V&B - Mayenne: the Dragon's Breath will go round the world in the 2020 Vendée Globe

Maxime Sorel on V&B-Mayenne © Jean-Marie Liot

Launched in 2007 for Kito de Pavant, this IMOCA has had an eventful start to its career. Today skippered by Maxime Sorel, it could be ranked in the top trio of daggerboard boats.

Maxime Leriche Published on October 19, 2020

The tight smile of the laughing cow

Built at Indiana Yachting to VPLP-Verdier design, this 60-foot boat was launched for skipper Kito de Pavant, under the colours of Groupe Bel.

Groupe Bel skippÃ© par Kito de Pavant — Groupe Bel skippered by Kito de Pavant

This IMOCA has experienced many setbacks at the hands of the Camargue skipper. He finished sixth in the 2007 Jacques Vabre with Sébastien Col, but had to abandon the 2008 Vendée Globe, after dismasting on the second day of the race.

Kito de Pavant et FranÃ§ois Gabart au dÃ©part de la Jaques Vabre — Kito de Pavant and François Gabart at the start of the Jaques Vabre

After a fine 2nd place in the 2009 Jacques Vabre with François Gabart, fate was to bitterly disappoint Groupe Bel. Kito retired in the 2010 Route du Rhum (keel head HS), the 2010 Barcelona World Race (broken keel) and the 2012 Vendée Globe (collision with a Portuguese trawler).

Bad luck continues with Thomas Ruyant

Taken over by Armel Tripon, he finished at the foot of the podium in the 2014 Route du Rhum, finishing 4th. In 2015, it was bought by Thomas Ruyant and renamed Le Souffle du Nord for Le Projet Imagine.

Thomas Ruyant Ã la barre de son IMOCA — Thomas Ruyant at the helm of his IMOCA

After a major work on reliability, Thomas , accompanied by Adrien Hardy, finished 4th in the 2015 Jacques Vabre. Qualified for the 2016 Vendée Globe, Thomas took his boat back to the yard to enlarge the roof cap and dismantle the two steering wheels, in favour of a single tiller. New ballast tanks are installed under the cockpit, and a general overhaul allows Thomas to present himself with complete confidence at the start line of his first round the world race.

Thomas et Adrien au dÃ©part de la Jacques Vabre 2015 — Thomas and Adrien at the start of the Jacques Vabre 2015

But while in eighth place, he collided with an underwater container off the coast of New Zealand. The impact was so violent that the front third of her IMOCA boat cracked. Thomas fought to save his boat and managed to return to the engine in the small port of Bluff.

Grosse avarie pour Thomas Ruyant — Big damage for Thomas Ruyant

After being repaired, it is Enda O'Coineen, another unfortunate Vendée Globe competitor, who is keen to complete his round the world voyage, who will be taking the boat to Les Sables-d'Olonne.

Enda O'Coineen parviendra Ã boucler son tour du monde — Enda O'Coineen will manage to complete his world tour

A new lease of life with Maxime Sorel

Maxime Sorel sur V&B -Mayenne — Maxime Sorel on V&B -Mayenne

Taken over by Maxime Sorel, skipper from Cancale, she will undergo a major refit.

The boat has suffered a lot of damage and Maxime wants to get back on a sound footing. Rather than embarking on a race based on performance, Maxime's project is above all to finish his first Vendée Globe, and to favour reliability over performance. The 60-foot boat will be completely dismantled so that each of the parts can be checked.

Maxime Ã la table Ã cartes de V&B Mayenne — Maxime at the chart table at V&B Mayenne

The interior ergonomics have been redesigned, and an Oscar detection system has been installed on V&B-Mayenne ( read the article on Oscar ). Oscar is a box which embeds 3 cameras: 2 for night vision and one for day vision. These cameras return a video stream which is analyzed by an on-board computer which detects any floating object in the ship's path. Once detected, it informs the skipper (alarm) who then has time to deviate his course. This innovative system enabled Maxime to avoid a collision during the Transat Jacques Vabre.