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Structural repairs completed
After capsizing off the coast of Morocco, the Maxi Banque Populaire IX was sent to the Multiplast shipyard in Vannes for two and a half months. The structural repairs to the platform - the three hulls, the two arms and the tiller - the trimaran has now left the yard.
"The main impact area was on the port after third of the vessel, from the mast foot to the after arm. We reconstructed the boat according to the rules of the art", explains Gautier Levisse, member of the Banque Populaire team's design office.
The biggest project concerned the reconstruction of the protective cap, 90% of which was destroyed when it capsized "It's a part of the boat. We had to rebuild a mould, make the part and replace it, says Gautier "The timing was tight, but it was respected. The boat is completely repaired in terms of composite structure, the platform is sound, but there is still work to be done, says Ronan Lucas, director of Team Banque Populaire.
The Multiplast yard managed to respect the timing to prepare the boat in 10 weeks, for its participation in the Route du Rhum. However, the mission had not been won, as Yann Penfornis, CEO of Multiplast explains.
"This situation is always delicate, because, by definition, a reversal is never foreseen in the program. Our job is to anticipate, organize and plan. In the present case, we were in the opposite situation with our teams busy on other projects, including the maxi trimaran Sodebo 5, our halls filled with various production lines, particularly by the Figaro 3 foils, and to complicate matters even more, a month in May was disrupted by multiple public holidays. It is during these moments that we are particularly proud of our teams at Multiplast: the work is done in 2x7, the schedules are modified, the projects are reorganized and a solution is found."
Yann Penfornis
System optimization
The Maxi Banque Populaire IX therefore found the water again on Thursday 19 July 2018 in Vannes. But only for a few hours, the time to find his technical base of Keroman, in Lorient, very dry. The boat has been completely dismantled to check all the elements of the different systems.
The team will take care of the complete reassembly of the systems: electronics, computer, hydraulics, appendages, fittings... The coming weeks will therefore be loaded so that the boat is ready for her return to the water next September.
Lorima is building the new mast and boom, which should be completed on time.
Yann Penfornis
A relief for all
"We are well on our way. We have the impression that the capsizing is behind us, that it is a bad memory" says Ronan Lucas.
"It's nice to see the boat again with no holes, no carbon sticking out. This is a big step forward in view of the sailings and the resumption of control of the boat at the end of summer. The Maxi Banque Populaire IX will take shape again in the coming weeks. We're all anxious to get back out to sea and get back on the train preparing for the Route du Rhum." entrusts Armel le Cléac'h
