/ 
Plastimo, a French player in the field of safety at sea, has designed and manufactured in its Lorient workshops a raft specifically adapted to the needs of the Vendée Globe skippers.
Building on past experience, in collaboration with the IMOCA class
After PRB's sinking in the 2020 edition, and Jean Le Cam's life-saving intervention, there was a lot of feedback on safety. The aim of the IMOCA class was to improve the level of onboard safety equipment, in particular the life raft.
The class found a sympathetic ear in the technical teams at Plastimo, whose workshops are based in Lorient, home to the largest concentration of IMOCA boats.
The results of these exchanges are clear: in the event of a serious problem, far from trade routes and beyond the reach of airborne rescue, the chances of survival depend mainly on the assistance of other competitors.
Profound changes
Plastimo has taken a tried-and-tested, reliable model from its catalog and made the following improvements, as detailed by Lucas Meyer and Nicolas Barriquand, who were involved in the development of this raft:
"By taking on board the testimonies and requests of the various players in the IMOCA class, we have managed to develop our raft on several points:
- Tracking, with the addition of an AIS (Automatic Identification System) beacon
- Local communication, thanks to the integration of a VHF radio
- Visibility, with two 70x30 cm radar strip panels
- Inside the raft, an AIS beacon and a VHF have been added to the 24-hour emergency pack, which includes survival rations, drinking water, SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) suits and pyrotechnic signals.
- Design modifications were also made, including shifting the attachment point of the floating anchor to reduce water ingress, as well as clearly identifying the rope to be cut to free oneself from the boat."
Two on-board rafts, indoor and outdoor
This 4-person capacity raft is available in two versions: a container for the deck and a bag for the inside of the boat. The bag version is designed to pass through the escape hatch in the event of the boat overturning, depending on the requirements of the various races.
Antoine Perrin, Plastimo sales manager, explains how this raft has been adopted by all the Vendée Globe racers:
"The Plastimo teams have been very attentive to the needs of the racers, in order to meet all their requirements and find the right solutions. As a result, this raft has gradually been integrated into the entire IMOCA fleet that will be lining up at the start of the Vendée."
"On the strength of our experience with this product, Bureau Veritas has given us its "Plastimo IMOCA Liferaft" approval, which is a great accolade. What's more, we'll be able to bring certain evolutions of the IMOCA raft to other products designed for yachtsmen."
" The IMOCA liferaft is ISO 9650-1A approved and complies with OSR 4.20.1(a) ii. It features Plastimo's exclusive double-chamber construction, with a patented percussion head. Like all models in our range, it comes with an 18-year warranty.
