Salon Nautique LE GRAND PAVOIS
September 16, 2025
🌊 Aegean Cargo Sailing at the Grand Pavois – Among the Sails of the Future
October 17, 2025
3/10/2025
A short recounting of our participation in the GRAND PAVOIS follows.
The decision to participate was taken based on the opportunity to stay with friends in La Rochelle. Thus with only two months time to prepare it was a challenge to organise everything including the invitation for other participants. While running our regular second tour of the Aegean and the SealGreece campaign we were happy to secure the participation of the two companies: Organic Electronic Technogies and Patmos Marine both involved in Solar Boat development. Many producers from the islands declared interest in offering samples of their products for tasting during the boat show and even partially covering some of the cost of the stand. During the last week before departure to La Rochelle samples of olive oil, olives, honey, wine, aromatic plants, fruit in grape syrup, Tsipouro, ouzo, lemon juice, tuna and dry biscuits were collected. A few different types of cheese originally purchased for fund raising events were added creating a rich tasting palette for the GRAND PAVOIS visitors.
Loic, our host in La Rochelle, our friends Gabrielle et Philippe, Minos of OET, Rosabelle et Loucas were the multitalented team that worked on setting up the booth and communicating with the public and other relevant participating companies. The team members contacted more than 50 participants mainly among electric propulsion, photovoltaic systems, sustainable boat materials, sailmakers, boat makers covering all the points of interest of our group. Some 200 people came to visit our stand. Tasting the Aegean products.
The late decision to participate and the short resulting preparation of course decreased our impact as our stand was added at the last moment just opposite the Innovation area but not inside. We were not invited to speak at the electric propulsion round table even though Loucas made a well received intervention during the question period. Our attempt to give a conference on our technologies did not attract interested participants. Early decision and announcements will work better in the future.
It would be very long to describe the details of all the contacts made so only the general impressions are reported here
The idea of solar electric cargo sailing for quality products is received with enthusiasm by almost everyone. The intervention at the round table was warmly applauded.
Many experts doubt the feasibility of solar sails but everyone declares interest in solar tents, biminis and spray hoods. Many professionals ang general public want to contact OET to purchase PVs
One visitor needs contacts with quality marinas in Greece
The tasting of samples attracted visitors, it was very popular, confirming the good feelings for Greece and the food.
Three visitors promised to look for distributors of zero carbon transport products in France.
Participation in the next boat show called Nice Boating Tomorrow mainly on eco Innovation in March 2026 appears attractive for an enlarged group of companies
A 30 min radio interview was given on September 29 at the el-frenchies.fr station presenting the project to a large Greek friends audience.
