Cruising World – August 2019

BOATS & GEAR

F

rench boatbuilder

Henri Wauquiez cut

quite the dashing fig-

ure. As a pilot in the French

army in the mid-1950s, he

earned a medal of valor for his

reconnaissance flights over

the mountains of Algeria, a

country then torn by conflict.

After his service, he began his

boatbuilding career a decade

later with a 30-footer called

the Elizabethan. But he be-

came famous and successful

for his Centurion, Gladiateur

and Prétorian models, all

names from one of his favorite

works of literature, perhaps

not coincidentally, Jean

Lartéguy’s Guerre d ’Algérie (The

War of Algeria). For several

decades, he was a fixture at

boat shows around the planet,

trim and handsome, looking

every bit the French war hero.

Seriously, he was right out of

central casting.

Alas, Wauquiez is no

longer with us, but his name

and legacy continues at the

Wauquiez Shipyard, primarily

with a series of pilot-saloon

yachts, including the latest,

the Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42.

It’s designed by ubiquitous

naval architecture firm Berret-

Racoupeau, perhaps the most

prolific sailboat designers

of this period. (The boat is

imported and sold in the

United States by Dream Yacht

Charters.)

It seems odd to call a

pilot-saloon yacht a rather

“traditional” configuration—

it wasn’t long ago at all that

Oyster and Moody, and many

copycats, made the raised

deck such a popular option—

but in these current days of

beamy, voluminous rocket

ships, the notion is almost

quaint. And don’t get me

wrong—the 42 certainly has

modern features: a nearly max

waterline, twin wheels and

rudders, a drop-down transom

with swim/boarding deck, and

a hull chine that opens up the

interior and carries the beam

well aft. But it’s also a bit of a

throwback.

It certainly is a solidly

built one. The composite

construction is resin-infused

with a balsa core that extends

the length and breadth of the

hull, from the toe rail to the

keel, with an outer coat of

vinylester to prevent water

intrusion. The bulkheads are

laminated marine plywood

that are tabbed in to provide

a secondary bond to the hull.

The nicely finished interior

furniture is teak. There is a

substantial bulwark on deck

capped with more teak.

Once you descend the six

steps from the cockpit into

the saloon (and the term “pilot

saloon” is a bit of a misnomer;

there are no steering controls

to pilot the boat from down

below), there is a whole lot

going on. The most immediate

and striking feature is the

dimmable glass (and yes, that’s

real glass), an unusual sight in a

sailboat, facilitated by sensors

embedded in the electrically

charged wraparound window.

With its blue tint, it certainly

provides atmosphere. Like,

very cool.

The layout of our test boat

included the owner’s stateroom

aft (alternatively, you could opt

for a pair of double cabins).

The berth is roomy and com-

fortable, with easy side entry,

HEROIC Effort

A throwback to an earlier time, the WAUQUIEZ PILOT SALOON 42 is a fitting

tribute to the French war hero who founded the brand.

BY HERB McCORMICK

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