The Mini class to discover offshore racing
Ian discovered sailing through family cruises and by monitoring in the famous Glénans sailing school. He discovered competition in 2012 by participating in his first Mini circuit on board a production boat, a Pogo 2.
Read " Iodized memories of a skipper with Ian Lipinski "
Unfortunately, for her first Mini Transat, she capsized off Portugal. He is forced to abandon his boat before being rescued by a freighter. In 2014, he had an Ofcet 6.50 built and won the Transgascogne, but also the Mini Transat in the production boat category.
He finally decides to go proto and acquires the number 865, a prototype designed by David Raison in 2014. At the start of his 3rd Mini Transat, he is unbeaten in 15 races. So it was only natural for him to win the race and wins his 2nd Mini Transat in a row .
"I've done three Mini projects. In 2013, I capsized, in 2015, I won serial, and in 2017 I won proto."
Launching into Class40 with an innovative boat
For the past year, he was able to put together a Class40 project with Crédit Mutuel, which has committed to a 4-year programme with the construction of a new boat.
"I'm at the beginning of a great project thanks to Crédit Mutuel, which trusts me. They are committed to a long project. It's great. I hope to live up to the trust they have placed in me."
His new boat is a Class40 - 12.19 m long - designed by the same architect as his Mini Proto. " We've started building a new boat based on new designs by David Raison." It's a scow concept with a very wide bow.
"Since it worked so well in the Mini, we decided to replicate the same concept, knowing that there was a limit to how far it could go." Indeed, the Class40 yacht gauge limits the bow volume to a maximum width of 4.50m.
We had already seen on Crosscall Chamonix Mont-Blanc (ex-Carac) or Beijaflore (ex-Veddol), two Lombard designs built by the Gepeto composite shipyard - V1D2 in 2018, these bows more widened.
"It's a very different boat from the others. It follows the trend, but we've taken the concept even further. It's a very powerful boat up front, but with an even wider bow and a forefoot that comes out of the water more. The waterline length is short. The bow slopes gently towards the back of the boat and doesn't fall directly into the water."
The waterline length may appear to be shortened because the hull has a lot of rocker. Indeed, it is very banana-shaped.
A healthy, versatile and comfortable boat
Despite her recent launch - Tuesday 13th August 2019 - Ian and his team have already been able to validate the boat's good seakeeping. "The boat is very healthy and very seaworthy. She walks very hard with a lot of wind and a lot of sea. She also manages in light weather. In medium wind, it has no strong points, but it has no weak points either."
The Crédit Mutuel skipper is sailing as much as possible to prepare and optimise his boat before the 2019 Transat Jacques Vabre, which will be the kick-off to a major campaign culminating in the Route du Rhum 2022.
"We alternate between preparation and navigation. We work on the sails, the rudder system, energy, ergonomics and life on board, as well as seamanship and computers."
A boat designed for heavy weather
When Ian is asked about the strengths of his boat compared to the other boats in the Class40, he answers without hesitation "When there's a lot of vent?! Above 20 knots you're comfortable at almost any speed. The windier and windier, the happier we are."
The skipper is full of praise for the comfort of his boat, which, thanks to the scow concept, is much less wet. A feature he already appreciated on his Mini.
"We've managed to replicate this borrowed Mini Scow feature on a larger boat, which would normally have to anchor more. It's a very liveable and well thought-out boat with a well thought-out ergonomic design. As a result, it doesn't slap much and it doesn't wet much."
An excellent sailor as a coskipper
For the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019, Ian will be sailing with Adrien Hardy, for whom he was the préparateur when he started ocean racing. "I worked for him for three years. We've become friends and I get along very well with him. He's a very good racer, who has proven himself on the Figaro circuit and before that on the Mini circuit. He's an excellent sailor, resourceful, who knows how to tinker. He has a very complete profile."
This comprehensive profile reassures Ian, who has just taken charge of his boat. "It's not just a racer and it's a plus on a new boat where everything has to be done. We'll be strong if we face any problems."
All the more so as Adrien has been alongside Ian in Lorient since the launch to prepare the boat. "He's working with us full time to prepare as best he can."
A tray with a high level
While he knows he is in good company to take up the challenge of this Transat Jacques Vabre 2019, Ian also knows that he will have some serious competitors. "My main competitors will be the Mach 3s (NDLR plan Manuard Leyton, Lamotte Module Creation or Aïna Enfance et Avenir") and the Lift (Editor's note: Plan Lombard Beijaflore and Crosscall Chamonix-Mont Blanc) . There is also the unknown of Mach 4 (Editor's note: Banque du Léman) ...launched after ours, which follows a similar pattern to ours, and which no one has yet seen sailed."
Even though Ian and Adrien have sailed as much as possible - including a qualifying course of 1?000 miles - the two skippers are clocking up fewer miles than the other participants. Ian nevertheless wants to be reassuring about the ability of the trio - skippers plus boat. "From what we've seen in practice, we've got some good cards to play at the front of the fleet."
Validate the boat and why not finish on the podium
"If we can make a podium, it'll be génial?! There's no reason for that. We can hope to play to be on the podium. But above all, the goal is to validate the boat, to get to know it, to see where we can improve for next season."
In spite of his rapid preparation for the Transat Jacques Vabre, the skipper of the Crédit Mutuel Class40 is really "satisfied with the result given the time we've had. It's a boat that's going for a podium finish."
