Eric Péron joined the Ocean Fifty circuit in May 2021 by buying the former trimaran from Gilles Lamiré . This all-rounder of ocean racing has sailed on many different boats and will be starting his first Route du Rhum, before participating in the Ultims World Tour in 2023. He has leased the Ultim Sailing trimaran for next season, born Geronimo in the hands of Olivier de Kersauson, then passed through the hands of Thomas Coville and Yves Le Blevec. He will get his new boat back at the beginning of 2023 before launching a shipyard.
You have chosen to carry out major work on your boat in 2021. What changes have you noticed since the work?
We are quite happy with the balance of the boat after what was done this winter. It's quite tricky on this kind of refit, especially when you add new appendages: foils, rudders... The architect's work was quite fruitful. We quickly found simple and efficient settings.
How far have you got with the training and how do you feel about this first season in Ocean Fifty?
We went through the conditions up to 22 knots of wind. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much wind this season, and our schedule didn't match up with the heavy seas. I've only been testing in strong winds for three weeks. We're mainly focusing on the rough conditions. The boat's new weapon is a small gennaker, which is perfect for the rough conditions when sailing solo.
I feel confident on this boat. I feel that she is in my hands. I feel ready to participate in the Route du Rhum.
The Ocean Fifty Class program alternates between crewed sailing on the Pro Sailing Tour and solo sailing on the Drheam Cup or the Route du Rhum. What are the main differences?
When you have your sights set on the final goal of the season, a single-handed race, thatâ??s all you think about all year long. The team formed at the beginning of the year for the Pro Sailing was closely linked with the goal of sailing solo. We chose skills to perform on both the Pro Sailing Tour and the Route du Rhum. With each work objective, we had the Route du Rhum in our sights.
The idea, at the very beginning of the year, was to look for the little grey areas in the handling of the boat when sailing solo. The fact that there were several of us on board allowed us to test the risk areas to feel safe on the Route du Rhum, especially in a multihull.
Safety is the main objective. These are engaging boats that turn around.
If you want to go fast, you have to get out your guts and uninhibit your apprehensions of solitary.
What is your assessment of your first solo experience in the Ocean Fifty on the Drheam Cup?
On a 1,000-mile race, you already get a taste of what solo sailing can be like. It was a bit radical for me, as my first race of the year was solo. It allowed me to remove a lot of uncertainties. The Dhream Cup was held in conditions without much wind, so it wasn't really intense. It was interesting, but not especially to work on the razor's edge. I worked more with the routing cell on that side.
Do you think that your experience in the Figaro could be an advantage in the Route du Rhum?
Even if I have an old boat, I hope to make up for my speed deficit with this offshore experience. Between the Figaro and the Volvo Ocean Race, I feel capable of pushing hard for 12 days maximum. I hope that this experience will allow me to make a difference in terms of speed. In the Transat, we all have our cards to play, even if we know that some boats have certain strengths. But I probably have the most 4x4 boat.
I hope that my experience will allow me to be at my best, to rest better, to know when to press. In short, to do everything better. Even if it's in the long run.
Have you done a new work camp to prepare your boat for solo sailing?
Since June 2022, a new cap has been installed. The cockpit was very open, with a helm station only protected by a very small roof. We filled this space with a removable cap. We continue to find new spaces to install the solar panels.
I was able to validate this installation during my last sail. It brings a lot of comfort in the cockpit. I'm not 100% protected like some of the others, but it's not bad. It was a welcome addition for the start on November 6.
It's a mischievous mix: an airy cockpit for the sensations, but adapted to all the constraints we had. On my boat, the floor is very high compared to the boom. We had to find a compromise.
I have only been sailing my boat since February. It's been a busy year. I'm not ashamed of my state of preparation and I'm proud to have done all this. There's room for improvement, but it's already a good base. We will continue the work later.
How are you preparing for the transatlantic race? How do you feel about this first race and Ocean Fifty? What are your ambitions?
We're not here to make up the numbers. We want to reach the podium. It's a course with few constraints, with no buoys to pass. I think there can be big gaps. The boats all have their own way of working. With no buoys to pass before Pointe-à-Pitre, the routes will separate. Even if 2 or 3 boats are on the same course, I don't think they will stay in sight. Maybe at the finish there will be a shift, but we won't be behind each other. And for the future, I don't despair of doing a solo round the world race.
