SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THE WORLD OF THE BEST OCEAN RACERS

Armel Tripon, the skipper, had already said that his IMOCA, designed by the class40 guru, Sam Manuard would be different but I confess I was not expecting it to be so different: with a bow as similar as scow as the rules allow, considerably less beamier than all other IMOCA with a lot of rocker on the bow area, a "strange" transom and huge foils, this boat explores other ways of going fast on the Southern Ocean.

I just hope that it will work and the boat is as competitive as the best because the courage of Sam Manuard deserves it: he finally arrives at the top of racing boat design field and his approach is a completely different one than what the masters are using. This guy has big balls LOL.

Sam Manuard is a designer with racing experience and by that I mean that he is a top solo/duo racer that, as most, started on the minis, designing and sailing his own boat, winning many races. Then he started a successful carrier as a NA designing first minis then class40 racers for others to win. Now and then he still makes some races in duo (class40) always with top results.

Out of the racing world his best known design is the Seascape 27 that was such an innovative and good sailboat that Beneteau bought Seascape to rename them (all designed by Sam) First. There are talks that Sam can be the designer of the very awaited First 39 but that remains to be seen.

An unusual boat to an unusual IMOCA skipper. Tripon, contrary to other new IMOCA sailors does not come directly from the lower solo/duo class40 but from the Multi50.  Neither is he a young sailor but a very diversified top veteran with a racing career full of accomplishments, in the last years almost all on 50ft ocean racing multihulls.

Just to name the main victories and the podium places: won the Mini-Transat in 2003; 2012. 3rd Transat Solidaire du Chocolat (class40); 1st Les Sables-Horta (class40); 2015, 1st Transat Newport-Coves (class40), 1st Grand Prix of the Cannaries (Multi 50); 2017, 3rd Transat Jacques Vabre (Multi 50); 2018, 1st Route du Rhum (Multi 50).

About the boat I could not find the beam or dimensions anywhere but they say:

"The moderate beam reduces deck / hull surfaces and reduces boat weight. It is also a favorable factor to optimize the IMOCA gauge (AVS and 180 ° test). Although the beam is contained, the hull forms are powerful, to keep stability especially when the boat moves at low speed during gybe maneuvers in particular. The skipper must feel comfortable and be able to make maneuvers without difficulty. This scenario may be crucial in the Great South along the forbidden zone.

Large deported foils can generate dynamic RM with little drag. We are getting closer to how a trimaran works. The deported foils work in a clean flow, offset from the wave train of the hull. Our foils can also be lifted to avoid drifting in the water in the light weather when they are useless / harmful, as well as in the heavy weather where the skipper may want to navigate in slower mode for his own safety..."

Without doubt a very interesting boat that can be a flop...or a winner and this odd duo can be very well the big surprise on the next Vendee: if the boat can keep the pace on the strong winds and high speeds of the Southern Ocean then it would have a significant advantage while crossing the doldrums and other areas with light winds and that can make the difference.