january 4, 2025

Dear friends of the International Pogo Association,

At the beginning of January 2025, the AIP board wishes you a Happy New Year, good sailing, lots of success in your projects and good health. We hope to see you at our gatherings in the Atlantic, Channel and Mediterranean.

I would like to thank Xavier Poncet and Emmanuel Liron for their work over the past 7 years on the AIP board, which they have just left. A new board, appointed at the close of the Annual General Meeting in November, is now in place to continue the work. We are delighted to welcome two new members to the Board this year: Francois Bothorel as Co-Chairman and Eric Stindel, who will work with Aurelia Stephan as secretary. Agnès Gach continues to manage the treasury. Dominique Le Guillou, Michel Boer, Christophe Jacqueline , Randall Watson , Giuseppe Denti ,Claude Nos and Xavier Rouault continue on the Board of Directors for the organization of events, the website, training courses and tips. I’ve been an AIP member since 2001, when I received my POGO 1. Then I moved on to the 8.50 and 12.50. Once you’ve sailed these boats, it’s hard to change support when you’re caught up in the POGO spirit. I joined the Board in 2021 to organize the Douarnenez meeting, then became President this year. I look forward to meeting you at our events.

This year, the number of gatherings will be increased from three to five, with a major first in the Mediterranean. Several dates are already in your diaries:

-Rassemblement de Loctudy: May 2 to 4.

-Rassemblement Méditerranée: June 7-8 at St Mandrier.

-Rassemblement de Barneville – Carteret: June 21-22.

-Sénane regatta: July 5 in Audierne. This year, the organization will propose a shorter course of 25 to 30 miles for monohulls, so that all competitors arrive at the same time.

-Transmanche rally from August 7 to 10. Start in England and finish in St Malo.

-Douarnenez meeting: September 6 to 7.

Winter onshore training courses will be offered (W4D, diesel engine and sail/nke trimming). If you would like more, please write to us. L’Escale Formation Technique offers a wide range of courses, from seamanship to electricity, electronics and maintenance. It should also be possible to take AIP courses.

But AIP is first and foremost you, the members. I invite you to show your support by renewing your 2025 membership on our website, promoting our activities and letting us know what you want.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind regards

Henri Gourmelon

Photo credits @camille_lenoel

january 4, 2025

Dear friends of the International Pogo Association,

At the beginning of January 2025, the AIP board wishes you a Happy New Year, good sailing, lots of success in your projects and good health. We hope to see you at our gatherings in the Atlantic, Channel and Mediterranean.

I would like to thank Xavier Poncet and Emmanuel Liron for their work over the past 7 years on the AIP board, which they have just left. A new board, appointed at the close of the Annual General Meeting in November, is now in place to continue the work. We are delighted to welcome two new members to the Board this year: Francois Bothorel as Co-Chairman and Eric Stindel, who will work with Aurelia Stephan as secretary. Agnès Gach continues to manage the treasury. Dominique Le Guillou, Michel Boer, Christophe Jacqueline , Randall Watson , Giuseppe Denti ,Claude Nos and Xavier Rouault continue on the Board of Directors for the organization of events, the website, training courses and tips. I’ve been an AIP member since 2001, when I received my POGO 1. Then I moved on to the 8.50 and 12.50. Once you’ve sailed these boats, it’s hard to change support when you’re caught up in the POGO spirit. I joined the Board in 2021 to organize the Douarnenez meeting, then became President this year. I look forward to meeting you at our events.

This year, the number of gatherings will be increased from three to five, with a major first in the Mediterranean. Several dates are already in your diaries:

-Rassemblement de Loctudy: May 2 to 4.

-Rassemblement Méditerranée: June 7-8 at St Mandrier.

-Rassemblement de Barneville – Carteret: June 21-22.

-Sénane regatta: July 5 in Audierne. This year, the organization will propose a shorter course of 25 to 30 miles for monohulls, so that all competitors arrive at the same time.

-Transmanche rally from August 7 to 10. Start in England and finish in St Malo.

-Douarnenez meeting: September 6 to 7.

Winter onshore training courses will be offered (W4D, diesel engine and sail/nke trimming). If you would like more, please write to us. L’Escale Formation Technique offers a wide range of courses, from seamanship to electricity, electronics and maintenance. It should also be possible to take AIP courses.

But AIP is first and foremost you, the members. I invite you to show your support by renewing your 2025 membership on our website, promoting our activities and letting us know what you want.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind regards

Henri Gourmelon

Photo credits @camille_lenoel

Convocation to the AIP AGM 2024

The AIP Board invites you to its 2024 General Meeting, which will be held on Saturday 30 November at the Société Nautique de la Trinité-sur-Mer (Cr des Quais, 56470 La Trinité-sur-Mer – France) at 10am.

For those who will be physically present, we will be organising a “boat sale” to sell equipment that you won’t need next season. For those who won’t be there, don’t forget that you can use the Classifieds section of the website.

The event will conclude with a convivial meal.

The agenda is as follows :

• Approval of the minutes of the 2023 GM
• Chairman’s report
• 2024 financial report
• Presentation and election of members to the Board of Directors
• Outlook for 2025
• Other business

Please let me know if you will be attending by answering before 15 November or by giving me your proxy.

• If you are unable to attend, a video conference will be set up as last year. If you wish to connect, please register with me.
• If you will be attending, please let me know if you will be staying for lunch, and how many seats you’ll need.

Last but not least, I would like to encourage you to stand for election to the Board (to become a member of the bureau) to ensure the continued existence of your association, which now a hundred members.

 

Friendly

Xavier Poncet, president of the AIP

 

The first International Cross-Channel Pogo Event was held on 20 July 2024.

It was under a bright sun that we arrived in Lymington, in the Solent; I thought England was rainy but we enjoyed the English summer, which was on the Friday. At Randall’s invitation, nine pogos had registered. Eventually, due to unforeseen circumstances (incl. Covid…), five boats were able to join us in Lymington and two owners came without their boats; Alice and Henning (Pogo 30), who own a holiday cottage behind the harbour, welcomed us very kindly and hosted our AIP sponsored Apero in their garden, and we spent the evening until quite late talking about … Pogo. (I exaggerate! Our conversation is more varied anyway.)

The next day Keith (Pogo 30, Loulou) prepared a course for us. The Solent is full of permanent regatta buoys. You just have to choose your marks. Aboard Loulou, Keith played the role of the start boat while at anchor, starting us in front of Lymington. He then hoisted sails and chased. With the Isle of Wight to starboard, we set off downwind with a nice breeze, sailed up and across the Solent, turned back and returned to Lymington. We passed an incredible number of other regattas, on all types of craft. Keith gradually brought the whole fleet up, using his local knowledge, his star studded crew, and Loulou (the most spartan Pogo30 ever made!) to close down on the leaders. The two Pogo 36s, Firefly and Steren Du, swapped the lead a few times and despite numerous errors were able to hold off the rampaging Loulou. Firefly finished first, and anchored to establish the line and time the other finishers.

Lymington Town Sailing Club hosted our crew dinner (typically British) and prize giving, but those errors on the bigger boats told the truth as Keith and his crew on Loulou took home first place by less than a minute on corrected time and with it the regatta winner’s flag. Other prizes, gifted by kind sponsors and suppliers, were awarded, and the discussion turned to the next edition of the event to be held in 2025. The evening again ran quite late, as the stories of the day were told and retold, embellishments growing with each new bottle of wine. Before leaving, we made a date for a second edition next year, this time on the other side of the Channel, with a challenge to the Pogos of all the nations along the Channel.

Claude (Balou)
Randall (Firefly)

Pogo Douarnenez 2024 gathering

Saturday, September 7 and Sunday morning, September 8, 2024

Eligibility and registration

The 2024 courses are open to all Pogo class boats. The Winches Club’s Bongo 9.60 will also be taking part.

Maximum number of boats: thirty.

To enable us to organize this event, please register before July 31 . After this date, prices will be increased (if places are available).

Registrations will only be confirmed once payment and insurance certificate have been received.

Competitors who do not have a number in the sail will be asked to indicate this when registering.

Berths in Douarnenez

Free berths are granted to participating boats from the evening of Friday September 1 to Monday morning September 4 inclusive. If a longer period is necessary, we will try to find solutions…

The harbour master’s office will do its utmost to group all Pogo boats together. Please contact us by VHF 9 or telephone (02.97.33.59.51) to reserve a place.

The organization reserves the right to provide the harbor master’s office with any information it may require.

Registration fees

To take part in the Gathering, the skipper/owner of the boat must be up to date with his 2024 A.I.P. membership fee (15€).

The registration fee for the Gathering is 50€ per boat for all series and whatever the number of crew members, who are invited to the Gathering and will only pay for their meals.
Please register directly online on the Events page before July 31.

Insurance

Each participating boat must provide a copy of its civil liability insurance certificate as soon as the application is submitted. Unfortunately, we have great difficulty in obtaining these.

Crew exchange

To ensure that all members of the Association can take part, even those who for one reason or another are unable to bring their own boat, the Organizing Committee will do its utmost to get them on board the participating boats. Whenever possible, we would also like to welcome Winches Club members on our boats.

Stewardship

Participation fees for the Saturday dinner, Sunday breakfast and aperitifs on Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday lunch are €25 per person. Non-sailors are also welcome to attend. For reasons of stewardship, registration for the meal will be closed 8 days before the event. Payment is made in the same way as for registration fees.

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Number of boats already registered : 11

Number of meals : 33

Balou	P 10.50
7ème direction	P 8.50
Dame Blanche	P 8.50
Xanax	P 36
Cavok 2	P 30
X-Ray	P 30
Prim’avel	P 8.50
Jean Baptiste	P 8.50
Braveo	P 10.50
Moana	P 30
Ar Valafenn	P 8.50

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Program

Friday, September 6th

Afternoon welcome
Aperitif at the pontoon.

Saturday September 7th

9am: Briefing.
10am: Start line opens for Saturday’s course.
5.30pm: Closing of the finish line.
7.30pm: Aperitif at the Maison du Nautisme followed by the crew dinner.

Sunday, September 8th

From 8:30 am: breakfast.
10:15 am: Opening of the starting line for the bay course.
1pm: Closing of the finish line.

Rules and course

Proposed routes

Saturday: Douarnenez – Basse du Lys – Douarnenez

Sunday: Douarnenez – Morgat – Douarnenez

Declaration to Maritime Affairs for these courses.

Applicable rules

• Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea (RIPAM)
• Class rules concerned
• Courtesy and good humor

Rules

• Each boat must comply with class/measurement rules and be equipped at least for sailing within 6 miles of shelter.

Responsibility

Each crew participates at their own risk. The decision to participate, continue or interrupt is their sole responsibility. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage, injury or death arising from this event, either before, during or after.

The Organizing Committee looks forward to seeing you there!