A new IMOCA (International Monohull Open Class Association) 60 design by Guillaume Verdier and VPLP Design has raised the question whether the design will be a the future of ocean racing or whether it is a foil too far. In addition to the tall rig, sled hull, articulating keel and moveable ballast, the design features “L” shaped foils that some think bear a resemblance to Salvador Dali’s iconic mustache. VPLP-Verdier design has been described as the most complex monohull sailboats ever built. Several of the designs have been built for the upcoming Vendee Globe round-the-world single-handed yacht race with the hope of breaking the current 78-day record.
Will these boats survive a round-the-world race? So far, things do not look promising. In the recent Transat Jacques Vabre from Le Havre, France, to Itajaí, Brazil, five of the new VPLP-Verdier designs started the 20-boat race, but only one finished. Armel Le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire VIII, a VPLP-Verdier design, finished second roughly eight hours behind PRB, a conventional IMOCA 60. One of the boats, Hugo Boss, sailed by Alex Thompson and Guillermo Altadill, suffered structural hull failure and sank after rolling and was dismasting. Thompson and Altadill were rescued.
As reported by the New York Times: There are complications designing a boat with unknown potential, Verdier said. The most challenging, he said, is predicting the dynamic loads the hull must withstand not only as it runs into waves and debris at higher speeds, but also as it lands after being lifted into the air by the Dalí foils.
“Before, we were designing the strength of the carbon hull for between 15 to 20 tons per square meter,” said Verdier, who designed the first- and second-place boats in the last Vendée Globe, in 2012-13. “Now the boats are capable of going 24 knots and more. We have designed them for 25 tons per square meter.”
Whether or not breakages on the new boats had been caused by faults in design or construction, Verdier said his mind and eyes were wide open. “But,” he said, “we absolutely have to get that done before the Vendée Globe.”
The IMOCA 60 Safran sailing on foils:
SAFRAN – L’Imoca 60 Safran de Morgan Lagraviere dans la brise