The oldest document in Kli-Kli’s archive is a letter written in graceful handwriting by Michael Joubert, the gentleman who laid the blueprint for boat construction.
Born in 1943, Michael Joubert, the naval architect, is remembered for his work in the Joubert-Nivelt bureau. Since 1974, by the joint design with Bernard Nivelt, in offices near La Rochelle, France. In further years, this design studio will produce hundreds of blueprints for motorboats, mono, and multi-hull sailboats. In total, it is estimated that more than 25.000 boats were made, many of which became iconic in the yachting world.
Joubert – Nivelt design studio
The work of Joubert-Nivelt was recognized by the biggest shipyards and skippers that take part in the most prestigious world regattas. Incredible race boat collection of the bureau includes the first Charente-Maritime multihull winner of several transits in the early 1980s; the Diva, winner of the Admiral’s Cup; or Dennis Conner’s Stars and Stripes, which won the America’s Cup in 1988, etc.
On the production boat side, the list of Michel Joubert designs is long:
- the Latitude 46 Tofinou;
- several of the Fountaine-Pajot boats,
- the Archambault A35s,
- the Bénéteau trawlers;
- motor yachts for the Ocea des Sables-d ‘shipyards,
- Olonne…
Joubert could design steel exploration sailboats, as well as traditional or one-design sailboats. This joyful man without his tongue in his pocket loved life, vintage cars and loved to travel to remote lands aboard his boats designed like a “Jeep”.
Voites et Voilires – Michel Joubert disparition d’un géant de l’architecture
“There is a French school of naval architecture and he is one of those who helped create it,”
Olivier Racoupeau, a naval architect in La Rochelle.
We dignify the French school of naval architecture in more open, pluralist, uninhibited designs of motorboats, sailboats, or multihulls. Michel Joubert’s approach was a priori eclectic, he is one of those great pioneers who brought sailing to the masses and invented the naval architecture of today: He thought of a boat according to the happiness it provides during usage, whether for pleasure, travel or sailing regatta
“Along with a few others like Philippe Harlé, Jean-Marie Finot, André Mauric, they represent the history of the yachting industry“
Naval architect Alain Mortain.
Correspondence with Michael Joubert on the construction of the “Kli-Kli”
The first document in extensive “Kli-Kli” archival documents is a handwritten letter, dated on 8th March 1973, by Michael Joubert. The subject of the letter is a description and technical details of the “Sigma 40” plan.
The photograph above shows Bernard and Joubert at their studio. In the background, behind them on the wall, the left plan is very similar to the plan of Sigma 40 – our sailboat Kli-Kli
References and suggestions for further readings:
- Benetau: Architects and Designers – Joubert – Nivelt
- Le Marin: Décès de Michel Joubert, pionnier de l’architecture navale française
- Voiles et Voiliers: Michel Joubert disparition d’un géant de l’architecture
- www.boat-specs.com: Joubert Nivelt Design