FRENCH KISS yacht

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Built as a 12 metre yacht by Aero Spatiale on the Alubat Boatyard, Pouvreau, France for Marc Pajot sponsored by a syndicate Challenge Kis, France headed by the French businessman Serge Crasnianski.
November 1985 launched at Sete under the name FRENCH KISS.
Displacement 23.9 tons, dim.19.20 x 3.60m.
Sail area 160 square meters.
She was designed by P. Briand, P. Perrier and D. Chaumette.
Aluminium hull, sail No F-7.
Completed in 1986.

She was the first 12 metre yacht to be designed by computer without testing in a test tank.
The RPYC challenged the legality of the FRENCH KISS name, claiming that it was to commercial being associated with the Kiss photo labs. The name was later cleared by an international jury.

1986 She raced in the World Championships where she ended on a fourth place.
1987 Raced in the American Cup Challenger Series in Freemantle under skipper where she represented the Societe Regates Rochhelaise yacht club. She reached the semi finals, but was defeated by the New Zealand yacht
(K 7) KIWI MAGIC 4 - 0.
1996 St Tropez “Rolex Cup”, first place.
1997 Regattas Royals Cannes, first place.
1999 Regattas Royals Cannes, third place.
1999 Raced in the World Championship 12 metre yachts in St, Tropez, France were she ended in a third place.
2000 Regattas Royals in Cannes, third place.
2006 Voiles de St Tropez, first place.

She was later bought by ideaArgo, Italy.
01 August 2007 the FRENCH KISS was bought by Markus Daniel and his friend Christopher Schmidt, and she is sailing now under the flag of the Deutscher Touring Yacht Club at Tutzing, Germany.
Her homeport is Carrara, Italy.

2009 She got new rigging and sails.
2010 Still used as a yacht under the name FRENCH KISS by same owners.

Sierra Leone 1987 2l50 sg1013, scott838.
New Caledonia 1987 70fr sg803, scott554
Solomon Islands 1986 sg570a, scott?
Grenadines of St Vincent 1988 $2 sg550, scott8804. (she is the yacht in the background of the stamp, the yacht in the foreground is the ITALIA.)

Source: Watercraft Philately. Wikipedia, and various web-sites.

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Solomon Isl. 1986 $1 sg570a, scott570j