The Omaha Beach Nautical Club between water, wind and sails

Despite an unstable summer unfavorable for swimming, the Omaha Beach Yacht Club continued its sailing activities. The newspaper recalled its existence since the 1960s, followed by a period of quasi-stop and then a revival in 1982. It welcomed children from the age of seven or eight and adults for sailing and windsurfing, whether they are residents of the coast, the hinterland or vacationers.

The club was led by Thierry Vieujot, president, Pierre Chedal-Anglay, vice-president, Mr. Soudon, treasurer, and Mr. Benoist, deputy treasurer. The instructors recruited that year were Arnaud, Frédéric and Nathalie, students respectively from Rouen, the Paris region and Colleville-sur-Mer.

From July 1 to August 15, they taught classes from Monday to Friday, with an average of two trips of three and a half hours a day, then the storage and maintenance of equipment. A friendly evening often extended the weekend. The CNOB recorded about a hundred registrations per season, from the beginner to the experienced practitioner, especially among the families of the beach and neighboring villages.

The fleet included Optimist for starters, light dinghys and catamarans, including a Kat 10 Junior for children already initiated. A Hobie Cat 16, fast and intended for the most experienced, had just arrived.

The school ran by weeks. The mandatory FFV license cost forty-five francs for sixteen days of school, child or adult, or one hundred francs a year for a child and two hundred for an adult. A swimming license of at least fifty meters, which could be passed to the lifeguard post, was required. Course prices depended on the boat and decreased when several members of a family registered. The information was then given to the club, after the Vierville first aid station, or at 31 22 10 10 and 31 22 41 13.

After two weeks of activity, there was a slight decrease in attendance compared to previous years. Nevertheless, the newspaper emphasized the interest of the wind for sailing and presented this practice as a complete sport, collective or solitary, which required dealing with the air and the sea.

Archive image: https://vierville.cordelle.eu/Photos2008/1993-CNOB93.jpg