Webasto is a German company and the world market leader in the field of space heating systems. For more than 40 years, the company has been equipping boats with heating and air-conditioning systems, enabling them to sail in the best possible conditions all year round. Webasto offers innovative air and water heating solutions that meet the needs of its customers.
IMOCA are not isolated.
As the skippers of the 2020 Vendée Globe take it in turns to round Cape Horn, the southernmost cape located at 56° latitude South, where the weather can be very rough and which remains one of the most dangerous sea passages in the world. While some skippers like Alain Roura were surprised by the snow on Thursday 7th January 2021, sailing close to the Antarctic exclusion zone. Whilst we can see from the videos and photos shared by the skippers, that they are almost always soaked, sometimes facing hollows over 5 metres high... We can understand why some of them, such as Damien Seguin and Thomas Ruyant in particular, opted to install heating on board, knowing that the Imoca boats are not isolated!
The Air Top 2000 STC Model - compact and powerful
Some Vendée Globe skippers have therefore installed this option, including Thomas Ruyant "During my last Vendée Globe in 2016, I didn't choose to take a heater on board. However, it is very useful, both to preserve the equipment and to manage to dry the clothes when the conditions are extreme. »
The Air Top 2000 STC model was therefore chosen by the teams, as it is the smallest forced air heater ( 311x120x121mm) with great reliability, weighing only 2.6kg and consuming very little diesel (between 0.12 and 0.24 litres/hour). Size and weight are all the more important criteria when sailing non-stop and without assistance. In record time, this equipment warms up the boat pleasantly and ensures excellent cabin dehumidification.
The model they have installed is the smallest in the Webasto range, as the living area is small on IMOCA. The Air Top 2000 heating system has been in existence since 1998. It is a forced-air heating system with an output of 2kWh. This model has been continuously improved, the latest version the Air Top 2000 STC released in 2015 allows in particular to have a quieter fuel pump, a new temperature sensor and to be compatible with the Multi Control digital control element.
How does it work?
The Air Top 2000 STC model is the most suitable model for the Vendée Globe. Indeed, the advantages of an air heating system are multiple compared to a water heating system. The air is pulsed (therefore drier), it will dry out the boat more quickly. It allows the boat to be dehumidified in record time, which is very practical for electronics.
The Top 2000 STC air works by combustion (diesel). The heater works with the fuel in the boat's tank and uses the battery to run the fan (connected to 12 volts) that pulses the air. This means that you do not have to start the engine to have heating in the boat.
An easy to install system
For the Vendée Globe IMOCA boats, a single duct has been installed, as the living area to be heated is small. Thomas Ruyant tells us that he has installed the forced air outlet in a strategic location "A sheath directs the heating in the boat to keep your feet warm during rest periods. A thermostat in the living area regulates the temperature in the boat. That makes me much more comfortable.
Of course, depending on your needs and the area to be heated, it is possible to have several ducts and thus to pulse hot air in different areas of the boat. This system is recommended for boats up to 14 meters. But for the Vendée Globe IMOCA boats, one was sufficient, as the living area is small, allowing easy and inexpensive installation. The forced air system is therefore more suited to the needs of the Vendée Globe skippers. A water heating system would provide softer heat, but it would require a larger and heavier installation via the installation of a water circuit, which is incompatible with a racing yacht, which is above all looking for lightness.
Interest in this system has been growing since the last two editions of the Vendée Globe. "The ratio between weight and power and fuel consumption is perfect", indicates Thomas Ruyant. It's a useful accessory, particularly for the proper functioning of the electronics on board, and it brings a little balm to the heart of the skippers!
