View into the open engine bay of an older sailing yacht at a pontoon: a compact grey electric motor, orange cables and two black battery boxes on fresh timber.

Grand Pavois puts refits and electric conversions on show

The Grand Pavois boat show opens in La Rochelle on 22 September 2026. A dedicated area with 40 exhibitors puts refits of older boats and conversions from combustion engines to electric or hybrid drives on show.

Events 21 September 2026 NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH

Grand Pavois La Rochelle runs from 22 to 27 September 2026 at Port des Minimes, a six day show held afloat. Japan is guest of honour this year. Two areas are new: Sortez en mer offers visitors short trips on sailing and motor boats, and a second area is devoted to tourism on the water.

For owners of older boats another part of the show matters more. According to the organiser, 40 companies and start ups exhibit in the Eco navigation and sustainable innovations area, on land and afloat, with some boats available for sea trials. Refitting is a growing focus there: yards that overhaul older cruising and racing boats, specialists who replace a combustion engine with an electric or hybrid drive, lower impact antifouling and the dismantling of boats at the end of their life. The organiser links this to the price of new boats and to longevity, putting the average life of a pleasure boat in Europe at 30 to 40 years.

In practice, anyone planning to keep and modernise a boat will find in one place what is otherwise spread across many yards. On Thursday 24 September 2026 the Trophées Innovation Nautisme Nouvelle Aquitaine, awards for boating innovation, are also presented at the show. The sources give different figures for expected visitor numbers, so none is quoted here.

Refit rather than new: combustion engine out, electric drive in, over a 30 to 40 year life.

What this means for owners

From an insurance point of view, replacing a diesel with an electric drive is a change to the boat, not a new accessory. A new motor, lithium batteries and fresh wiring alter the value, the fire load and the installation, so the questions to put to your insurer come before the first trip: does the conversion need to be declared, which documents from the yard are expected, and does the agreed value still match the boat. Older sailing yachts and motor boats with inboard engines are most affected, while outboard and trailer boats are usually simpler. Because lithium batteries and new wiring change the fire risk on board, the installer's paperwork deserves a careful look.

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Where this comes from

The text is our own; the sources supplied the facts and figures, not the wording.

Grand Pavois puts refits and electric conversions on show

Where this comes from

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