Historic sailboat from the Cuthbertson & Cassian (C&C) shipyard (Ontario, Canada). This 50-foot One Off Prototype, built in 1971 during the golden age of the IOR, it was then named « Phantom ». A true thoroughbred: 50 feet, 19 winches including two coffee grinders, an oversized sail plan, a sleek, slim, powerful silhouette, designed for the most demanding offshore races.
Valiant aka Phantom 1971/1972
This racing machine took part in the great classics:
– Newport – Bermuda (finishing ahead of Tabarly and Pen Duick VI in corrected time) – Sydney – Hobart
– Admiral’s Cup
– Transpac,
To name a few.
In 2006/2007, after a final delivery trip from San Diego in the United States, she was left, rotting on an anchorage in New Zealand. She remained there for sixteen years — slowly becoming a wreckage.
MEETING HER SAVIOR.
Meanwhile, 10.000 km East, Charlotte Aka « Charly », was completing a road trip in Antartica and Argentina, when she got word of this boat « For Sale ».
« Charly » has been in the boat field for more than 20 years, crewing, racing, chartering, delivering classic and modern yachts, struggling to get the place she deserve in that tough field.
Before knowing its pedigree, she knew almost immediately, it was the boat of her life.
Few weeks later, she shows up in New Zealand, and buy the boat. The savage can began.
After 16 years rotting on that mooring, the task is tremendous:
From keel to rigging, from deck to engine room, from stern to cleats, everything has to be fixed or most of the time, restored.
Charly will heal her « baby » for 11 months, 24/7, all by herself, with barly no help. After months of struggle, Phantom, know renamed « VALIANT » (the Knight), is resurected, and ready for it coming back.
THE DESERT CROSSING.
Charly wants Valiant to get back as soon as possible on race circuit, and after the last months of struggle, she has no fear, so she heads headwind to participate to some races on her way back to Europe. In Polynesia the rigging failed after some renovation in a local shipyard, ruining most of her hope to qualify for her scheduled entries. Fighting against lawyers, crook shipyards, broken bones, exhaustion, she finally makes it it to the French West Indies with Valliant’s broken rigging. There she can finally get the rigging properly fits, but vaccuming most of her last savings.
Nonetheless, they will participate to the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2025.
Valiant and Charly are back on track, for good.
Valiant Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2025
GETING BACK INTO SHAPE FOR THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE.
After the small pause in the carabean, Charly and Valiant head to the Med, to get Valiant to stretch its legs, and getting back into shape. As soon as they touch ground in France, they participate to the « Régates Royales of Cannes 2025 », before resting a little during winter.
In Spring 2026, they participate to the « Toulon Provence Regatta » as guest, as well as other Local French regattas. But Charly’s mind is seeking another challenge at the level of her thoroughbred:
« La Route du Rhum » 2026 Atlantic race !
RACING YACHT VALIANT C&C 1971 