Sailing Magazine
pic by Spindrift Racing
The world’s largest racing maxi trimaran has spent the past few months being further optimised, as well as being fitted with new load bearing rudder plates, following the structural failure of the starboard rudder plate during the Jules Verne Trophy record attempt last winter.
The whole team was onsite at the Multiplast boatyard in Vannes to help with the launch operation as this required careful attention down to the smallest detail, as the 40m trimaran was gently lifted into the water.
The operation was overseen by team co-founder Yann Guichard and Spindrift 2’s boat captain, Erwan Le Roux, who had also ensured that each stage of the refit went smoothly.
“We carried out a complete structural study of the T-rudders and worked on the aerodynamics, saved some weight and also did a complete check-up of the boat’s structure,” explained Erwan Le Roux.
Once its 32m tall mast is fitted, the trimaran will sail to its home port of La Trinité-sur-Mer. There, the technical team will finish configuring the maxi trimaran for record mode, before the Jules Verne Trophy squad begins a series of ‘inshore’ and ‘offshore’ training sessions during September.
The Jules Verne Trophy remains the team’s goal, with the two-month stand-by period starting on the 1st October. The challenge is to beat the record time of 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes and 30 seconds set by Francis Joyon on Idec in 2017.
