His father, Pierre-Paul Heckly, a renowned architect from the family line, presided over the Yacht Club of France for 12 years. He had that rare mix of discipline and humor: serious in everything he undertook, he never took himself seriously. A racing enthusiast, he first sailed in Dragons up to an Olympic level, before falling for the charm of 6 Metre International Rule boats. Louis thus grew up in tune with the seasons and legendary hulls: Le Dix Août (F33), then Namoussa (F88), Astrée (F44), with a first European championship title, before acquiring FRA 111 in 2000, which he would rename Dix Août.
Louis, for his part, has a taste for team sports. Rugby and field hockey shape his team spirit before a business school gives him, in his own words, “a diploma.” Very quickly, however, the call of the open sea takes over again. He signs on as a crew member, tries out different types of boats, and discovers increasingly demanding crews. For over twenty-five years, he sails on some of the most beautiful racing yachts: 12mJI, one-designs, classic or modern maxis, all the way to America’s Cup campaigns. Every time, the same ingredients: precise maneuvers, tactical courses, and the constant pursuit of performance.
In 2004, it was time to spend more time with his father, now in his seventies, and Louis regularly reunited with Dix Août. The sailing trips were joyful, sometimes stirred up by a few inevitable tactical disagreements between two experienced sailors. Over the years, he also changed positions on board. After spending a long time at the bow, he gradually took over the mainsail and tactics, a role he still fulfills today aboard Fun.
As Louis usually says, ‘The more you move back on a boat, the closer you are to the dock to get off!’
Fun is the newest addition to the family fleet. This second 6 mJI, designed in 1937 by Olin Stephens, had been making Pierre-Paul dream since the early 2000s. Desired after the crane accident of Astrée, the owner at the time refused to sell it to him, fearing too much potential in both the sailor and his mount… Fate decided otherwise: in 2023, the boat was entrusted to Louis by the owner of a shipyard, “under good care,” after having stayed on its cradle for about twenty years. A setup that suits him perfectly, as he and his crew have since dedicated time, energy, and passion to restoring all the glory of this magnificent boat returned to the highest world level.
This arrival comes after fulfilling a promise. Louis had vowed to lead the Dix Août to the top of a world championship. The goal was reached in 2022, four years after his father’s passing. Pierre-Paul had already taken the FRA111 to two spots away from being world runner-up; his son finally gives him the ultimate achievement.
Beyond sailing, father and son shared the same way of life: gastronomy, fine wines, and above all, friendship. Hardworking, generous, and attentive to others, Louis built a reputation that goes far beyond the docks. In sailing clubs as well as among epicurean circles, he carries on the Heckly spirit: a contagious cheerfulness, a booming voice recognizable anywhere, and a kind word for everyone.
Today, the salt-and-pepper beard has replaced the young team member’s face, and naturally comes the time to pass on.
His daughters first inherit a unique family world: that of the Djeezupuhr, an imaginary principality founded in the 1980s, of which Louis is now the Maharajah. More importantly, they inherit deeply rooted values: a taste for hard work, the belief that effort always pays off in the end, and the idea that you have to know how to lose in order to learn how to win. Like their father, they favor team sports: football for one, rugby at the highest international level for the other.
Sailing, on the other hand, comes more gently. After thousands of hours spent on the water and a commitment that led him to the presidency of one of the most dynamic international classes, Louis knows that a passion can never be forced. It reveals itself, at its own pace. On Lake Geneva, the two family Six Metres, Dix Août and Fun, are always ready to welcome a new generation, letting time take its course.
Texte : Sebastien DAVID
Summary