Route du Rhum 2014

There is so much interest in the Route du Rhum with lots of modifications to existing multis that I thought it would be worth putting up a thread. The English version of the Route du Rhum website is here:

http://www.routedurhum.com/en/s01_home/s01p01_home.php

In 2010 Franck Camma's pulled off an impressive victory in the modified for singlehanding Groupama3. In the upcoming edition Groupama3 (renamed Banque Populaire VI) will compete with Vendee Skipper Amel le Cleach at the helm. Also competing will be the new Prince de Bretagne Maxi with Lionel Lemanchois at the helm the revitalised Geronimo which has been purchased by the Sodebo team to be sailed by Thomas Coville you would expect Francis Joyon on IDEC II and the Gitana 77' maxi to be there as well. There is also a strong Multi50 contingent with several of the boats (Fentrea Cardinal and Maitre Jacques) having been refitted with a class victory in mind.

Prince de bretagne maxi http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/80-trimaran-route-du-rhum-skippered-lionel-lemanchois-44414.html

Geronimo/Sodebo Maxi http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/sodebo-team-buy-geronimo-maxi-trimaran-46268.html

Groupama3/Banque Populaire VI http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/banque-populaire-new-multihull-programme-45939.html

 

Lionel Lemanchois Prince de Bretagne is in the process of being tuned up for the upcoming Route du Princes and Armen Race.

 

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Is that a 50 footer? When is/was RdR 2013?

UPDATE-I found her listed as 80'.....

 

From what I hear the Prince de Bretagne Multi50 is up for sale I'm not sure what races if any the Multi50 will compete in this year. The photo is of the new Prince de Bretagne 80' maxi which recycled the beams, rig and foils from the original Sodebo ORMA 60. The next Route du Rhum is in October 2014 I put up the thread as there are so many interesting refits being carried out for multihulls to attempt to take the win in this race.

 

A new gallery of photos by Marcel Mochet of the new Prince de Bretagne Maxi trimaran being put through its paces by Lionel Lemanchois have been uploaded onto the Prince de Bretagne website. Looking forward to seeing this boat racing in the upcoming Armen Race.

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/#/multimedia/photos?album=72157632492598605

and a video:

 

The Sodebo Team have transported Geronimo to Multiplast where under the direction of VPLP the boat will be modernised and refitted for solo racing in the Route du Rhum 2014

From the following article

http://www.sodebo.fr/voile/actualites/article/geronimo-retour-chez-multiplast

and the rough bing translate:

06/03/2013THE EX-GERONIMO OF RETURN AT MULTIPLASTGive new life to a legend boat to align on the next Route du Rhum in 2014, is the ambitious bet by Thomas Coville and his team. The trimaran Geronimo of Olivier de Kersauson was taken in hand by the Sodeboys which carried the boat between Brest and the Multiplast yard in Vannes, where he was born.Water July 22, 2001 after 100,000 hours of work, Geronimo is one of the precursors of the maxi multihull oceanic second generation and the trimaran, which then resulted in Groupama 3 (F.Cammas) and Banque Populaire V (P.Bidegorry, L.Peyron). These three boats were also designed by the firm of architects Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost and have all beaten successively the Jules Verne trophy (round the world crew record) from 63 days to 48 and 45 between 2004 and 2012.*Make a weapon of solitaireThe challenge of modernisation work in team Sodebo is to adapt this huge boat of 34 metres overall thought for records with a crew of solo sailing. An approach that is reminiscent of Franck Cammas who transformed Groupama 3 after the Jules Verne trophy in 2010 and won the Rhum solo road a few months later.

In order to carry out this bold enterprise, the skipper of Sodebo brought together experts who participated in the birth of Geronimo and also with an excellent knowledge of technological developments made since the multihulls. It is as well as the choice of the Multiplast, VPLP architects or engineers at HDS have emerged. Suffice to say that each today puts a lot of heart to reconnect with this boat which both marked his time.ReunionElie Canivenc technical project team Sodebo and view Geronimo which he followed the epic in the early 2000s. At the moment, it goes back the time a little every day: "it is a great moment, full of emotions for us all. We found Geronimo Brest trade harbour. We were greeted by Yves Pouillaude and Didier Ragot, the two faithful seconds by Olivier de Kersauson. They gave us the keys to the boat, very happy to know that their trimaran would resume the sea. We have then tow the platform into the Gulf of Morbihan to ground valves where a new adventure begins. At Multiplast, it is a very loyal family. Many have built this boat, and share everything with them adds an additional wealth to the technical challenge that stands before us.At the time, no concessions had been made on the design or the construction of this boat which is remarkable. Obviously, our way of thinking things evolved, like how to navigate. We can see the revolution that occurred since, on comfort for example. In Geronimo, there are two card tables, two kitchens, 12 berths, unthinkable today!Need to get the most out of what we have in our hands. Dense and exciting months ahead to give a second life to this boat and write his beautiful story. "J.H.

 

From the following le Figaro article

http://nautisme.lefigaro.fr/courses-nautiques/a-la-une-0/2013-03-09-16-27-39/multicoques---la-guerre-des-geants-est-relancee-9479.php

At the: multihulls: the war of the Giants is restarted

and the rough translation of the article

Franck Cammas was the first to embark on a giant trimaran in the Route du Rhum 2010. His Groupama 3, Jules Verne Trophy winner, was reconfigured for single-handed sailing with a mast lower. Successful bet since he won the race hands down. For the next Route du Rhum, no less than four giant trimarans should cut the starting line. Geronimo, 34 meters, is the former trimaran Olivier de Kersauson. He left the port of Brest on March 1st to enter Multiplast yard in Vannes. Program: Installation of foils, a new rudder under the central hull and a new mast. "This boat was ahead of its time and can still make beautiful performance," says Hervé Devaux, which calculates the structures of these giants of the sea. Against Geronimo, the former Groupama 3, which should be renamed Banque Populaire VI, has earned for the victory of his high 31.50 meters. "The difference, took Hervé Devaux is Armel Le Cléac'h has little experience in multihull while Thomas Coville has proven itself."

Record sprayed

In old veteran of solo sailing on giant trimaran, we will also have to reckon with Francis Joyon who just sprayed properly record the Discovery Route, between Spain and the Bahamas, 8 days, 16 hours and 7 minutes. He beat his own record as more than a day! With his boat 29.70 meters Idec, he finished behind Cammas in the previous Route du Rhum. "Even though his boat, built in 2006, began to be old, this is the one that has the most chance of winning," said Hervé Devaux. In turn, Lemonchois just put its new water boat Prince de Bretagne. He is a former ORMA trimaran of 18 meters which was extended to 24 meters. Already twice winner of the Route du Rhum, the skipper Norman believes in his chances for the 2014 edition. The paris are open.

 

The Sodebo Team have put up a video of transport of the trimaran Geronimo from its storage hardstand to the Multiplast yard where it will undergo the update and refit.

 

The Prince de Bretagne team have lifted out the Maxi 80 trimaran to make some modifications. The main focus apparently is the installation of a new daggerboard. There will also be some tweaks integrated from Lionel Lemanchois's observations on sailing the boat in it's sea trials.

the original article (in French) is here:

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/actualites/252-chantier-express-pour-maxi-80-presse

and the rough Google Translate below:

As expected for a long time, the Prince de Bretagne team released the Maxi80 water to return to the site. At 9 am on Thursday, the crane already in position, the maneuvers could begin prior to the dismasted boat lift to go to the garage. The program for this update dry: a check-up after the first few months of browsing, odds and minor changes or installing a larger drift (daggerboard?) ...This is not a beach catamaran for all operations to remove the trimaran 24.30 meters of water and go home, warm and dry in the premises of the team were conducted smoothly. "Here, we're at home, the boat dock is just across the yard and offices, and it is true that it makes this kind of operation quite easy," says Lionel.

"Performance Objective"

"This is his first time to dry for six months. Were few niceties to above, and small changes to the mast, he adds. We will also install a larger drift, which also recovered the old platform 60 feet. This was prepared in recent weeks. It will replace the more typical for the first wide by this greater drift (daggerboard) with a trim tab (small movable flap), which should enable us to

gain in light airs and close on the next race formats such as Route des Princes which takes place in several stages crew.'' The goal is clearly the performance. ""A boat that was"Within ten days, Prince de Bretagne find his element. First, there is the baptism in Roscoff in late April 27 and early May, the time comes the first races: the Tour de Belle Ile and ArMen Race from La Trinité-sur-Mer Grand Prix Guyader Douarnenez, and finally the Princes Highway, which will take the crew Maxi80, for three weeks from June 7, take a tour of Europe in Valencia in the Bay of Morlaix, via Lisbon, Dublin and Plymouth."It will be an Express project, and it is true that we can not wait to rub competition. Currently, we are all quite happy, you do not encounter major problems of structure, the boat well born and go fast air, and this is what we wanted! So far so good, even if it means we get to confront other boats for references " concludes his skipper, obviously in a hurry to go to the site ... For as quickly back into the water ...

http://youtu.be/vs8fgE7v-u0

 

The Prince de Bretagne Maxi team have put up a photo of the mast rotation arm for the wingmast. The rig is rotating but not canting probably for reasons of simplicity and weight reduction. Here is their description from the site run through the Bing translate.

Aboard the Maxi, "this good old arthur" as it is called in the team, is the piece in photo. This "nose" located at the mast foot to adjust the angle of the latter to the direction of the wind. If the wing mast (which comes from the old platform of 60 feet) is not tilting to avoid 200 additional kg of hydraulic system, it is not less Rotary in side.
Thanks "arthur"!

 

Maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII (former Groupama3) is out of the shed after a refit and new colour scheme. Armel le Cleach is skippering this boat with the target being Route du Rhum 2014

 

The Prince de Bretagne team have published this closeup photo of the soft beam fairings on the front beam. I notice that the revamped Groupama3/Banque Populaire VII has had them added too.

 

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I've been wondering about this for some time: you've got this nice fairing but it is immediately bordered by a net tramp. Is the aero benefit still there with the net so close? It must be-its done like this on AC boats- but it sure
leaves some questions....

 

Record SNSM have put up an interesting post Banque Populaire VII is going to have a test run in the Record SNSM skippered by Bertrand Pace.

The good news are never alone. After the announcement of the presence of François Gabart aboard Macif on the Record SNSM 2013, two other faithful of the race teams have expressed their participation at the 9th edition of the race dedicated to the promotion of safety at sea. First, there's Bernard Stamm, another competitor of the last Vendée Globe, making his return in Saint-Nazaire at the helm of his formidable Poujoulat chimneys.

That's not counting with an another surprise, since Bank popular VII, the new giant of 30.50 metres led by Armel Le Cléac ' h on the next Route du Rhum, will also be part on the course two-loop between Saint Nazaire and Sainte-Marine. For the occasion, this trimaran to the final dimensions will be skippered by Bertrand Pacé, skipper of America's Cup Class and eight-time winner of the Tour de France à la Voile. Beautiful world for a great show guaranteed Sunday June 23 to 5 p.m. off the coast of Saint-Nazaire...

 

A video posted by the Prince de Bretagne Maxi team. Profile of the Team's rigger Fracois DENIS "Bambino".

http://youtu.be/OewC724fv4E