After the grumbling of the sailors of Saint-Malo, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, the skipper of Saint-Malo, goes up to the crenel to denounce the privatization of the sea on the occasion of the departure which will be given Sunday, November 4th. Explanations.
"The sea is, by definition, a public domain, free and inalienable. " After the boaters dissatisfied with being quartered in the southern zone of the start of the Route du Rhum, it is Thibaut Vauchel-Camus who goes up to the crenel. The Malouin skipper, who will be at the helm of Solidaires en Peloton - Arsep named after the foundation that fights against multiple sclerosis, denounces the fact that OC Sport, the organizer of the Route du Rhum has "appropriated the right to pay a portion of the water " on the occasion of departure.
Freedom and security
In a precise argument, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus recalls that "the maritime prefecture, by its decree n ° 2018/115 gave to OC Sport the responsibility of managing the accreditations on the zone of race and the safety of the body of water". For the first time in the history of the Route du Rhum, it was decided to keep boaters in the southern part of the race zone and passenger ships in the northern zone. "Even if there is an impediment to the freedom of navigation, this decision is justified for the safety of all," he says.
The tax that makes you cough
On the other hand, the skipper who manages the whole of his project unlike other competitors, denounces the billing related to passenger boats that will follow the departure. "The accreditation of these stars is effective when a tax of 15 € HT per person is paid. It is based on the maximum capacity of the ship in category 3. So if the ship has a capacity of 200 people and only accepts 180 people on board, the tax is paid for 20 people who are not there ". The cost of this tax of 15 € in case of departure from Saint-Malo. But if the stars depart from Saint-Cast or Erquy, "we must add the cost of the mandatory search of passengers." On Sunday, during a meeting between the skipper and OC Sport, the race management conceded that he was going to take a closer look at this so that only the number of passengers actually on board would be paid, and see for the cost additional passenger search.
A lucrative volunteer
For all that Thibaut Vauchel-Camus does not stop there. For him this tax to pay back to the organizer is not fair. "For the safety of the water, large public resources are implemented and may be billed to the organizer. This is agreed and can be budgeted by the latter. Why is it the public to assume this cost? The skipper also wondered about the volunteer recruitment campaign launched in recent days. "The SNBSM volunteers were asked by OC Sport to accompany the services of stars to passenger (reception of customers at the station, accompanying boarding, service at sea, and even cleaning ships ...). It's still a lucrative system that volunteers do not want to participate in. "
A cost of access to the show
On the bottom, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus deplores the principle of a "cost of access to the show. We accept the security instructions as a citizen but it can not cost 15 €, or even a third of 15 €. OC Sport puts on an outstanding sporting show at sea, and works hard for its success, the skipper admits. But does this require a ticketing system? We are evolving on a public domain. We provide the stands with our chartered and independently paid stars. We pay for ships that are in good standing with the authorities to come with our supporters that we have managed ourselves, and not with an audience recruited by communication. We paid to be at the start as a sports project. "
In the end, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus deplores a multitude of small facts that caused his public position. "It is not today that I denounce all these points. But my requests to the race management have always remained unanswered. It is not because time does not work in our favor that we have to allow ourselves to be accepted and accept this situation on the pretext that the deadline for departure is approaching ". The answer of OC Sport, the organizer of the Route du Rhum should not delay.