La Nébuleuse - Voiles & Traditions

Here is the incredible story of La Nébuleuse !

A sail-powered tuna boat…

A truly unique 19-meter vessel!

In 1948, shipowners Mme Rolande Le Hégarat and Mr. Pierre Marchadour commissioned the construction of a sailing tuna boat from the well-known shipyards of Pointe de Rocamadour: Le Hir & Péron.

La Nébuleuse will be a one-of-a-kind 19-meter-long model, with a draft of 3 meters and a displacement of approximately 90 tons.

Construction begins on the Sillon, following Camaret’s naval tradition, using oak dried since the 1930s!

When La Nébuleuse first touches the water, the crew consists of 8 men and… 1 dog!

White tuna (albacore) fishing runs from June to October, with trips lasting 15 days in the North Atlantic.

It’s a demanding job where the steel bottom lines, which must be hauled by hand, put the sailors’ fingers to the test…

A bit of history…

The best tuna boat from Camaret

La Nébuleuse quickly establishes itself as Camaret’s best tuna boat: it excels at sea, and its highly cohesive crew accumulates rich experience.

Winters are demanding: like all sail-powered tuna vessels, La Nébuleuse alternates between two trades, tuna fishing in summer and dredging in winter.

An elegant yet high-performance sail

This sail plan, which included a staysail, a balloon staysail (a precursor to the spinnaker), a gaff mainsail, a jib, and a jib-headed topsail (dundee sail), was used until 1972.

That year, La Nébuleuse underwent its first modernization, with the deck replaced by Belinga wood for winter scallop fishing. A large steel bridge was also added. Additionally, a 287-horsepower V8 engine was installed, and the sail plan was reduced to include a staysail, a small Bermuda mainsail, and a jib.

A loyal crew for three decades!

The crew, consisting of six men and a dog, has remained virtually unchanged since 1949.

With comfort improvements, they achieved incredible catches, reaching up to 19 tons in a single trip, and even 740 tuna in a single day!

La Nébuleuse then earned the nickname the “green submarine” thanks to its impressive catch of tuna on its return!

However, the golden years of La Nébuleuse came to an end in 1987. The crisis hit the pole boat tuna fishing industry hard.

The owner then put La Nébuleuse up for sale…

In the late 1980s, a fishing boat owner from Loguivy de la Mer in Côtes d’Armor was charmed by La Nébuleuse and became its new owner, with the intention of continuing fishing operations with it.

But the reduction in French fishing potential does not go in that direction: La Nébuleuse will no longer be able to go fishing. Rather than scrapping it for a premium, the skipper maintains it, and it waits a few years in the port of Loguivy…

1990: Cédric Lagrifoul’s love at first sight

Cédric is passionate about traditional Camaret sailboats. The idea of sailing on one of them “haunts” him. He is only 22 years old.

He searches in vain for a ship to restore, but most often, he arrives too late: only hulls remain to be visited…

Finally, on December 31, 1990, after months of fruitless searches, he discovers the former “tuna drifter” and the charm takes hold! It will be the Nébuleuse and no other!

Cédric becomes his new owner, and a pharaonic shipyard awaits him…

1991 – 1993: removal of interior fittings, engine overhaul, first sea trials, and preparation of an economic feasibility study for the project.

Stopover at the home port, Camaret-sur-Mer, to completely refit the hull (nailing and caulking). This is an opportunity to research the ship’s past. Then, back in the Côtes-d’Armor, the “rails” (bulwarks and gunwales) are renewed. The old deck is removed.

1994 – 1998: The bridge is completely rebuilt, along with the superstructures. The pines that will form the ship’s mast are felled in Europe’s highest forest and transported to the boat.

The masts, built at the foot of the ship, were installed on July 14, 1995, during a grand celebration in Paimpol.

The 30 tons of lead forming the ballast are put in place.

The list of other ongoing projects is quite extensive…

A project supported by partners

Drawing on his address book from a previous professional life, Cédric will go throughout the project to convince various public and private partners to secure the financial support needed for the complete restoration of the vessel.

National and regional media also contribute by helping to raise the project’s visibility.

La Nébuleuse is now a magnificent tool at the service of businesses and individuals wishing to sail on an exceptional traditional vessel.

Each year, the team takes advantage of the winter to renovate and improve the boat’s guest facilities. In 2005, a large hollow glued-laminated mast (high technology) was installed; in 2009, the kitchen was completely renovated; in 2010, it was the turn of the showers and sanitary facilities, a new windlass, and so on.

Today, thanks to this tenacity and the partners, La Nébuleuse is saved.

And new challenges present themselves every day to the captain and his crew to navigate La Nébuleuse and share the joy of being aboard with as many people as possible.

La Nébuleuse : over 75 years
but with modern equipment!

Discover the cutting-edge equipment on board our vessel, ensuring our crew can welcome a diverse audience safely and with exceptional comfort aboard!

Certification: NUC Category 1 (all waters)
19 m hull length (32 m overall), 6 m beam
370 m2 of cruising sail area.
Passenger capacity: 60 at berth, 38 day passengers, 18 on cruise (foreign standard = 12).
2 toilets, 3 bathrooms with showers, hot water and sinks.
Heating in all rooms.

12 berths, not just simple facing bunks. 4 double, 2 twin, and 6 single cabins, all featuring: slatted bed bases and Bultex mattresses, individual 230V power, and individual lighting.
A very large mess room accommodating up to 20 guests for dining or socializing.
Screen and video projector, plus internet access.
Commercial-grade fully equipped galley: dishwasher, gas oven, cooktop, refrigerator, freezer, microwave, coffee machine, and professional catering equipment.
Spacious deck fitted with a bimini top.

Safety

The complete absence of a helm allows the crew to see 360° (no passenger on deck is in a blind spot).
Auto-inflating life jackets, fire control panel, dewatering and fire pumps, alarms, radios (VHF, 3 units), GPS, emergency beacon, radar, AIS, Navtex, anemometer, depth sounder, computer with bridge repeater, deck lighting, 13 KVA generator, 3 watertight bulkheads, diving equipment, offshore life rafts, etc.