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Boat's optimisations, new appendages, etc, an example with the consulting for the 60' Imoca Temenos

This is a typical example of the successful "medical" type of intervention that we like to make.

Dominique Wavre called us after the 2002 Route du Rhum about various problems on his boat, with poor balance generally compromising both speed and control.

Our intervention consisted mainly of first setting up a new sail-chart (which we call "gear-box" redistribution), notably by correcting a forestay position, then adapting the underwater appendages to better address the sideforces; reorientation of the daggerboards; reshaping of the fin-keel and the bulb; and brand-new multihull-type rudders. All of this was completed by structural engineers Dyne and accurately built by ZR.

We are satisfied that, as well as boosting the boat in term of speed, our developments have enhanced safety in tough conditions by ensuring that the skipper (and pilots!) have good control over the trajectory at all times.

"In the worst conditions I experienced I was effectively in survival mode for seven or eight hours, with four reefs in the mainsail and the big trinquette (60m2) forward, which took the pressure off the boat and prevented her from being overly buffeted by the breaking waves. I had moments of enormous anxiety, with a wind between 50kt and 60kt and huge noise from the sea. Terrifying.
“I was inside with the pilot remote control in my hand. My big rudders proved remarkable. Of course, the boat was regularly laid over by the breaking waves, but she's always handled really well. That was a huge joy!"
Dominique Wavre racing the Vendée Globe, Thursday 16 December 2004, in a storm northwest of the Kerguelen Islands

More informations:
www.dominiquewavre.com
www.vendeeglobe.org
www.dyne.ch