Is this your first time participating?
It's not my first time, but it's the first time I've been away. I was supposed to do the 2015 Mini-Transat, but on the race of the season, I was knocked out by a spectator boat on the start line. It's been a year of insurance battle behind to get the money back, repair the boat ... so I couldn't take the start of the Mini-Transat. I was the owner of my boat, it was out of the question for me to stop the project without having done the transat. So I re-signed for 2017, found partners, it was a bit complicated, and today I'm at the start.
What motivated you to start making the Mini?
I've been sailing since I was a kid. Since I was a kid I've been reading about the Mini and I dreamed of doing the Mini-Transat. My parents always told me: "first you finish your studies, work a little bit and then you'll see". If anyone would listen to me, after graduation I was going to leave in a Mini. So I did my studies, Tech de co [Marketing Techniques] specialising in boats at the INB in Brittany. Then I started at Delta Voiles in the South, but they didn't want to hire me directly because I was only 19 years old. They advised me to get a licence, which I did on a work-study basis and then I worked for two years on a permanent contract with them. But during those two years, the Mini thing was just too much on my mind. I was selling sails on the Mini, I was going to sail with them, so at the time I said to myself: "It's my turn to go".
It's a childhood dream that I finally realized: I bought a boat, quit my job and now I'm full time on my project.
Since you started, have your goals changed at all?
The motivation remains the same, I want to cross the Atlantic single-handed, but the objectives are a little different. In 2015, I'd barely had a year and a half to prepare myself, so I set off for the adventure and to finish. Today I'm going there to complete the race, but I'd like to do a little perf'. I'd like to be able to continue to evolve in this environment afterwards, do ocean racing or crewed races. It's the opportunities that make you launch yourself into a project. I had the opportunity to sail on flying boats this winter and I'd like to be able to continue on that.
Were you able to optimize your boat?
Bernard Gallay built the boat in 2005. He took part in the Vendée Globe [1992 and 2000 editor's note], but did things the other way round. He first did the Vendée Globe before doing the Mini. The boat then had 2 other owners. I found him on an advertisement and I fell in love with the boat. Of course there's also a money story, I bought her rather well. I worked a lot on it with some friends. We fixed everything up. It used to be pink! I've made it completely reliable, I can leave with peace of mind, I trust her. I made 15,000 miles on it, we did a big job this winter. As far as I'm concerned, he'll go all the way.
I didn't have much of a budget. I had to go into a little debt to get out. So I couldn't make new sails. We went this morning to a buddy's office at Brainbridge to patch the genoa. It's being rinsed out. These sails were made in 2009 and already have a deck chair on the meter.
I've made the electronics more reliable and obsolete. I mounted it on adjustable plates accessible from the outside and the inside to do my nav' or to have the screens in front of me when I sleep. My partner Marlow provided me with ropes, textile chainrings, so it's all new.
What about the skipper? Do you trust him?
That's a first for me. The first step doesn't scare me too much. I'm sending boats so I can eat at the end of the month, so the trip to the Canaries: I know. Even if I've never been there because I've stopped rather in Gibraltar and Morocco, the beginning of the route remains the same. The big part will be the second stage from November 1st. We'll have to talk again when I'll be in the Canaries because for the moment I have trouble to project myself.
I think we're going to have to find a rhythm on board. I'm a racer, am I going to be able to set a rhythm for myself in the transat? To be a little slower to keep going over time? I'm the kind of sailor who goes all the way around three buoys.
What do you have left to do before you leave tomorrow?
One last check. I've got some buddies taking apart some parts to make sure everything's gonna be all right. But for the past week we've been at full speed, working every day from 8am to 2am sometimes.
