Condor Ferries Commodore Captain Ian Perry is preparing to take time off from the helm of his giant wave-piercing fast ferry catamaran to skipper a 100-year-old Cornish gaffer in a classic yacht festival in Brittany.

But Ian, whose wooden gaffer Whim is moored at Pill Creek in Feock, has come up with a novel way of combining his job and his hobby.

The captain has booked a space on the state-of-the-art Condor Express to transport himself and Whim across to France later this month.

"Whim was built at Pascoe's Boatyard at St Just-in-Roseland in 1904 and has spent the last 103 years here on the River Fal so the journey to France will be something of a culture shock for her," said Ian.

"The sailing festival 'Brest08' doesn't actually take place until July but I am planning to get her out of the water next week and then drive her up to Weymouth to catch the ferry on April 22.

"That way she'll have plenty of time to acclimatise before the big event itself. The Express will get her across to France quickly and safely and it will be a novel experience to have my two favourite boats together for the first time," he added.

With a service speed in excess of 40 knots and a total length of close to 90 metres, Condor Express - one of Ian's usual commands - dwarfs the tiny Whim which could comfortably sail beneath its giant twin hull.

Operating between the UK, the Channel Islands and France the Condor Express and its sister ship the Vitesse have a crew of 30, can carry up to 185 cars and 750 passengers.

Whim isn't emigrating however. Ian plans to moor her near St Malo and sail her on the Rance estuary in preparation for Brest08 which takes place on July 11 - 17 before she returns to her Cornish home later in the summer.