Press release 01
Friday 15th January 2010
A flying boat!
A VERY DENSE, AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME BOTH IN SPORTING TERMS AND TECHNICALLY
"Slipping along through 2010!"
The skipper of Sodeb’O certainly won’t be at home very much in 2010. Indeed
Thomas Coville is announcing an ambitious and dense sailing programme, which
is set to include two round the worlds and four transatlantics on three
hulls. That amounts to over 67,000 miles.
You have to finish what you set out to do so 2010 will begin with another
stand-by for Groupama 3, the trimaran skippered by Franck Cammas. On board
Thomas will take up the role of helmsman once again, for a fresh attempt at
the crewed round the world record (Jules Verne Trophy). Whilst awaiting the
boat’s return to Brest and a favourable weather window, Thomas has been able
to make the most of his time by immersing himself in the refit of the Maxi
Trimaran Sodeb’O.
“In fact we’ve been able to make the most of a fairly tame 2009 in sporting
terms to look in depth at how the boat is evolving, with particular emphasis
on installing foils, which is something that has been titillating me since
her launch in June 2007. To put it ‘simply’, by adding foils, this has
repercussions throughout the rest of the boat as it greatly affects how the
boat handles and how she’s balanced. This ultimately means that I’ll have to
modify the way I sail her. As such we have to anticipate how the automatic
pilots react and rethink the sail plan”.
So why the foils you may ask? The appeal and the gains must be substantial
to undergo seven months of study and a large technical refit? “With the
foils” Thomas explains, “the boat will become lighter, more airborne and
faster. Today, when the boat goes fast, it buries in the water. With the
foils you reduce the wetted surface area”.
Completely revamped, the skipper and his team have launched into this vast
structural development because they know all to well that the competition on
the water will be fierce in 2010. This includes those participating in the
Route du Rhum 2010, which is now open to what is called the G Class. This
class of giants who are benefiting from the new Open rule to get the very
best from the latest technical innovations are reminiscent of what a certain
Eric Tabarly was able to do in the seventies with the design of a foiling
trimaran (Pen Duick VII rechristened Paul Ricard).
“With John Levell, Martin Fischer and Benoît Cabaret, Sodeb’O’s architects,
we studied all the different foil shapes; flat ones, short ones, S-shaped
ones, as well as the structure itself. It took more time than I’d envisaged
but it was important as it’s the biggest development in the trimaran since
her launch” continues Thomas Coville.
To test this major development before the Route du Rhum, Thomas Coville has
opted to make a fresh attempt at the Discovery Route course between Cadiz
(Spain) and San Salvador (Bahamas) from 3rd May. In so doing he’ll naturally
try to snatch back the record set last year by Francis Joyon. “The reason
I’ve opted for this course is that it’s a full scale test run, along a route
which is very reminiscent of the course in the Route du Rhum that I’ll be
tackling a few months later. However, the return trip will be with a crewed
configuration so as to test the automatic pilots”.
To sum up the programme for 2010, Thomas is on stand-by with the crew of
Groupama 3 for another attempt at the crewed round the world record. This
attempt will be followed by two transatlantics with the Maxi Trimaran
Sodeb’O, one of which will be sailed single-handed along the Discovery Route
course. After that there will be the much awaited Route du Rhum, the start
of which will take place on 31st October in Saint Malo. The year won’t end
there though because on returning the boat to Brest in crewed configuration,
Thomas is keen to try and set a new time sailing solo around the world on a
trimaran with foils. “We did have to think twice about whether or not to
head off with exactly the same boat. It’s a completely different story with
the foils: more stress maybe but with a greater speed which, according to
the routing we’ve run, should enable us to brush aside the meteorological
vagaries”.
“Passion is what drives businesses and man. It’s passion which is the
driving force behind the enterprise and makes it win through” affirm the
three co-presidents of Sodeb’O in a single voice as partner to Thomas
Coville for what has been over 10 years. “Sponsorship is a long term
commitment where passion creates enjoyment and fire in your belly. The
results, both on land and at sea, come with the accumulation of experiences
and with maturity. In sponsorship, as is the case in business, you have to
accept this in order to gain the notion of risk” conclude the three women
who are spurred on by the certainty that “beyond ideas and concepts, passion
is the driving force behind all projects.”
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
17.03.2010 - THE MAXI-TRIMARAN SODEB’O TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF
15.01.2010 - Slipping along through 2010!
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