A promising start around the world
In the tradition of the many Farrs of the 2007 generation, this 60-foot boat with straight daggerboards was built at Southern Ocean in New Zealand. Like its sistership Gitana Eighty, destined for Loïck Peyron, Virbac Paprec has the particularity of being equipped with trim-lab and a satellite living cell.
Rather well born, he won his first race, the Barcelona World Race, with Damien Foxall. On his return, Jean-Pierre had strakes grafted on to the boat to limit the amount of swamping. Virbac was one of the favorites at the start of the 2008 Vendée Globe, but a collision with a UFO in the South Pacific broke his rudders and forced him to abandon.
Bought by a Spanish team, he then took 4th place in the Barcelona 2010/2011 in the hands of Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes, and 5th place in the following edition of the same race.
Taken over by Arnaud Boissières, he finished 10th in the 2016 Vendée Globe under the colors of La Mie Caline.
A new career with Manuel Cousin
It was in 2017 that Manuel Cousin bought the boat from Arnaud Boissières. Manuel ranks 11th in the Jacques Vabre 2017 with Arnaud, then takes possession of his new boat during the return transatlantic race.
Having discovered ocean racing late in life, he wants to do everything he can for his first Vendée Globe, which he will start on November 8, 2020. The idea is to make the boat more reliable rather than racing for performance.
A simplified and more reliable machine
The "Trim lab" system, considered as a gas factory, has been removed. The whole rear part of the hull has been reshaped to optimize the glide. The engine has also been changed, and a bucket seat has been installed in front of the chart table (the previous skipper, Arnaud Boissières, sailed on a footstool, which he moved according to his speed).
A small forced-air heater was installed near the card table to bring a touch of comfort to the deep south. This installation also helps preserve the electrical circuit from condensation. Manuel lined up at the start of the 2018 Route du Rhum, which he finished 14th /20. Then co-skippered by Gildas Morvan, Groupe Sétin takes the 22nd place in the last Transat Jacques Vabres 2019. Proof of the boat's very good level of preparation, Groupe Sétin is the only 60-foot boat to have raced and finished all the races on the IMOCA class calendar for the past two years.
Sétin Group - Manuel Cousin
- Christian name: Trimtastic
- Sail number : FRA 71
- Former names of the boat: Paprec-Virbac2, Estrella Damm, We are Water, La Mie Câline
- Architect: Bruce Farr Yacht Design
- Shipyard : Southern Ocean Marine (New Zealand)
- Launch date: February 02, 2007
- Width : 5,80 m
- Displacement (weight): 9 t
- Number of drifts: 2 asymmetrical
- Sail area upwind : 270 m2
- Downwind sail area: 560 m2
