Vaton prototype Charles Heidseick 3

Charles Heidseick III

A 54-foot IOR in light alloy came out of the Pouvreau boatyard in 1980. This first big ocean-racing unit designed

for Alan Gabbay established itself as the most advanced of its generation. It narrowly missed victory in the

81/82 Whitbread, coming second to the maxi Flyer. It then took third spot in the SORC, won the EDHEC 83,

the Quebec-Lorient Transatlantic in the monohull category and then the Nioulargue 86 for IORs. It was second in the

La Rochelle – Quebec Transatlantic race before being converted into a long-range cruiser, still participating in an occasional regatta.