How then can you equip yourself with a suit that protects the sailor in tricky conditions while allowing him or her to continue manoeuvring? Asked about this point, Guy Cotten in the person of Nadine Bertholom-Cotten answers our questions by going back over the history of the GST.
A combination of manoeuvres
"Created in the early 90's from one of our SOLAS survival suits, the TPS suit was designed to help reduce the too many sea fortunes facing the sailing world. But the GST has never been SOLAS certified.
We wanted it as a "combination of maneuvers" rather than "survival" so that safety would be permanent as soon as conditions could get rough, as soon as the oilskin no longer provided enough protection. In fact, the "S" in TPS does not stand for "Survival" but for "Follows". TPS being actually the initials of "Thermal Protective Suit".
At the time, the standards in force were not the same. In fact, we were innovative. Therefore, when we wanted to pass a standardization for this product, we obtained the CE PR EN 1913, which was a provisional standard.
The GST has quickly become a household word and we can only applaud the fact that it has helped save lives. The latest is that of Louis Duc off the Azores on his Class40.
However, as this is a very specific item, we had a very limited marketing of it [Editor's note: the company claims to sell about 80 combinations per year], especially as it is an item that has a lifespan of decades.
In spite of this, we have kept it in our range for many years, even improving it by adding details when we had relevant feedback from runners, but also from rescue professionals.
In recent years, new standards have emerged. The EN 1913 standard, although not "less demanding", is no longer recognized and we should pass the current correspondence: ISO 150 27.
GST performance levels should easily bring it up to standard, but given the very small quantities sold, the cost of re-certification appears disproportionate. We had therefore put the file on standby, but in the meantime we are prohibited from continuing to produce the GST.
On the other hand, combinations already on the market may continue to be used provided they are revised.
To get a GST. At the moment, there is only "second hand", but in terms of safety we can only find it dangerous and we can only advise boaters, if they have made such an acquisition, to have it checked before use at an official station or at the Guy Cotten company."
What do the race organizers think?
Many offshore races require their participants to have a wetsuit in their safety gear. What if the GST is no longer commercialized? Sébastien Pebellier President of the Classe Mini, indicates that the rules of measurement impose a "Survival Suit" and not a GST. Therefore, there are other models even though GST is the most appropriate for use. Identical comments for Jacques Caraes race Director of the Route du Rhum and the Vendée Globe: "The survival suit is required for the racers. Be careful, a dry suit is not enough, as it does not provide the thermal protection offered by neoprene. For the next Vendée Globe, I will make sure that the GST is accepted. Indeed, this suit was really designed with safety in mind and has saved many sailors. The company Guy Cotten has always worked for safety, even offering its services of revision or repair to ensure the maintenance of the equipment. I would even go so far as to recommend the GST! It's a very good product that really deserves to be reintroduced."
The GST back on the market?
Asked about the future of the GST, Pascal Beurier sales Director France at Guy Cotten tells us that they are looking for solutions to resume production. But despite the fact that the GST undoubtedly meets all the new standards, the evolution of the latter prohibits the distribution, manufacture or sale of a GST: "This is a Kafkaesque aspect of the administration. Many people ask us for it even though we don't sell many of them. There is no competing model that allows you to continue manoeuvring in extreme conditions. We are now thinking about relaunching an evolution of the GST, including some accessories such as pockets to store security equipment and papers, or to develop the storage bag. But until we can find the funding for the standards changeover, we can't say when we'll resume marketing."
