Friday 10 February
VENDEE GLOBE
Final winter refit before sailing around the world
Everyone in the Safran technical team has been busy. Taken out of the water
after the Transat BtoB, Marc Guillemot’s 60-foot monohull has been
benefiting from her final winter refit before the start of the 2012-2013
Vendée Globe in nine months time, which makes it all the more motivating for
the team.
Description : Safran100212
In La Trinité-sur-Mer, there is a lot of activity
going on around the Safran monohull. Since late December, around ten people
have been working on her final refit before the Vendée Globe. Marc Guillemot
explains: “Everyone is well aware that this is the final long stay in the
yard before the start in Les Sables d'Olonne on 10th November. Some
relatively important modifications are being made, but because of their
strategic importance, I can’t give you any more details. What I can say
however is that we’re carrying out a complete check up of the boat, which
has been put into solo sailing mode, with, in particular, a close inspection
of the hull and the structure to be certain that there has been no
delamination.”
The skipper of Safran adds: “We have also carried out ultrasound tests on
the keel to check that everything is in order. We’ve also taken another look
at the steering system and redone it from A to Z with the help of the
designers and engineers from Safran. Finally, we have, of course, repaired
the damage caused by the collision with PRB and Virbac-Paprec in St. Barts
on the starting line of the Transat BtoB: painting, replacement of the
stanchions, etc. Safran is due to be put back in the water on 15th March.”
United around the same goal
Description : Safran1002122
In the yard, all the members of the Safran
Sailing Team are hard at work: around ten people are working all the time on
the boat, helped by a few sub-contractors. The team manager, Thierry Brault,
explains: “This is real team work and my job is to coordinate all of the
different jobs with those in charge of each sector: hydraulics, composite
materials, mast, etc. We have regular meetings and have a very detailed
schedule to ensure she will be launched on 15th March. For the moment, we’re
on track. Everything is going well.”
Everyone is united around this project to achieve the same goal, which is to
ensure that the Safran monohull will offer as good a performance and
reliability as possible in the spring, and that she has been perfectly
fine-tuned. Everyone is well aware of what is at stake here: they want to
give Marc Guillemot the ultimate weapon so that he may once again go for the
podium in the Vendée Globe… which is a huge motivation for all concerned.
SAFRAN
Caroline Coudert
Safran is a leading international high-technology group with three core
businesses: Aerospace (propulsion and equipment), Defence and Security.
Operating worldwide, the Safran group has more than 54,000 employees and
generated sales of 10.8 billion euros in 2010. Working alone or in
partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership positions in its core
markets. The Group invests heavily in Research & Development to meet the
requirements of changing markets, including expenditures of 1.2 billion
euros in 2010. Safran is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris and its share is part
of the CAC 40.
For more information, www.safran-group.com
11.05.2012 - A new revolutionary mast for Safran
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