Biche
Class: C
Rigging: the last dundee tuna fishing boat in Southern Brittany
Hull length: 21 m
Country of origin: France
Year of construction: 1934
Home port: Lorient
A tuna boat with an unusual history
Biche is named after her first owner, Ange Stéphan, nicknamed "Ange Biche". He was one of the many fishermen on the island of Groix during the heyday of tuna fishing.
The tuna fishing boat Biche worked in this activity for 22 years, from the time it left the Chauffeteau shipyards in Les Sables d'Olonne, until 1956. A dormitory with forty berths for a Belgian sailing school, a charter yacht in the English Channel, the North Sea and England... The tuna fishing boat then left French territory to live several lives, being refitted and transformed many times.
In 1991, the Musée du Bateau de Douarnenez, which was building up its museum collection at the time, decided to buy her. But the boat was in a poor state of repair and, lacking the necessary funds to undertake a restoration, it decided in 2003 to put her in the Port-Rhu boat graveyard.
The association Les Amis du Biche, for the restoration and operation of the dundee.
It was at this point that the association Les Amis du Biche was created, with the aim of saving the tuna boat and getting it sailing again. With the help of the French Navy, the boat was transported to Lorient and the Chantier du Guip was chosen to carry out the work. Several years passed before the tuna fishing boat was actually launched in 2009.
Cruises from the Atlantic coast
Biche was relaunched on 22 June 2012, after three years of complete restoration. Now motorised, she has been fitted out with functional facilities to enable her to welcome the public on board.