The 5 Fauroux sisters
Dora: A Unique Legacy in Modern 8 Metres
I am not sure if you know Dora’s story, but of course there is one and it’s special too ! Back in 1983, Gaston Schmaltz (back then the owner of 8 Metre France) decided he wanted to build a new modern 8 Metre. he asked Jacques Fauroux to make the design. Gaston being Gaston, he decided that others should have one too so he asked Jacques Fauroux to built him not 1 but 5 of them and put 4 in storage for possible new owners to promote the class. Gaston named his 8 Metre Gaulois with sail number FRA 28, he sold the others at reduced cost. The first to buy one was Baron Edmund Rothschild. He named his 8 Metre Gitana Sixty (he gave it to himself for his 60th birthday with sail number SUI 60). Not long after Jacques Mazet bought Lafayette. Dora spent most of her life in Marseille named CVI.
The last one stayed in storage longest, showed up a bit heavy since she was fully equipped with a galley but after some work at Josef Martin’s Yard and with a new designed wing keel of the able hands of Howlett. She was like her sisters, darn slippery too and won the Worlds 3 times.
Much more to tell, will save that for an evening under the cabinlamp. For instance about the 2 later 8 Metre boats that where designed by Jacques Fauroux, Fleur de Lys now Yquem II in 2001 again for Gaston Smaltz and in 2002 Otto, Now Miss U build at Universal Marine.
The Jacques Fauroux 8 metre boats are among the easiest allround modern eights to sail, wide groove, very strong and very forgiving.
