First boat show at the CNIT

The previous year, France saw no less than three boat shows in 1961, with two in Paris and one in Cannes, all backed by the Chambre Syndicale des Industries Nautiques. The year’s final event, from September 29 to October 15, on the banks of the River Seine between Pont Bir-Hakeim bridge and Port Debilly, was a success, attracting around 300,000 visitors. Even the French President, General de Gaulle, visited this show, guided by the Commissioner General and Chambre Syndicale Secretary, Roland Nungesser. But some boat builders and users did not appreciate the new direction taken by this association, and at the end of 1960 they created the new Syndicat National des Constructeurs et Négociants en Matériel de Navigation de Plaisance. 

The first goal is clearly set out: organizing a show in January 1962 at the CNIT, at the Rond-Point de La Défense. Contrasting with the Chambre Syndicale, the members of this new organization are industry professionals, such as Jean-Pierre Jouët, its President, Roger Mallard and Jacques Gaudin, who were all builders, as well as Pierre Lavat, founder of the magazine Bateaux, and Paul Jacob, who competed in cruiser-racing events. Throughout the year in 1961, we saw a war between the various shows. Faced with attacks on every level by the Chambre, the request for official authorization is accompanied by a note that is hardly full of praise: “The current show is in the hands of a private company…which, for years, has been contemptuous of the real recreational boating professionals…”. 

At the time, the CNIT – Centre National des Industries et des Techniques – was Paris’ most modern building, a reinforced concrete arch that was six centimeters thick and spanned 218 meters, supported by three concrete abutments linked by steel cable ties. However, its environment was not necessarily ideal and it was difficult to access. Just a short walk from one of France’s biggest slums, in Nanterre, surrounded by construction sites that were underway, with no Metro links and just suburban buses that were often overcrowded, this was not exactly an attractive neighborhood. Moreover, while the architectural aesthetics were easy on the eye, work was still underway to install its heating systems. Lastly, the date of the event itself, which was brought forward by one week in the end, saw the first snowfalls in Paris.

The first Salon de la Navigation de Plaisance boat show is held from January 5 to 14, on level 3 of the CNIT, with just 23,000 square meters. 300 boats are exhibited, with nearly half built using plastic, alongside a dozen metal models. While plastic was restricted at the time to sailing dinghies and small motorboats, a few live-aboard models up to 9 meters long illustrate the movement that is underway among French boat builders. Arcoa, Lanaverre, Jeanneau and Rocca are missing, due to their links with the shows organized by the Chambre Syndicale, but some of their models are featured on the stands of various distributors. While the crowds are relatively small, with around 50,000 visitors, there are lots of buyers. Jouët manages to sell 170 units of the Golif, which was presented for the first time.