The previous header photo was of Louis Pillon and his restored Monotype de Chatou. The Monotype de Chatou was a French follow-on to the American Lark scow, the Lark being originally introduced to France as the Monotype de Dinard. Designed in 1901 by Francois Texier, the Monotype de Chatou featured soft bilges rather than the boxy, chine shape of the Lark and the wide scow bow of the Lark was pinched in. The Monotype de Chatou was France's first popular dinghy with over 100 being built.
The drawing below is from the Wikipedia entry on the Monotype de Chatou.
A photo of the three of the original French build of the American Lark scow, the Monotype de Dinard.
Chatou was a western suburb of Paris, fronting the Seine River. There was a yacht club on the narrow island where the fleet of Monotype de Chatou's were moored. From Google Maps.
In 1906, the French painter, Maurice de Vlamink, painted this scene (in the style of Van Gogh). Painted from the vantage point of Île de Chatou, it is likely the moored sailboat was a stylized Monotype de Chatou.
A rescue performed by a Monotype de Chatou. I'm not sure if the swamped vessel is another Monotype de Chatou. If this was a romantic Sunday sail, I would bet the lady being dragged over the gunwhale by the rescuers didn't bargain on being completely soaked by this mis-adventure.
Love the new header! Thanks for knowing so much about this area of our sport --
ReplyDelete