Sloop Raymond Labbé Shipyard Classic Sloop Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Raymond Labbé Shipyard Classic Sloop represents the pinnacle of mid-century French wooden yacht construction. Built by the legendary Chantier Labbé in Saint-Malo, these vessels are not mass-produced production boats but rather artisanal "cruiser-racers" often commissioned by the era's elite yachtsmen. The most prominent example of this lineage is the 13.75-meter sloop Iris, designed by the pioneering naval architect John Illingworth and launched in 1968. Raymond Labbé, the master shipwright behind the yard, was renowned for his technical precision and was the trusted restorer of Eric Tabarly’s Pen Duick, a relationship that cemented the shipyard’s status in maritime history. These sloops are typically constructed using traditional methods, featuring mahogany planking over steamed acacia or oak frames, often topped with hand-laid teak decks.