Charles Heidsiek III embodies, for offshore sailing enthusiasts, one of the most beautiful and innovative yachts of the Whitbread. Alain Gabbay was its skipper in the 1980s.
54’ IOR, built in lightweight alloy at the Pouvreau shipyards in 1980, this first large offshore racing unit created for Alain Gabbay established itself as the most advanced of its generation.
It narrowly missed victory in the Whitbread 81/82, finishing 2nd overall behind the maxi Flyer. It then claimed 3rd place in the SORC, won the EDHEC 83, the Quebec – Lorient transatlantic race in the monohull category, and the Nioulargue 86 in IOR. Second in the La Rochelle – Quebec transatlantic race, it was later converted into a large cruising unit and continues to participate in some regattas to this day.
Specifications
- Length overall: 68.90 ft.
- Waterline length: 55.12 ft.
- Beam: 16.60 ft.
- Displacement at half-load: 21.0 tons
- Draft: 10.83 ft.
- Upwind sail area: 2,260.42 ft².
- Downwind sail area: 3,660.04 ft².
