Bernard Gallay
Encyclopedia
Bernard Gallay is a Franco-Swiss yachtsman and businessman.
He has especially competed in the Vendée Globe
twice (1992/93 and 2000/01) and finished his career as a professional sailor whilst participating in the Transat 6.50 in 2005.
In 1994, he moved to Montpellier in the South of France and founded Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage, a company to which he is currently fully devoted.
He still competes in amateur races such as Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (previously known as La Nioulargue) and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
. Sir Robin is the first sailor to have won the unassisted, non-stop around the world race, the Golden Globe Challenge in its only event in 1968/69. Thus making him the first and only registered competitor to finish after crossing the globe via the Great Capes. As well known in England as Eric Tabarly
is in France, Sir Robin-Knox Johnston can be said to be the one who inspired Bernard Gallay and gave him the desire to go one step further in the world of offshore racing.
Bernard Gallay lives in Montpellier and is married with 3 children.
. Whilst racing in difficult conditions and having struggled to gather sponsors, he began to ponder and reflect; par for the course on any solo voyage. Among the participants, he noticed the boat of the British, Nigel Burgess
, who disappeared in the early stages of the race. Nigel Burgess started the race with a boat which bore his own name and logo of his own company, Burgess Yachts, which is now one of the finest Yacht Brokerage brands in the world. Bernard Gallay also wanted to use his sailing experience as the foundation to begin another project that would allow him to draw on his knowledge whilst maintaining his passion for the sea. He thus created Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage (BGYB) in 1994 a year after his return and aimed to start the business while continuing to race. For a long time he has worked with a small team and it was only after his second Vendee Globe in 2000/2001 and the Transat 6.50 in 2005 that he decided to draw a line under his racing career and concentrate entirely on developing BGYB. Convinced that all the qualities of a sailor and an entrepreneur are closely linked (anticipation, bravery, perseverance) he is focused on the international development of BGYB. With close relationships with seasoned sailors, former racers and yacht captains such as, Philippe Monnet (BGYB Monaco), Thierry Barot (BGYB Hong Kong), Jean-Yves Candlot (BGYB Palma de Mallorca), Oscar Konyukhov (BGYB Moscow), François Boucher (BGYB Paris), Nicolas Marchand (BGYB Montpellier) and Stéphane Della (BGYB La Ciotat) he has been able to do this.
He has especially competed in the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
twice (1992/93 and 2000/01) and finished his career as a professional sailor whilst participating in the Transat 6.50 in 2005.
In 1994, he moved to Montpellier in the South of France and founded Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage, a company to which he is currently fully devoted.
He still competes in amateur races such as Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (previously known as La Nioulargue) and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Rugby
He is a former member of the France Junior Team and the France Military Bataillon de Joinville Team. He also played First Division Rugby for Racing Club de France from 1978 to 1983 where he won the France Reichel Championship.Sailing
In 1981, he started sailing by embarking on the sailing yacht Faram Serenissima at short notice for the Twostar Race, which resulted in an unfortunate shipwreck on the return leg. The following year in 1982, again at short notice, he embarked on an Atlantic crossing aboard Sea Falcon, the boat of the famous English sailor and navigator, Sir Robin Knox-JohnstonRobin Knox-Johnston
Sir William Robert Patrick "Robin" Knox-Johnston, CBE, RD and bar is an English sailor. He was the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy . For this he was awarded with Blake the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award...
. Sir Robin is the first sailor to have won the unassisted, non-stop around the world race, the Golden Globe Challenge in its only event in 1968/69. Thus making him the first and only registered competitor to finish after crossing the globe via the Great Capes. As well known in England as Eric Tabarly
Éric Tabarly
Éric Tabarly was a notable French yachtsman.A former officer in the French navy who is often considered the father of French yachting....
is in France, Sir Robin-Knox Johnston can be said to be the one who inspired Bernard Gallay and gave him the desire to go one step further in the world of offshore racing.
Crew racing
- Transat Jacques VabreTransat Jacques VabreThe Transat Jacques Vabre is a yachting race that follows the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil.The course was drawn up back in 1993 to follow in the wake of the clippers transporting coffee from Brazil to France. The Transat Jacques Vabre is a major date on the calendar,...
on board Voila.Fr in 2001 and on board Afibel in 1997 (as skipper) - Grand Prix Coralia de Fécamp on board Voila.Fr in 2001 (as skipper)
- America’s Cup on board French Kiss in 1986/87
- 3-time participant in the Tour de L’Europe on board British Airways in 1985, Ericsson in 1987 and Banque Populaire in 1999
- 11 transatlantic races or record attempts, 6 with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
- 2-time participant in the Tour de France in 1988 with Bertrand Pacé and in 1998 as skipper
- Rolex Middle Sea Race 2011 on board Med Spirit
- Palma Super Yacht Regatta 2007 and 2009 on board Hyperion
- Saint Barth Bucket 2008 on board Hyperion
- Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2002, 2004 and 2011
Single-handed racing
- Vendee GlobeVendée GlobeThe Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
in 1992/1993 on board Vuarnet Watches - Vendee GlobeVendée GlobeThe Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
in 2000/2001 on board Voila.Fr - 4-time participant in the Solitaire du Figaro in 1989 (winner of the new comers class), 1990, 1991 and 1995
- Transat 6.50 in 2005 on board Fdi Groupe
- Transatlantic crossing Saint Malo – Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1992 on board Vuarnet Watches
Bernard Gallay lives in Montpellier and is married with 3 children.
The change of profession to yacht brokerage
The tipping point for Bernard Gallay came during the 1992/1993 Vendee GlobeVendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
. Whilst racing in difficult conditions and having struggled to gather sponsors, he began to ponder and reflect; par for the course on any solo voyage. Among the participants, he noticed the boat of the British, Nigel Burgess
Nigel Burgess
Nigel Allan Burgess was a British single-handed yachtsman, Master Mariner and businessman. He took part in the OSTAR and the Vendée Globe...
, who disappeared in the early stages of the race. Nigel Burgess started the race with a boat which bore his own name and logo of his own company, Burgess Yachts, which is now one of the finest Yacht Brokerage brands in the world. Bernard Gallay also wanted to use his sailing experience as the foundation to begin another project that would allow him to draw on his knowledge whilst maintaining his passion for the sea. He thus created Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage (BGYB) in 1994 a year after his return and aimed to start the business while continuing to race. For a long time he has worked with a small team and it was only after his second Vendee Globe in 2000/2001 and the Transat 6.50 in 2005 that he decided to draw a line under his racing career and concentrate entirely on developing BGYB. Convinced that all the qualities of a sailor and an entrepreneur are closely linked (anticipation, bravery, perseverance) he is focused on the international development of BGYB. With close relationships with seasoned sailors, former racers and yacht captains such as, Philippe Monnet (BGYB Monaco), Thierry Barot (BGYB Hong Kong), Jean-Yves Candlot (BGYB Palma de Mallorca), Oscar Konyukhov (BGYB Moscow), François Boucher (BGYB Paris), Nicolas Marchand (BGYB Montpellier) and Stéphane Della (BGYB La Ciotat) he has been able to do this.
Achievements
- Rugby: Racing Club de FranceRacing Club de FranceRacing Club de France can refer to:*the former name of Racing Métro rugby union club*the former name of Racing Club de Paris football club*the former name of the basketball club Paris Basket Racing, a predecessor to today's Paris-Levallois Basket...
from 1978 to 1983 – France Reichel Champion - Vendée GlobeVendée GlobeThe Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
1993 – Abandoned (2 Stopovers due to selfsteering problems and structure of the rig). Finishes the course and brings his boat home single-handedly - Vendée GlobeVendée GlobeThe Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
2001 – Finishes 8th (25 boats entered at the start) on board Voila.Fr – 111 days 16 hours and 7 minutes - America’s Cup 1986-1987 – Semi-Final Qualifications (Louis Vuitton Cup)
- Transat Jacques VabreTransat Jacques VabreThe Transat Jacques Vabre is a yachting race that follows the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil.The course was drawn up back in 1993 to follow in the wake of the clippers transporting coffee from Brazil to France. The Transat Jacques Vabre is a major date on the calendar,...
2001 – 5th with Kito De Pavant - Transat 6.50 2005 – Finishes 14th (72 boats entered at the start) on board Bahia Express – Naval Architect was Samuel Manuard and Bernard Gallay built her in Slovenia
Yacht Brokerage
The BGYB brand and yacht brokerage company was created by long-term friends Bernard Gallay and Philippe Meylan in 1994. Through the development of their yacht brokerage business they extended their friendship and each brought something different to the table when starting the company. Bernard Gallay, through his sailing experience, knowledge of yachts and his full-time involvement and Philippe Meylan through his legal background and capacity as a trusted advisor. In 1996, after two years of operation, BGYB became a member of the famous Mediterranean Yacht Brokerage Association (MYBA). MYBA is a yacht brokers' association in the Mediterranean and includes the largest international brokerage companies in the world. Its contracts and practices have become the standard for the professional world of the yachting industry. BGYB’s reputation is acquired through the purchase and sale, charter and management of motor, sailing and racing yachts. The boats sold range from 18 to 50 metres for budgets ranging from several hundred thousand to several million Euros.Office openings
- 2007: Moscow with Oscar Konyukhov, son of Feder Konyukhov who has also taken part in the Vendée Globe 2000/2001
- 2008: Monaco with Philippe Monnet, Paris with François Boucher, Hong Kong with Thierry Barot
- 2009: Palma, La Ciotat
- 2010: Grenada
- 2011: Turkey