Graine d'étoile is sold.

 Ready for new adventures with a new familly, Graine d'étoile is now harboured in a special anchorage, recomanded from cpt cook himself.

Fair winds

Sailing in the lagoon, or round the world, you choose !

You're looking for a comfortable yacht, able to sail you far away from home?
Don't hesitate, Graine d'Etoile our via 42 is ready for you.

Perfect fo liveaboard, very seaworthy and ready for long crossings, Graine d'Etoile is a sailboat that can go everywhere :
  • going up a river or entering a tricky pass to reach a shallow lagoon? it's easy with a 3.3 feet draft and a solid alloy hull
  • planning to sail for long weeks without stopping? Graine d'etoile is ideal due to the modern hull, and great autonomy (water, energy, diesel)
  • want a safe boat with latest technology? Graine d'Etoile is equipped with recent electronics (AIS, iridium,radar, Gyro-pilot, distress beacon...)
  • You can even take Graine d'Etoile with you on to the beach, if you want to clean your hull, or just for fun !

The price

The price of "Graine d'étoile" is

For Australians : AU$121.000(local tax may apply, contact us)
For New Caledonians, Graine d'Etoile is CFP 11.900.000 (local taxes applied only to new caledonia residents)
For Europeans : €90.000 tax free in EEC
For Americans : US$122.000

We deliver the yacht for free in Vanuatu, Fiji, Salomon, Australia, New Zeeland, Malaysia, Thailand and many other indian ocan or pacific ocean destinations. Contact us for details.

If the boat stay under french flag  you can travel with her and save the price of the importation on your territory.

Description of the boat

Built in 1981 - First time in the water 1982.
Built by  : Constructions Maritimes de Paimpol et Fécamp (C.M.P.F. - Via-Marine)

Type VIA 42, n°  14.

Architect : Jean-Louis NOIR (dplg).
Aluminium shoal draft, two-line drifts. Rigged as a sloop.

Lenght  : 12,64 m
Beam : 4,03 m
Draft : 1m to 2.4m

Sails : 95 m2
Diesel Tank : 300 litres
Water Tank : 2 x 300 litres

Visit the boat : the inside (video)


the perfect cyclonic hole

During the past weeks we got a lot of cyclonic alerts around New Caledonia (Vania, Zelia, Anthony and of course Yasi, all packed in one month)

I take time during the current cyclonic pause for explaining one of the advantages of an alloy centerborder. Of course it's perfect for going close to the beach or enter in a very shallow lagoon. However the main advantage is safety by allowing you to pick your place in narrow cyclonic holes.

In New Caledonia, there is no port with a total protection to cyclonic conditions. For example in Nouméa, most of the marina poles are only one feet below the high tide level. If a cyclone strikes at high tide, I let you imagine...

The two good cyclonic holes in New Caledonia are in Bay of Prony (20 miles south of Noumea) and Port Laguerre (12 miles north), where rivers allow to access inland protected waters. However in case of a cyclonic alert both of these shelters are overcrowded, with most of the boat crews having a moderate to low standarts of cyclonic anchoring. The real dangers in these places are the other boats.

We choose Port Laguerre because of its mangrove shores (better than the rocky shores of Prony for an emergency landing) and because part of the place is accessible only for shallow draft boats. Accessing to this place at any time of the tide allow you to arrive first and to pick the deeper place in the mangrove, with no other boat around.

We entered Graine d'étoile in a narrow river branch, less than 30 feet wide, and attached no less than 10 lines to the trees and 4 anchors (that's the time where you are happy to have 4 massive cleats welded on each side of the boat)

We spend three cyclonic alert safely in this place, and without our 3 feet draft our position would have been much less secure.
Frequently .Asked .Questions.


Q : I heard about galvanic corrosion beetween alloy and ballast on older VIA. What is the status of Graine d'étoile?

A : As we know, galvanic electrolysis beetween ballast and hull happened only in VIA42 serial number 1 to 7, the cause was contact beetween the ballast (steel) and the hull. Graine d'étoile is serial number 14.

As we were very concerned by this probleme, we asked for a technical survey when we bought the boat. The ballast superficial caoting was removed, and any electrical contact beetween the ballast and the hull was searched for. At this stage there was a perfect isolation beetween ballast and hull. The ballast was recoated with a product from Sigma designed for this purpose (sigmashield armour compound). All the process was reviewed by the surveyor, and his repport is here (sorry it's in french).

As we know, in all the visible parts of the boat there is no structural elctrolysis up to now.

Q: Are the swinging centerboards wangling?

A:  There are some blocks inserted in the centerboard well that avoid any wanggling of the keels

Q : Is there a dodger above the companionway?

A : We dont have a dodger over the companionway. With the previous main sail, the boom was too low to allow a decent dodger. When we change the main sail, it was an important safety point to get the boom higher. So now there is the space for a dodger.
However, we sailed for 6 years without a dodger, and we where not in a hurry to add one.

Q : I am right saying that adding a compressor ( 1000$ ) will be sufficient for getting a fridge on board?

A: The fridge is still there (under the chart table), the freon circuit is still there, and the electrical circuit is still there. Normally you add a new compressor and fittings, freon, you plug and you have a new fridge. However, I never tested this equipment when I was on board and I can't anticipate if there are no other extra problems. Furthermore, the solar pannel and wind generator which fit correctly our needs without fridge will necessitate to be helped by more engine hours with a fridge. Maybe an extra 100 Ah battery will help also. That said, your evaluation of cost and work souds realistic for me.

Q : Why are you selling?

A : The mother of Anne has been diagnosed with a chronic degenerative deasease. She is in Europe, and we need to go back. As the red see is out-limits for us, we can either sell or sail by good hope cape. Thats a long way for a familly trip. If we found a buyer in Australia (or in new caledonia) it will be faster to go back home flying. But if nobody make a quick offer, we will try to be in Cape town next december.

Q : What is your price? What will be extra cost for delivery?

A: We want 90000 euros in our pockets when we will leave Graine d'étoile. It means that any required taxes have to be paid before (but if you are leaving for a big trip, you don't need to import the boat anywhere, and no taxes are needed).

We could deliver her in any place beetween Brisbanne and Bangkok (or even Mauricius) without additional cost (but it will need some time :), or we offer a 2 weeks technical session in New Caledonia or Vanuatu to get the boat in hand.