Jolie Brise rescues Adriana

Jolie Brise, which is roughly translated as “nice breeze,” is perhaps one of the most famous yachts of the 20th century; more than 100 years after her launch, the vessel is still plying the waters of the Atlantic.

- DAVID BERSON

She’s a gaff-rigged pilot cutter, 73 feet on deck and 48 feet on the water, with a 15-foot beam.

Jolie Brise was built as a sturdy pilot cutter in Le Havre, France, in 1913. She morphed from pilot cutter to fishing boat and then to her most famous period as an ocean racing yacht. Today she works as a sail training yacht. Stoutly built to withstand the rigors of being a pilot cutter, the boat was engineless for years and steered with a tiller.

The vessel first came into the public consciousness in 1925, winning the first Fastnet race against six competitors. The first Fastnet was won by Jolie Brise in six days, 14 hours, and 45 minutes. Jolie Brise also won again in 1929 and 1930 and is the only vessel to have won three times.