A new foiler
Samantha Davies has been at the helm of the IMOCA Initiatives-C?ur since 2017. Courageous and combative, she is the perfect embodiment of the values of the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque association. Her sponsors - Initiatives, K-LINE and VINCI Energies - have decided to renew their trust in her until 2025, with a new Vendée Globe in 2024.
To accompany the sailor in her sporting approach, they have also decided to launch the construction of a new boat. It is a Manuard design, which will be built in the molds of the former L'Occitane en Provence, owned by the French yard Black Pepper. An IMOCA with a rounded bow.
"I'm proud to be part of this magnificent project, which is working well and for which a lot of people are invested. Leaving with a newer boat will allow us, with the help of the great Initiatives-Coeur team, to aim for some great places.
I am proud that finally a woman skipper can sail on equal terms and I hope I will not be the only one. I am ready to invest myself totally, to work very hard to bring this future IMOCA boat to 100% of its capacities. I am convinced that the sporting side will boost the solidarity side, because the more we are at the front, the more people talk about us, the more they follow us. This will help to promote Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque and therefore save children. Many are waiting for our help, we will not let them down, we are always there for them!" says the navigator.
Gauge evolution on the foils
"There have been a few changes compared to L'Occitane en Provence, especially with the evolution of the rules on the foils. The latter no longer fit into the new rules, as they are too big. Initiatives-C?ur will therefore have foils with a new maximum dimension, which will be a little smaller. There are also differences, but more subtle, notably in the materials used to build the bottom of the hull, which have evolved in relation to the new rules. Nomex is prohibited and must be replaced by foam or monolithic. We also worked on the structure of the keel node and the hull bottom to respond to the case of loading on the heels, which has changed explains Sam Manuard.
Launching in 2022
The construction is being carried out by Black Pepper. Before the end of 2021, the boat will be transported to Lorient where the Initiatives-C?ur team will take care of the assembly: keel, mast, fittings, mechanics, electronics, paint... The internal design office will manage the evolutions compared to the previous version, and in particular the foils. The launch is scheduled for May 2022, and Sam Davies will participate on board in the Route du Rhum 2022.
The current Initiatives-Coeur will be bought by Arnaud Boissières and will pass under the colors of La Mie Câline in 2022.
