, moreover, they are the oldest boats in the world. Maybe the proas, as the oldest ships, are engrammed in our genes ...
Database on proas
I have gathered here a set of information about "Western" proas able to navigate other than as a beach gear. These proas have existed or are still sailing. You will find their main characteristics and at least two images that characterize them. Of course, this list is not exhaustive and I will be happy to enrich it. If you notice that errors have crept into the cards, I will be happy to be notified and I will correct them.
For that, you can download the form that you can fill up and send to me :
In addition, if you have specific information on proas Atlantic or Pacific that are not in the list, download the form, fill it and send it back with not too bad (if possible) photos that characterize this prao.
Here is a list of proas ...
Atlan. = prao atlantique / Pacif. = prao Pacifique / Atlan Pacif. = prao monodrome
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1A. About face |
Atlan - 50 ft |
Book on proas
A technical book on proas that I wish the most exhaustive possible is being written. The above database will be included in its annexes. This book will discuss the differences between Atlantic and Pacific proas, different rigs, rudders and daggerboards, maneuvers, design and construction of these vessels.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The few images that follow are photographs taken with digital cameras of various qualities ... But they are the reflection of an atmosphere, a place, or the representation of a human or animal character at a given moment. That's why I want to share them ...
1) MONOCHROME, BLACK& WIGHT
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SAILING
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"After 15 years traveling the oceans on my charter sailboat and on my large racing multihulls, following a trail of 350 000 miles and several dozen Atlantic crossings, I still like to run in pursuit of the far horizon curves continuing fleeing constantly behind the waves. Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Pacific, Indian are all maritime areas that I have haunted and that always attract me with the same force! "
Since 1978 Guy Delage imagined and built extraordinary sailboats, fast and resourceful, with which he traveled the world.
You will find here the description of each of sailboats that Guy Delage was the inspiration and who made him vibrate. Everyone of them was at one point, the projection of his oceanic experience.
2017 - Construction of a 8 meters sailing rowing yole
The construction of this fast and light yole is in progress. A drawing that recalls the Bantry yoles and which should allow to line up miles in coastal sailing.
2017 - 70 foot VPLP catamaran project
GD has been in charge of the survey of design and construction of a large catamaran that is both very fast and luxurious, which is the synthesis of what is best done in the field of shipbuilding one off without entering the Aeronautical budgets! The news section will be fed soon with the characteristics of this sailboat still "secret"
2012 - The Dagda ecological monohull
Dagda was a magnificent monohull designed to sail all the seas of the globe. Built in strip planking, lightweight and therefore just unsinkable, it has scoured the Caribbean and Polynesia, utilizing the performance of its sails and renewable energies. As he was preparing to descend to Patagonia and Antarctica, he struck an OFNI at night in the South Pacific. Guy and Larysa were not able to rescue him and they abandoned the quasi-flowing wreck. The remoteness of the shipwreck did not make it possible to find him to try to bail him out. Perhaps it still derives almost entirely submerged (as it was seen by a freighter a month later) because its construction was remarkable.
It is always difficult to recover from such a "blow"!
2002 - The catamaran Itzamma
1985 - The proa Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon
1982 - The proa Rosieres
1980 - The proa Funambule
1978 - The monocoque Salamandre
The monocoque Salamander 12 meters long, built in 1978 in yards Pouvreau.
1977. The Rêve of Antilles "Ras le Bol"
The first boat of Guy Delage's own. It will refit and re-equip it while sailing between the Mediterranean and the West Indies.
1971 The Joshua Taranis 2
Skipper several seasons on this sistership of the famous boat of Bernard Moitessier, it is the deficiencies of this sailboat too heavy and without stability who will direct the steps of Guy Delage in the search for good and comfortable sailboats!
2012 : THE "DAGDA" MONOHULL
Dagda, a 60-foot ecological monocoque, combines performance and comfort. Very pleasant to the sea, its equipment in the field of renewable energy recovery made it an autonomous sailboat over very long periods without being forced to take away large quantities of fossil energy!
Technical features:
Overall Length : 18 m
Overall width : 5 m 20
Draft : 4 m in navigation, 1 m 50 when the keel is raised
Surface of sail ; 225 m ²
Weight in load : 19 tons
Light weight: 16 tons
Almost unlimited water autonomy (dependent on recovered energy)
2 Electric motors: 15 kW
Engine cruising Speed: 6.5 - 7 knots
Mast height: 23 m 50
Gennaker: 120 m²
Asymmetric spinnaker: 300 m²
Carbon two-stage mast of pushing arrows, rod-shaped with stainless steel rigging
Boom "park avenue" carbon with stainless steel rigging
1 tiller / 2 rudders
Keel lifting by electric motor
Ecology
- Only releases: human effluents.
- Renewable electric energy: 1 kW of solar panels, two wind turbines and above all the electric motors in "reverse" produce the energy when sailing.
- Water with desalinator
Speed
Dagda had an average speed of 9.3 knots
During the 70,000 miles he has traveled, several times it will reach 18 knots under conditions of sustained wind. Its best performance over 24 hours was 327 miles.
2002 : THE CATAMARAN "Itzamma"
Itzamma, a fast and comfortable cruising catamaran, will allow Guy Delage to visit the most beautiful places of the Caribbean.
Technical Features
Length: 15.3 m
Width: 8.2m
Draft: 1.1 m
Canvas surface up to 148 m²
Mast 21.5 m
Motorization: 2 Yanmars 39 HP
Weight in navigation without the crew (weighed in June 2006): 9, 25 tons
This superb catamaran has been completed and launched in February 2002. Carbon was widely used. The rotating mast is maintained by a all textile rigging. Itzamma is a particularly fast and robust catamaran! Its best performance over 24 hours has been with Guy delage of 386 miles.
1985 : THE PROA "Montpellier-Languedoc-Roussillon"
The proa «Montpellier Languedoc Roussillon” used advanced composite construction techniques (not common for the era) and a revolutionary rig that has been taken over for the present America's Cup catamaran !
Technical Features
Length: 21 m
Width: 15 m
Weight: 5.5 t
Sails: 160 m²
Sandwich construction Vinylester - Airex or methacrylate foam (Roycell) - glass.
The rigging is made of carbon - epoxy - honeycomb sandwich
Montpellier Languedoc Roussillon is the first ocean sailboat whose rigging was replaced by a real wing equipped with high lift devices. Its performance was astounding and its ease of use extraordinary. The project was stopped by the Mayor of Montpellier following the change of majority of the Regional Council and a dismasting consequent to the breakage of a defective part.
The sailboat was discreetly destroyed by the Montpellier Major four years later for electoral reasons.
Innovations:
- wing rig studied in the aeronautical school of Toulouse (ENSICA) and validated in wind tunnel (CEAT)
- 1st Open sea racing Pacific proa
- Automatic ballasting (dynamic water pressure).
Main sponsors:
Montpellier City,
Regional Council Languedoc Roussillon
Nicolin
Canal du Rhône
GTM
1982 : THE PACIFIC PROA "Rosières"
Rosieres proa was the first mordern racing “pacific” proa.
Technical features :
Length: 18 m
Width: 21 m
Weight: 5.5 t
Sail area: 240 m²
Construction of Airex foam sandwich, glass, polyester and high-strength aluminum arms glued and riveted.
Rosieres, sailboat born evil: the initial structure calculations of the architect Gilles Ollier proved false. The project took as long overdue, requiring a lot of modifications on Ollier previous drawings. The sailboat, because of an autopilot failure and risk-taking following the failure, fold himself back 18 minutes after the start of the Route du Rhum 82. Insurance, anxious to recover the wreckage as quickly as possible, unfortunately destroyed it during the towing.
Main sponsor :
Rosières
1980 : THE ATLANTIC PROA "Funambule"
The proa "Atlantic" Funambule was the first composite building by Guy Delage. He sailed until 1991 before to be let like a pontoon in Senegal by the second hand owner !
Technical features :
Length: 17 m
Width: 8.2 m
Weight: 4.5 t
Sail area: 130 m²
Construction Sandwich glass polyester foam Airex
Funambule was a very typical boat suffering from major shortcomings upwind. Its polar favored the crosswinds trips. Like all proas he demanded extreme vigilance in ocean crossing trips, but it was a fantastic boat with high RM and so high speed potential. Best 24 h day in 1982 was 450 nautical milles !
it is he who gave Guy the immoderate taste for these amazing boats!
Sponsored successively by:
Sudinox (multihull trophy, dual transatlantic)
Métabo, Oceans magazine (New-York / Brest)
Lestra Sport (La Rochelle / New Orleans)
Awards:
1981
- Tour of Guadeloupe: 1st
- Multihull Trophy: 1st
- New-York / Brest: 1st in class and 2nd in scratch
- Brest Speed Week: World Open Speed Champion (the record will last 5 years!).
Smallest boat having broken the record of the schooner Atlantic (14m at the waterline) in a little more than 10 days!
1982
- La Rochelle / New Orleans: 1st in 2 categorie and 3rd in scratch
1978 : THE MONOHULL "Salamandre"
"Salamandre", an aluminum monohull of 12 meters that prefigures the generations of modern yachts with very wide rear. She was built at the Pouvreau shipyard in Vix french Vendée). Guy Delage took part in the first « Route du rhum » and finished second in his category and 9 th in the scratch in front of much larger sailing ships! Guy Delage and Dany Delage will then use it in charter in the West Indies.
Technical features :
Aluminum construction Pouvreau
Length: 12 m
Width: 4.2m
Draft 2 m
Weight: 6.5 t
Sail area: 90 m²
Berths: 10
Palmares:
- Route du Rhum 1978: 2nd in category less than 12 meters.
1977: THE MONOHULL "Ras le Bol"
The first boat of Guy Delage's own. It refitted and re-equiped and sailed sevral times between the Mediterranean and West Indies waters.
Technical features :
Steel construction
Finot architect - design type : "rêve d'Antilles" (caribean dream)
Length: 11.7 m
Width: 3.8 m
Weight: 9 t
Draft: 1,7m
Sail area: 84 m²
Berths: 7
FAVORITES LINKS
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1. About sailing and proas!
- Buy a boat: a good indication on the market:
http://www.yachtworld.com/
- A dynamic forum of often competent people very far from the french cruising forums:
http://sailinganarchy.com/
- The richest site about proas. An interesting starting point to discover the diversity of proa aficionados:
http://ww.PacificProa.net
2. To help the planet survive, the seeds of revolt!
International Union for Conservation of Nature -
- Greenpeace
https://www.greenpeace.fr/
- Seashepperd
http://www.seashepherd.fr/
- The FAO
http://www.fao.org/home/en/
- Attac, because another world is possible
https://www.attac.org/
- "Les économistes atterrés" : because the solutions implemented by the political class in power lead into the wall!
http://www.atterres.org/
- To wake up at night thinking about the future of children!
https://www.nodive-planete.info/environnement/biodiversite/extinctions_massives.php
3. The politics at the heart of the fight:
- September 11, the beginning of the end ...
http://www.reopen911.info/
- The film that must be watched to understand that nothing has happened as indicated in the official report of 09 11th and ask for a judicial inquiry into the attacks!
http://www.reopen911.info/11-septembre/mise-en-ligne-du-documentaire-11-septembre-le-nouveau-pearl-harbor/
- The always disturbing vision of a French journalist living in the Middle East on what happens there! The question of misinformation carried out by our media and our policies!
http://www.voltairenet.org/
- Another form of political sdivuggle exemplified in the new left of the world
https://podemos.info/
4. Ecology, CO², alternative energies
- The wind as a source of energy
http://www.ewea.org/
- A lot of information on what can be done in France in the field of energy
http://www.ademe.fr/
- A database on wind energy: Windpower
https://www.thewindpower.net/
- Sunshine map in almost every coundivy in the world
https://solargis.com/maps-and-gis-data/overview/
- site dealing with general problems of ecology
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/
- New technologies (nanoparticles) in photovoltaics
http://www.nanosolar.com/
- On wave energy:
https://www.boem.gov/Ocean-Wave-Energy/
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages_disadvantages_waveenergy.php
5. Observe the earth and the climate:
- A wealth of free information
http://www.noaa.gov/
- Products for sailors: maps, etc.
http://www.shom.fr/
- a French site on the climate
https://reseauactionclimat.org/
- Ifremer
http://wwz.ifremer.fr/
- Satellite images:
http://www.spotimage.fr/
http://www.cartesfrance.fr/satellite/
6. About the research:
- The M.I.T., a source of communications in many fields
http://energy.mit.edu/
- An amazing researcher that I like a lot. He disturbs and has been osdivacized for his positions that question the pontificate of the system: Jean Pierre Petit
https://www.jp-petit.org/