This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by Vincent Le Roy (@vincentleroy): La Saga PLOUF [Episode 11] : Plouf partout et insubmersible

^{As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.}

Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but Vincent Le Roy (@vincentleroy), a French guy.

---

Note: "Plouf", in French, is an onomatopoeia that phonetically imitates the sound of an object that falls in the water. The equivalent in English would be "Plop" or "Splash". That is a strange name for a boat!

---

Brief summary of previous episodes

In January 2016, I am given a boat, a tiny sailboat. A kid's dream. Her name is Plouf. And in fact the canoe is in a state not possible and I do not know much except sailing. I tell you the journey that I traveled with this small boat, that have become my fourth baby! The refurbishing job is finished, and we sail numerous times ... not always as expected!

Episode 11: Plouf everywhere and unsinkable

Plouf became a mascot of the port of Binic. I tell his saga on Facebook and my 3000 friends follow it with attention. Better than that, the Carrefour Market of the corner had books and table mats published with a photo of the corner. Guess what's the boat in the foreground? It is Plouf!

It seems a long time ago when Plouf was covered with moss and shell; today she is a little star and her captain too, always a big mouth! The photo of the port booklet? All sails out, it's Plouf! The aerial photo on the site of the City, still Plouf! Of course, I am boasting. Everyone has heard of Plouf.

The boat is in all the sauces. A new outing is also planned with Philippe, a friend, for Sunday morning. This Sunday morning, we took the fishing line because we embellish all walks of two things: fishing and bottles of white wine. The weather is beautiful. The sea looks like a lake. Limit too hot with our shift jackets. The mackerel are not biting so we compensate with the white wine. The first bottle is quickly engulfed.

Philippe is also a seasoned sailor. We do not have the same style, I optimize the sails, while he makes it all at the helm without even holding the sheet of the mainsail. But the two schools are valid, I even think that the ideal is to cumulate the two as one does with my son. He too is more focused on the tiller to manage the speed of the boat. I spend my life adjusting my sails to the millimeter. Two centimeters more or less, it feels very fast especially when you anticipate the puffs (gusts of wind visible on the water).

The output is really nice just like this second bottle. We will also soon have to return to the harbor because the doors close at noon and that in addition, we reach the bottom of the second bottle. Cape on the lighthouse. And obviously we see clearly this big black cloud. Very black. And that happens to us right on. Yet under a blazing sun and this sea of ​​oil, we did not anticipate. We should have, however.

A little further, a big boat has already slumped. He's not crazy that one, he's going to finish with the engine. That's what I think on the spot. No, he's just experienced, he's seen the squall coming in and he's started to drive his way without taking any risk. Speaking of that, I put my nose to the wind and I start the engine. We will also drop the sails. The wind has become powerful. In a few seconds, the swell is formed and from a lake one collects waves of more than two meters in a jolt. The winds are obviously at more than 50 knots, the boat is pitching in all directions. I sheet out everything I could, the sail is all open ... Philippe is already on the mast. The boat is so shaken that I hear the propeller come out of the water every two seconds. There, it is clear that we take a good one!

And then we get hail ... We get everything, the whole package. Philippe does not panic. He is strong. It tears off the sail, that's all we can do and bend our heads under the hailstones. Meanwhile, I have a hard time to stay in the wind and I hear that fucking screaming engine. The boat goes from 90 degrees to -90 degrees in one second ... We'll capsize ... that's for sure ...

But no! The sail is severely damaged and torn in several places. We are rinsed from head to toe. We are cold. But calm has returned and Plouf is still there. That day, I learned two things: watch these fucking squalls but especially, I know that my boat is imperially secure.

Going down, as every time, I say goodbye to my Plouf but here I am going to add: thank you! Because I really had the fear of my life! And Plouf watched over us ...

Continue to Part 12

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8
Part 9 - Part 10

All photos are property of @vincentleroy and under copyright