Sail Number: F46 / FIN80
Vessel Type: International 6 Metre
LOA: 35.85′ / 10.93m – LWL: 22.96′ / 7.66m – Beam: 6.10′ / 1.86m – Draft: – Hull Number: – Designer: Bjarne Aas – Original Owner: Pierre Bigar – Current Owner: Ossi Paija , Sam Fagerlund – Year Built: 1959 – Built By: Frederickstad – Hull Material: – Gross Displacement: – Sail Area: 480.30 sq ft / 44.62 sq m – Former name(s) Original name: Astrée III, Elan II (renamed 1983) Astrée III (renamed in 2000) – Boat ID: 1959NO01
Historical:
The Astrée III is one of the latest classic 6mR boats in the world. Bjarne Aas designed the boat in 1959 and was his last 6mR. The boat lines were based on Yam Sing 6mR drawings with minor structural changes. The boat spent the first half of the century in the warm Mediterranean, waiting mainly for someone to campaign her. During the summer of 2014 that expectation was rewarded when Astrée III competed against the world’s toughest 6mR fleet in Finland.
Bjarne Aas , was a very productive and successful Norwegian boat designer and builder. Aas designed his first sixth in 1914 and the last one, Astrée III, 45 years later in 1959. During this time, he designed a total of 55 boats in the 6mR class – a total of 24 classic design boats for the third (last) rule. rule season. He designed six of them to win one Olympic gold and three silver, a Gold Trophy five times, a One Ton Cup four times. Aas has also designed a number of other boats, including over 40 5.5m, seven berths, two 12mR boats, numerous offshore boats and off-shore boats (297 boats built), and Viking boats.
Known Racing Record
One Ton Cup 1959 – 4/4, 1961 – 3/4
Regates Printemps 1959 – 1/9, 1960 – 2/7, 1961 – 3/4, 1962 – 2/4
Regates Royales 1960 – 1/3, 1962 – 1/4, 1964 – 1/3
Regates Royales 1980 – 7/11
Spring cup Cannes 1981 – 1/4
Regates Royales 2009 – 1/2
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
- Owner/Guardian: (1959-1964) – Pierre Bigar
- Owner/Guardian: (1964-1983) – Florence J. Gould – received Astrée III bequeathed by Pierre Bigar. Mrs. Gould was a well-known American art collector in France. He founded and owned several five-star hotels and casinos on the French Riviera. His property was auctioned in 1983 after his death and, among other things, the sale of his jewelry became the largest private collection auction to date. Known competitions, captain H. Dunan:
- Owner/Guardian: (1983-2000) – Mr. Moreuil – Florence Gould testified Astrée III to Mr Moreuil, who took the boat to Corsica. She renamed the boat Elan II and the boat was given the sail number F46.
According to the 6mR Hundred Years of Racing book, the boat participated in the 1985 World Championships in Cannes under the name Elan II, being the fastest of the French boats. - Owner/Guardian: (2000-2013) – Jacques Guillaume – bought the boat from Corsica and transported it back to Cannes, where the boat underwent a major overhaul. Jacques is a naval diving officer and after retiring focused on lobster diving. He acquired new sails for the 2009 Cannes Regatta where the boat met the 1933 Midlands. However, the Mediterranean flite had largely disappeared and no competitions were found.