Wooden boats regularly die early deaths of natural causes; fiberglass boats must be assassinated.
Don Casey
A Classic Plastic
Jean-du-Sud is the 399th hull of the Alberg 30 model. She was built in 1969 by the Whitby Boat Works ltd. She was originally named Gump by her first owner, Philip Calnan (1929-2022), who allegedly sank her. She was then purchased in 1973 by its former skipper and second owner, Yves Gélinas, and was given her current name. Yves Gélinas sailed her more than 30 000 NM, most notably in a circumnavigation that made her pretty famous through pioneering films. In 2022, she has been entrusted to its third and current skipper.
Name Origins
The name « Jean du Sud » comes from Gilles Vigneault’s song of the same name.
The litteral translation would be « John of the South », but the meaning is closer to the nickname « Southy John ».
The lyrics and translation are presented at the end of this page.
The song depicts an upbeat but goofy skipper whose eyes light up each times he tells of stories at sea. It also paint the skipper’s reputation as someone who knows about carrying contraband at least as much as about fishing or sailing. The last strophes of the song describe a storm where Jean du Sud meets his end and finally becomes a Captain… at the bottom of the sea.
The song describes Gilles Vigneault’s father. He lived in Natashquan, a village on the banks of the St-Lawrence river. The song refers to several places surrounding the village. The lyrics and the rythms of the song depicts a tongue in cheek tale of someone very good a telling sailing stories. Although it is fairly representative of the sixties genre in Québec, it is a lesser known song. It is however a rare occurence of Québec music that explicitly explores the sailing culture.
Jean-du-Sud and Culture
Jean-du-Sud is the object of several cultural elements related to sailing. In particular:
- It is the sailboat in the movie « Jean-du-Sud around the world » of the sailor and moviemaker Yves Gélinas.
- It was the object of an article of Radio-Canada (CBC) for its passation to Pier du Sud.
- He is referenced in the documentary « Ces voiliers qu’on ne doit pas laisser mourir » (these sailboats that should not die) from the Fabrique Culturelle.
- It is the model in one of Anne Bilodeau’s paintings (image above).
Specs and Rigging
- General specifications of the Alberg 30 can be found on Sailboatdata.com. Typical of the early fiberglass boats, she is robust and overbuilt.
- Jean-du-Sud is equipped with the « Jean-du-Sud » Cape Horn self-steering gear. As the name suggest, she is the boat where the second and third iterations of the Cape Horn self-steering gear were designed and perfected.
- She has the Fleurdelisé for ensign. She is immatriculated in Montréal (Canada) and her license number is 846339.
- She has an oversized deck stepped mast with quarter inch (0.25″) stays and oversized chainplates. The mast support has also been reinforced. For those who know her story, she still has her mast of 1982.
- She has a rolling furler with a genoa. A staysail is affixed on a second frontstay and ready to be hoisted. A spinnaker and a code zero are also availlable (but must be rigged).
- She has a Beta Marine 20 inboard engine, a Featherstream propeller and a PSS Shaft seal.
- She no longer has a steering wheel, but solely a tiller installed in the emergency rudder connector.
- She still has her original winches.
- She has 500 Watts of solar panels installed. 400 Watts charge the two lithium house batteries, while 100 Watts are dedicated to the engine battery. The batteries can also be charged throught the engine alternator or an inverter charger. The batteries feed a radar, a GPS, a VHF radio, an AIS, a single inboard computer tablet, a small fridge, a windlass and the usual lights.
- Her stove is an Origo 3000.
- She navigates with OpenCPN and navionics.
- She has four anchors, with two of them stowed. One is a Delta with a 50 feet chain (5/16″) and a 200 feet nylon line (3/8″). A second is a Fortress with 12 feet of chain (1/4″) and a 200 feet nylon line (1/2″).
- She has a Zodiac Cadet 230 dinghy. The dinghy is either on dock or stowed within. She is equipped with a 5hp Mercury two-stroke engine.
- Her dodger is made of sunbrella fabric installed over a pneumatic frame.
Jean-du-Sud’s Lyrics and Translation
The original lyrics are of course from Gilles Vigneault. The translation is the work of Karen Carauna, with minor adaptations from Southy Pier.
| Original Lyrics in French | Translation in English |
| Quand Jean du Sud s’était mis dans la tête D’aller chasser sur l’île Anticosti Le swell du large annonçait une tempête Mais Jean du Sud était déjà parti Appareille Mets deux ris dans la voile On march’ra sur les étoiles… de mer | When Southy John resolved To go hunting on Anticosti island The swell portended a storm But Southy John was already at sea Sail away…! Tack two reefs in the main We’ll walk within the stars… Starfish. |
| Quand Jean du Sud est v’nu s’mouiller dans l’large Tout l’monde savait qu’il avait pas d’poisson Qui pouvait faire autant caler sa barge Les femmes disaient qu’il avait d’la boisson Dans la baie Y a du rhum d’la Jamaïque Des gallons pis des barriques… De vin | When Southy John anchored at large Everybody knew he had not enough fish That kept his barge so low Women whispered he had booze In the bay There is Jamaican rhum Gallons and barrels… of wine |
| Quand Jean du Sud se mêlait d’faire la pêche I’ s’en allait sur les bancs d’Musquaro Avait-i’ l’goût d’manger d’la morue fraîche Chargeait toujours jusqu’au dernier carreau La voile rouge S’en vient su’ sa misaine Est icitte pour une dizaine De jours | When Southy John got hooked into fishing ‘was gigging in Musqaro banks Was he tempted to eat fresh cod? ‘was always loaded to the top strake Red sail! He’s coming on his mizzen He’s around for ten… Days |
| Quand Jean du Sud disait «La mer est grande» Dans ses yeux bleus y avait comme un matin Parce qu’i’ faisait aussi la contrebande Des horizons de paradis lointains Capitaine Méfie-toi des mirages Des bateaux sur les nuages Dans l’ciel | When Southy John was saying “The sea is vast” ’twas as if mornings were in his blue eyes Because he also dealt contraband Of illusions and faraway paradises Captain! Beware the mirages Of boats on clouds and sky |
| Quand Jean du Sud nous contait ses voyages On avait l’impression d’être ses matelots I’ nous parlait en r’gardant les nuages Qui dessinaient des îles nouvelles dans l’eau Serre l’écoute Su’ les hauts-fonds ça casse Faut dériver dans la passe Du nord | When Southy John recounted his travels We felt as if we were his mates ‘was talking while gazing at the clouds That painted new islands in the water Trim the sheet! It’s breaking over the shoals ‘must drift in the … northern pass |
| Était tout seul à bord de son mât d’hune (C’était comme ça qu’on appelait son voilier) I’ n’était pas rendu l’aut’ bord d’la dune Pis on l’pensait à l’Anse-aux-Madriers Capitaine À la voile et aux cordages Il était son équipage Tout seul | ‘was alone onboard on is masthead (This is how his sailboat was called) ‘was not even on the other side of the sand dune And we thought he was in Anse-aux-Madriers Captain! At the mast, at the sheets He was his crew… Alone |
| Quand Jean du Sud a trouvé sa tempête On a trouvé son mât pis son beaupré Hurlait le vent et braillaient les mouettes Dans la p’tite anse où c’qu’il aimait s’ancrer Jean du Sud Drapé dans sa grand-voile Marche enfin sur les étoiles De mer | When Southy John found his storm We found his mast and his bowsprit Screaming winds and crying gulls In the small bay where he liked to anchor Southy John! Draped in his mainsail Is finally walking among the stars… Starfish |
| Paraît qu’il est r’devenu capitaine Sur une goélette qui s’promène su’ l’fond d’l’eau La houle du sud c’est son manteau qui traîne La brume de l’est, la fumée d’son brûlot Jean du Sud À la voile et aux amarres Désormais reste à la barre Du jour | Rumor has it he became captain again On a schooner traveling underwater The southern swell is his coattails Estern fog, the smoke of his lantern Southy John! At the mast and at the sheets Nowadays stays at the helm… of fate |
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