This is your first Route du Rhum. What does it mean to you?
The Route du Rhum is the most mythical race in the Ocean Fifty class. It's the most extreme race on our calendar. We started this project four years ago with Arkema, and it's an important race. I've learned a lot since 2018. Especially in the last few weeks on the Drheam Cup.
This will be your first solo experience in a multihull transatlantic race, how do you feel about it?
We're going to try to do it right, even though the Ocean Fifty is not the easiest class. I'm excited and proud to have been involved in the design and construction of a new boat, and to be sailing it. It's been a long project that has allowed us to show that we can do great things, using meaningful materials provided by our sponsor Arkema. We're going to make the most of these 4 years with a great experience, whatever the result.
How did you prepare yourself and the boat for the solo navigation?
We built the boat with the Route du Rhum in mind, with a protected cockpit. With the development of the Pro Sailing Tour, we split our cockpit into two removable parts for the crew configuration, while keeping the comfort and safety for single-handed sailing and being able to be on constant watch.
I benefit from Lalou's years of experience in multihulls. I adapt his advice. Learning with him in a hurry has saved me a lot of time and avoided mistakes.
I started sailing single-handed quite late to get a good feel for the boat, which is fairly new. It works well with a crew. It was a pleasant surprise last year. We got some interesting data on the settings. My first experience in solo sailing is 3 days and a half on the Drheam Cup.
My first solo experience was 3 and a half days on the Drheam Cup.
I did a lot of false solo sailing for safety, with the préparateurs, my boat captain, Lalou, Alex Pellaâeuros¦ This allows me to gain time to understand what is happening on board. We will continue with sailing in Brittany, and then some public relations sailing in La Rochelle.
How will you handle the weather?
In Ocean Fifty we have an authorized routing cell. Lalou, who has known me for 11 years, Alex Pella, a very good racer and the meteorologist Eric Mas will take turns. This trio will follow me permanently and will advise me on the route to follow. It's up to me to transmit my feelings and those of the boat. We did the exercise on the Drheam Cup and on some other training sessions.
What experience do you take away from your first solo sail on the Drheam Cup?
I sailed solo in the Drheam Cup and did two multi-day convoy trips in false solo. 10 minutes before the start of the race, I found myself alone on my boat for the first time. I lived the Drheam Cup as if it was the first days of the Route du Rhum.
I did clean maneuvers, managed to sleep for a few minutes on board alone, the catchâeuros¦ We improved the comfort on board, especially the watch area where I can lie down in front of the winch area to rest, or at least try not to lose energy. I managed to manage my food, which is not always easy.
The level was top, the others were not far behind. I managed to do everything I wanted, alone on board. We had just finished 3 weeks with a crew, so the conditions weren't ideal, but in the end it worked out.
I scared myself too. The problem is not a question of strong wind, but of unstable wind. We have to have sail to move forward, and, from the first reef, it goes fast. We study as much as possible the weather stability, if the wind will vary or not. There are times when we won't be able to sleep. But having a boat without a keel allows you to stay awake!
Today, where are you in the exploitation of your boat and what percentage of the boat's potential can you reach in the Route du Rhum?
The 100% is well quantified. We have a real base to work from. I know the limits of the boat and I can reach them as quickly as possible at each transition, without making any mistakes.
In solo sailing, it's not possible to change sails all the time. You have to accept having the wrong sail for a while and therefore not being at 100%. I have learned a lot from the experience of the people around me. We avoid looking at real speeds and we work with average speeds. All under pilot. We are satisfied with the work done all year on it.
We don't know the result of the Rhum, but we're ready to arrive in Saint-Malo with all the means to have a great race. I'm going to take advantage of it, have a good sail and get to the other side as quickly as possible. In any case, we know that this race will be engaging for the Ocean Fifty.
In the Transat Jacques Vabre, we came in last but we were at 100% all the time.
Is the fact of having participated in the shipyard an advantage on a long solo crossing?
I hope it won't be on the repair part. But it gives you confidence. It helps you limit the breakage and know where the urgency is, whether to contact the team or if it's a small repair. I've gotten my hands in the glue a few times. I like that too, and it's always interesting to work with your hands.
What experience of the crew can you transpose to solo sailing?
This year, we have made a lot of progress. Sailing with other skippers and other crew members has allowed us to learn about the different sail settings, in particular how to delay maneuvers when the wind picks up. By dint of pulling on it, we were well above 100% of its use. I've already experienced this with a crew, and it's always interesting to find yourself in a complicated situation because the wind rises quickly. Now we'll have to see how it goes solo.
Sailing with a crew of 5 is the best. We all have the same desire, we give each other advice, we are constantly optimizing to make the boat work well.
Your victory on the Pro Sailing Tour is a motivation for a potential victory on the Route du Rhum?
The boat can go fast. If it is not the case in the Route du Rhum, it is my fault. If I find myself alone with no other boat close to me, it means that my boat will be badly adjusted. Knowing that it is fast is good for morale. I will make the most of it. But I will have to rely on the experience of the old-timers like Thibault, Erwan, Gillesâeuros¦ I am going to make the most of it and enjoy myself.
If I find myself alone with no other boat near me, my boat will be badly adjusted.
Erwan Le Roux said at the Route du Rhum press conference that the level is extremely homogeneous on the Ocean Fifty circuit, due to the reliability of the boats. What do you think? What can make the difference?
All the boats have the possibility to win. Although there are older boats, we all have the same budgets and some sailors are experienced. There are favorites in the class. When you have already done a Route du Rhum, it helps, especially on our boats.
The advantage, although I have never sailed my boat single-handed, is that I know it by heart. I designed and built it for myself, both in terms of the composite and the electronics.
Everything will be decided in the first few days, depending on the starting conditions. Will it be windy and maritime experience will prevail or will it be a regatta start? We will have to find the right balance between performance, reliability and safety.
Sébastien Rogues won the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre with an old boat. We may put new boats in the water, but there are not really any new generations. The rules are simple, the mast and foils remain the same. We ask ourselves questions about how to improve our boats, but we don't have the means. Our credo is to sell racing to the public.
In any case, there will be a match, the boats are so close in speed. On the Pro Sailing Tour, we are in Solitaire du Figaro mode at more than 20 knots. On the Route du Rhum, there will be more of a gap between the boats, and we'll have to manage sleep and breakage. There's also a risk that the boats will be bunched together at over 20 knots in the trade winds. We hope for a good start in 15 knots. It would be perfect for the show!
Erwan is the most experienced in the class with a boat he got back last year. He would not have made this choice but he knew how to find the right settings. Thibault is the only one who has been on the same boat for 4 years. He knows the route, he's crazy on the water, he's good on his boat and knows how to pull it. He has the 24 hour record, he likes speed and has new sails.
Gilles is not a fan of the Pro Sailing Tour and contact racing, but he likes the open sea. Even if the weather is bad, he will continue and it will pass because he knows. Armel is coming back to Ocean Fifty after a Vendée Globe. That helps. He has sailed a lot and his experience can make up for the lack of sailing this year. Sam has been training like crazy. He has a very good boat. We have to be careful with it.
Eric Péron has a very good boat for offshore sailing. It has worked very well with a crew this year. It's a boat that likes big weather, with very big floats. Finally, Seb Rogues also has a very good boat for the open sea, even if it is an old boat. It is a very good customer for the open sea. We are a little more discreet, but we will do our best.
