Sailing in its simplest form
Several times a week in Barcelona, dozens of amateur sailors get together to enjoy racing some atypical craft whose origins date back to the beginning of the last century. The “Patí de vela” in Catalan, or, in Spanish, “Patí a vela” [literally, “Sailing Skate”], has become one of the emblems of the Catalan capital. This small catamaran, now a one-design class, has the particularity of being driven by a lateen-rigged sail, but most notably, not having a steering system - or any appendages whatsoever. Just a stone’s throw from the AC75s, the flying machines of the next America’s Cup, due to take place here in Barcelona in August and September 2024, we invite you aboard to share in a fast, sporty, environmentally friendly, simple - but not without elegance - form of sailing that’s winning fans the world over.
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Publié le
11/07/2023
Par
Numéro :
SP20
Parution :
Aug.
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Sep.
2023
With less than a quarter hour to go before the race’s first warning signal, there are still no boats in sight on Somorrostro beach, close to Port Olimpic. The course markers have been laid, the sea is calm, the wind is blowing 225° at 10 to 15 knots, and the sun is shining. All that’s missing are the participants in one of the five weekly races organized by the Club Patí Vela Barcelona. Where other committee boat crew might be starting to get impatient, the race director is very chilled: “You’ll see, everyone will be on the line on time. People leave the office for their mid-day break and quic…
