Bruno Peyron, in full Bruno Tristan Peyron, (born November 10, 1955, Angers, France), French yachtsman who set a number of sailing records and was a three-time winner (1993, 2002, 2005) of the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest trip around the world under sail.
Peyron, who was the oldest of two nautical world-champion brothers, was raised in La Baule in southern Brittany’s Loire Valley. As a young child, he fell in love with the ocean when his father and mentor, an oil-tanker captain, taught him to sail. As a teenager, Peyron began pursuing a lifelong goal: “to break every speed record on all the oceans of the world.” He soon matured into a regularly honoured sailor on the international offshore multihull racing circuit.
Peyron successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean 27 times, 11 of them solo. In 1987 he was awarded France’s equivalent of Athlete of the Year, and from that time he ranked as the top Formula One (boats longer than 21 metres [70 feet]) skipper. During 1987, while racing only against his brother, he set his first record for sailing single-handedly across the Atlantic from New York to England—11 days 11 hours 46 minutes. He improved that solo record with a transatlantic voyage of less than 10 days in July 1992.
During this time Peyron was also focusing on Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days (1872), in which the fictional Phileas Fogg traveled the globe by train, boat, and elephant. In 1990 Peyron joined the Association Tour du Monde en 80 Jours, a confederation of 15 sailors whose goal was to reenact the voyage with the use of modern technology. In 1993 Peyron and his four-man crew challenged Fogg’s seemingly unattainable record on the high seas. On January 31 they set out aboard the high-tech, sail-powered, 26-metre (86-foot) Commodore Explorer, the world’s largest catamaran. Over the next several months, Peyron and crew survived turbulent storms, glacial and gale-force winds, 19-metre (65-foot) waves, a near capsize, crew members washed overboard, and, on the 70th day, a collision with two sperm whales—the second time a hull on the vessel was damaged. As Commodore sailed, Peyron added more speed records to the history books—9 days to the Equator, 23 days to South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, 33 days to Australia’s Cape Leeuwin, and 53 days to South America’s Cape Horn—and covered a historic 507 miles (816 km) in a 24-hour run to complete the legendary voyage. Without stopping or receiving outside assistance, Peyron journeyed more than 27,000 nautical miles, averaging 21.12 knots. On April 20, 1993, Peyron and his crew completed the race, in a time of 79 days, 6 hours, and 15 minutes, to win the newly created Jules Verne Trophy. Their time shattered the previous circumnavigation sailing record of 109 days set in 1990.
Peyron won his second Jules Verne Trophy in 2002, when he and a crew of 13 aboard the catamaran Orange finished the race in 64 days, 8 hours, and 37 minutes. Three years later he set another record as he and the crew of the Orange II circumnavigated the globe in 50 days, 16 hours, and 20 minutes.
Written by: Beverly E. Sorkin

Guinee 2006;15 000fg. Source:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bruno-Peyron

Marc Pajot (born 21 September 1953 in La Baule) is a French sailor.
Noted for winning the Silver medal at the 1972 Olympics at 19 with is older brother Yves.
In 1973Marc Pajot sets out to conquer the oceans under the wing of Eric Tabarly and crosses the Cap Horn at the age of 20 during the first team race around the world, the Whitbread (See Volvo Ocean Race).
He is 5 times world champion and 7 times French Champion, winner of the cross-Atlantic Route du Rhum, twice semi-finalist representing France at the America’s Cup as a Project Manager and Skipper, he has been representing French sailing achievement around the world.
He sets the professional standards for high seas regattas by promoting his sponsors, amongst which Paul Ricard and Elf Aquitaine with whom he will lead on to accomplish extraordinary performances.
He takes the 2nd place in 1979 at the double handed transatlantic race Lorient-Burmuda-Lorient with the hydrofoil Paul Ricard. His Elf Aquitaine catamarans – will enable him to accomplish a series of performances between 1980 and 1983: Winner La Baule Dakar race 1980. Atlantic record holder in 1981. Winner singlehanded race Route du Rhum 1982. Marc Pajot has so far crossed 15 times the Atlantic Ocean as a skipper, crew member, or single handed. During those 25 years of competitions, Marc Pajot has managed and overseen the conception and creation of over 15 boats from 45 to 100 ft. Member of French Maritime Academy, the French Yacht Club, and the Monaco Yacht Club he is now settled in Cannes, Côte d’Azur, running a Yacht Selection activity and a consulting activity in marina landscaping.
Centrafricaine 1961;50f;Sg780.
Source:http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Marc_Pajot

Cook Islands issued four stamps for the 6th anniversary of the Pacific Arts in Rarotonga in 1992.

The 80c stamp shows what I believe a canoe for migration voyages, she carries two crab claw sails, this double hulled canoe which originated in the Hawaii Island, where it was called a “wa’a kaulua” canoe, see: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10833&p=14777&hilit=wa%27a+kaulua#p14777

The $1 and $1.15 have the same design. Also on three of the stamps are mythology sculptures from the Cook Islands which were of important ancestral figures. These ancestors were often the first voyageurs to land on the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands 1992 80c/$1.15 sg 1311/14, scott 1111/1114

Mike Birch is a Canadian navigator. He was born on November 1, 1931 in Vancouver, Canada. Mike Birch entered the world of competitive sailing late, after being a cowboy, a little adventurer, having embarked on freighters and made many escorts. He enters into competition late, but with a crash. It is first his second place in the Ostar 1976 with the smallest trimaran of the fleet, Third Turtle, 31 feet! It is then his anthology victory in the very first Route du Rhum. On board his trimaran Olympus, he caps Michel Malinowski 98 seconds, in front of the finish line. This very spectacular victory will mark the end of the victories in monohulls and the supremacy of the multi, faster boats but also often less reliable, especially at that time (another famous trimaran took the start of this same race and never arrived, Manureva, ex-Pen Duick IV of Tabarly, with Alain Colas at the helm). Since then, this fan of multihulls, big or small - he will be at the helm of the maxi catamaran Formula Tag in the 1980s -, has participated in all major offshore races, and very often shines: English Transat, Route du Rhum, Twostar , Race of Europe. He will be crowned twice world champion Fico. Even today, more than 70 years old, the Canadian skipper (married to a Frenchwoman) remains an indefatigable passionate, always present at the beginning of the big transatlantic ones. Faithful to Quebec-St Malo since its creation, it will participate in its sixth edition aboard a trimaran of 50 feet on which it has sailed a lot, Nootka. Рrize list: Six participations in the English transatlantic race, 2nd in 1992 and 1976. Five participations in Quebec-St Malo. Fico World Champion 1991 and 1992. Winner Lorient-St Barth-Lorient 1989 on Fujicolor. Winner of Monaco New York in 1985 on Formula Tag.
Centrafricaine 1961;80f;Sg782 Source:http://philippe.hillion1.free.fr/mb.htm. https://translate.google.com/translate? ... .wikipedia .org/wiki/Mike_Birch&prev=search

The stamp issued in 1981 by French Polynesia showing a painting of Pointe Venus painted by the British Naval Officer George Tobin (1768-1838) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_To ... vy_officer)

The painting was made in 1792 when Tobin as third Lieutenant was on board of HMS PROVIDENCE under Capt. Bligh command on his second bread fruit voyage from Tahiti in company with the ASSISTANT under command of N. Portlock. The ASSISTANT was an ex mercantile Gosport Packet. The ships are British as can be seen on the flag on the stern. In 1792 very seldom British ships made calls at Tahiti.

I assume that the painting shows this two vessels at anchor off Pointe Venus at Tahiti, but can’t find a confirmation if it is true.

HMS PROVIDENCE : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6666
ASSISTANT : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13017

French Polynesia 1981 120f sg 359, scott? The native craft is a Vaka Motu : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13414

Kazimierz "Kuba" Jaworski (born October 17, 1929 in Augustów, died July 8, 2005 in Szczecin) - Polish sailor, yacht captain of great navigation, yacht constructor.
One of the best Polish sailing sailors. His cruises on yachts of his own design: Spaniel and Spaniel II were symbols of the achievements of Polish sailing.
Kazimierz "Kuba" Jaworski began his adventure with sailing in 1939 on Lake Głęboczek. During the occupation, the family was displaced to Krakow. After the war, he won the first sailing classes in Gdynia, and then he was active in the Krakow Yacht Club "Szkwał". He then starts in regatta in classes "N", "H" and Finn. He organized the Cracow District Sailing Association, in which he was the first president and later a long-term secretary. In the 1960s, he started working in the construction office of the Szczecin yacht shipyard. In 1961, he obtained the patent of the yacht captain of the great shipping. He competed in the regatta on Folkboatach, and in 1969 and 1970 he won the Polish Championship at ENIFA. He was also a champion in the IOR II class on Ogar (70s), and in 1975 he won the Polish Championship in the IOR I class on the Spaniel yacht. In 1976, he ranks 3rd in the general classification in the transatlantic regatta of lone sailors, and in the Jester second class. After the regatta, he was invited as an honor guest of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the United States and received the title of honorary citizen of Chicago. On the Spanielek yacht in 1977, in the Mini-Transat regatta, it ranks second. His yacht Spaniel II was the fastest single-hulled yacht on the OSTAR'80 regatta route.
He withdrew from the active sport in the 1980s, after an incomprehensible decision to sell the yacht Spaniel II by the Polish Sailing Association. He was buried at the Central Cemetery in Szczecin (plot 48d). In front of the Szczecin Archcathedral Basilica of Saint. Jakuba stands a monument commemorating Szczecin's yacht captains, among others Kazimierz Jaworski.
He was a co-constructor of the Polonez yacht.
For his achievements, he was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland. Twice he received the Cruise of the Year award - Silver Sextant (1976 and 1977).
Centrafricaine 1961;60f;Sg781.
Source:https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimierz_Jaworski_(%C5%BCeglarz)

Cornelis "Conny" van Rietschoten (23 March 1926 – 17 December 2013) was a Dutch yacht skipper who was the only skipper to win the Whitbread Round the World Race twice. Born in Rotterdam, van Rietschoten was unknown as a sailor even in his own waters before competing in the 1977–78 Whitbread Round the World Race. At 45, the industrialist had retired from active business and was looking for a fresh challenge. He had read reports about the first Whitbread Race, saw it as the opportunity of a lifetime – and grabbed it with both hands. A circumnavigation was something his Father, Jan Jacob, had always wanted to do but never found the time. What set Van Rietschoten ahead of the established sailing names like Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Éric Tabarly was a professional business approach to his campaigns. His eight-year tenure at the top of the sport spelled the end of amateur gung-ho ocean racing entries. He may well have continued to see himself as an amateur, but he set levels of professionalism within the sport that were not repeated until Peter Blakealso won every leg with his Steinlager 2 in the 1989–90 Whitbread Round the World Race. Van Rietschoten was first to undertake extensive trials and crew training before the race, and invested in research to improve crew clothing, rigs and weather forecasting techniques. For his first Whitbread yacht, Conny van Rietschoten turned to American designers Sparkman & Stephensto design a more modern version of the Swan 65 production yacht Sayula II, which had won the first Whitbread race in 1973/74. The new Flyer, built in aluminium by Jachtwerf W. Huisman, was also a ketch, but with a longer waterline and more sail area. After winning the transatlantic race, the Flyer crew found their greatest rival to be another Swan 65, the sloop rigged British yacht King's Legend, with Nick Ratcliffe as the skipper and American Skip Novak as the navigator. 1,000 miles from Cape Town, the two crews found themselves within sight of each other, before Flyer pulled ahead to win the first leg of the race from Portsmouth by 2 hours 4 minutes. On the second leg to Auckland, New Zealand, King's Legend stole the upper hand, and soon had a 360mile lead over Flyer as the Whitbread fleet raced across the Southern Ocean, but then suffered a leak, which slowed her progress. At the finish, Conny van Rietschoten’s crew had cut King's Legend’slead back to within 1 hour 15 minutes. The third leg around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro proved something of an anti-climax as far as the race was concerned, for Kings Legend suffered a broach and water wiped out her radio. Without weather forecasts, Novak and his crew were at a distinct disadvantage and fell almost 60 hours behind Flyer. On the final leg back to Portsmouth, Van Rietschoten and his crew had only to shadow Kings Legend home which they did, finishing 2 hours behind the British yacht, to win the Whitbread Race on handicap. Flyer was recently refitted by the original manufacturer.
The 1981/82 Whitbread Race saw Conny van Rietschoten’s maxi sloop Flyer II designed by German Frers matched against Peter Blake’s 68 ft Bruce Farr designed Ceramco New Zealand. Ceramco New Zealand was dismasted during the first leg to give Flyer II a run-away victory on this first stage of the race to Cape Town, but thereafter, the two yachts raced neck-and-neck around the rest of the world. It was at the height of this competition when Conny van Rietschoten showed the steely side of his character. He suffered a heart attack when their yacht was deep into the Southern Ocean, en route to Auckland, New Zealand. Van Rietschoten swore his crew to secrecy, and would not even allow the Flyer II doctor Julian Fuller to call a cardiologist aboard their rival yacht Ceramco for advice. “The nearest port was 10 days away and the critical period is always the first 24–36 hours,” he recalled later. “Ceramco was already breathing down our necks. If they had known that I had a health problem, they would have pushed their boat even harder. When you die at sea, you are buried over the side. Perhaps those Ceramco boys might then have spotted me drifting by. And that I was determined would be the only thing they would see or hear from Flyer II on the matter!” Flyer II pulled out a 9 hour lead by Auckland, but Ceramco New Zealand won the leg on handicap. The race from there to Cape Horn was one of constantly swapping places. Half way across the Pacific, they were within sight of each other, and also rounded Cape Horn together. Flyer II got to Mar del Plata first to take line honours, but the Ceramco New Zealand crew were rewarded with 2nd on handicap. Conny van Rietschoten and his crew finished first again back at Portsmouth, followed by Ceramco New Zealand to take line honours for the Race, and with the rest of the fleet becalmed near the Azores, took handicap honours too – the first crew to win both line and handicap honours in the history of the Race. Van Rietschoten and his crew also set two world records: The fastest Noon to Noon run of 327 miles, and the fastest circumnavigation of 120 days. In 1948 Conny van Rietschoten and his friend Morin Scott sailed their Dragon class yacht Gerda from Cowes England across the North Sea to Arendal to compete in that year's Dragon Gold Cup world championship. They did not win, but Crown Prince Olaf of Norway proclaimed the two sailors the best at the regatta for sailing by far the furthest distance. Since the 1980s the Conny van Rietschoten Trophy has been awarded each year as the best Dutch sailor.December 2013, Conny van Rietschoten died in Portugal.
Centrafricaine 1961;40f;Sg779.
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conny_van_Rietschoten