The Yole Race

The horizontal canvas depicts a seascape in which three yawls are participating in a regatta at sunset. Yawls are typical boats of Martinique. A rectangular sail is threaded onto a vertical mast, which is placed in an opening in the boat. A second pole, resting on the mast and held by a rope, keeps the sail unfurled. Since the boat has no keel, its precarious balance is maintained by an agile and quick crew who must move along the outriggers to counteract the force of the wind.