One of the first IMOCA designed to sail with foils
This boat was designed by the VPLP-Guillaume Verdier duo, so that Jean-Pierre Dick could line up at the start of his fourth Vendée Globe in 2016. On this occasion, a partnership has been developed with the GITANA DESIGN TEAM, with a view to pooling certain skills for the design of GITANA 16, intended for Sébastien Josse.
Launched in 2015, it is one of the first IMOCA boats to be designed to sail with foils. It is distinguished by a voluminous bow and very flat lines, to increase its power. The aim is to make the boat perform well in light airs and transition zones, to avoid sail change manoeuvres. The cockpit is particularly flat and uncluttered, so that sails can be stored in it and the centre of gravity can be lowered and moved back.
An extensive list of awards
Shortly after its launch, it will be at the start of the 2015 Jacques Vabre, co-skippered by Jean-Pierre Dick and Fabien Delahaye. But the breakage of several heats on the front section forced them to divert to Madeira and retire. Jean-Pierre then trained solo in Portugal, followed by The Transat (3rd) and the New York-Vendée-Les Sables-d'Olonne (10th), where he collided with a UFO and made a technical stopover in Newport.
With his experience and a state-of-the-art IMOCA boat, Jean-Pierre is one of the favourites for the 2016 edition of the Vendée Globe. He changed his set of foils shortly before the start, for profiles with a thicker shaft (upper part of the foil). Jean-Pierre will finish in fourth place, in spite of an 8h penalty imposed in the Indian Ocean, and a detour of several hundred miles to avoid a violent low blocking his passage to the south of Australia.
Virbac -Saint Michel is back to winning again, winning the 2017 Jacques Vabre, seconded by Yann Eliès. The latter bought the boat and finished 2nd in the Route du Rhum 2018.
A much sought-after 60-footer
IMOCA raced by many skippers, it is finally Giancarlo Pedote who acquires it in 2019. With Anhony Marchand, he takes the start of the last Jacques Vabre but will finish in 17th place following a bad weather option.
For 2020, as Giancarlo's objective is to finish his Vendée Globe, particular attention has been paid to reliability. A major reinforcement work was carried out following a Jacques Vabre boat breakage. Although she has changed little since she was launched, she is now one of the most reliable IMOCA boats in the fleet.
Prysmian Group - Giancarlo Pedote
- Sail number: ITA 06
- Former names of the boat: Saint-Michel - Virbac
- Architect : VPLP - Verdier
- Job-site : Multiplast
- Launch date: April 02, 2015
- Width: 5.80m
- Displacement (weight): 8t
- Foils : Yes
- Sail area upwind : 300m2
- Sail area downwind: 600m2
