Regalade, Shpountz 38-40Ref. CP115

Daniel Zadig Bombigher was a French Naval Architect of Rumanian origins whose work was characterised by a very personal style. He joined his passion for the traditional sailing to his knowledge of modern wood techniques of moulding together with his gypsy origins. His work started around the end of the Sixties and lasted until his sudden death, at the beginning of the new millennium when only 60 years old. His designs are nowadays still proposed on the market by her disciple Hervé Coutard and his daughter Zoé Bombigher. His aim on his activity was to offer to sailing globetrotters a range of beautiful boats, mainly gaff schooner rigged and built using the most advanced wood techniques available, as moulding with the use of resorcinik and epoxy resins apt to drastically reduce the maintenance exigences of classic built boats. Obviously enough this blend of traditional themes and modern technology has been and still is a polemical matter among passionate people! Bombigher used to say that the schooner rig is the handiest for short handed crews, as it divides big sailing surfaces (around 130 sqm in the Regalade case) among different sails, each one easy to handle. He used to affirm that his masts were cracking-proof and he even stated that "you can test them against a low bridge and even then the outcome its unsure!" A nice overstatement typical of his charming spirit. The fine lines of his hulls would deliver sweet sailing and quick manoeuvring. Bombigher used to say that the average heeling on his boats was about 8º to 10º. The lateral view of this design reveals a very traditional hull wit reduced wetted surface and fast vessel touches. She is then a boat that fullfils what she promises: easy and safe sailing in every weather condition, picturesque appearance and ample space down below decks thanks to the absence of full bulkheads, reduced maintenance thanks to the wood treated with modern techniques. As a curiosity, the Shpountz name was used by Rumanian Gypsies to name the village's fool; a fool however that following Bombigher knows the secret of the winds, the spring and the flowers and a flower whose stem ends up on an anchor is the signature of these models that appears on the sails and in other details. The number of the Spountz models has no relation with their dimensions: they are the calibers of Bombigher's preferred guns! The Regalade was built by her first owner with the Bombigher's help. Her present second owner found her in poor shape around fifteen years ago. He had to fully rebuild the external wooden layer, a work that was carried out by an expert shipwright. Since then he has lovingly kept her in good shape. He sailed with Regalade all around the Mediterranean Sea. He proudly remembers a plus 10 force storm that he had to confront to without any help, as his mate was seasick and out of work. The boat was easy to handle and responded well in any situation. Today she sparkles in perfect shape, clean and well painted, with a very good engine and new sails. She seems ready to any sailing program or long term living on board that his next owner should fancy doing.