A compendium of expertise
Conceived in collaboration with the Macif stable, Charlie Dalin made a major contribution to the design of this IMOCA. Many innovations are the result of exchanges between the skipper and architect Guillaume Verdier.
Charlie Dalin explains: " I was involved in all the design decisions for Apivia. It's a versatile boat, designed not to favor any particular type of sailing. It's designed to be easy to handle single-handed. It's one of the first latest-generation boats with a protected, fully enclosed cockpit. "
The slightly curved deck reduces the center of gravity while limiting the height of the supporting bulkheads, thus saving weight. The foils are long and flat, which favors low-speed take-off, enabling earlier take-offs. However, their wingspan increases the risk of collision with a UFO (Unidentified Floating Object).
The lack of outward visibility is compensated for by two side-mounted cameras on the deck: one fixed, pointing towards the front of the boat, and the other rotating, allowing a variety of viewing angles.
Apivia, like some 15 other boats, was equipped with the Oscar artificial intelligence system, capable of remotely detecting UFOs (buoys, boats, drifting objects) likely to cross its path.
A victory in his first regatta
Charlie Dalin was also able to count on the expertise of three experienced sailors to fine-tune his preparation. The prototype's development was entrusted to François Gabart, Pascal Bidegorry and Yann Eliès. It was with the latter that Charlie, an IMOCA novice, set sail on the Transat Jacques Vabre. After a crossing in difficult weather conditions, Apivia crossed the finish line in Salvador de Bahia as the winner. The boat arrived in excellent condition, and the two skippers proved that Apivia performs well in all conditions.
" Winning the Jacques Vabre is a very special moment. This race has a special meaning for me, it's where I grew up "commented the Le Havre-born skipper.
In July 2020, Charlie took part in the Vendée Arctique single-handed race, where he finished in 2nd place. Back at the yard, Apivia underwent several modifications. The bow was redesigned and spatulated to improve downwind speed. Other improvements were made to the living quarters, notably to enhance sleeping comfort, to better manage rest periods and avoid premature fatigue.
Unlike many of its competitors, Apivia has not suffered any structural damage.
" We wanted Apivia to be well designed. It's easier said than done, but we managed to get the boat working right from the start. As a result, we haven't had any disruptions to our sailing schedule. The boat has never been immobilized for structural problems. More sailing means more reliability."
Charlie was the first skipper to cross the finish line of the 2020 Vendée Globe, but was demoted to second place after the jury awarded a time bonus to Yannick Bestaven for taking part in the search for Kévin Escoffier.
Taken over by Clarisse Cremer with the support of Alex Thomson
After two second-place finishes in the Jacques Vabre and Route du Rhum, the boat was sold to Banque Populaire. But in 2023, the sponsor decided to withdraw from the Vendée Globe 2020 following a controversy over the dismissal of Clarisse Cremer.
The boat was then sold to Alex Thomson's team, who entrusted it back to Clarisse Cremer under the Occitane colors. Prepared at the Goteborg yard, the boat was taken in hand late by the navigator, who nevertheless managed to complete her qualification on time. Despite a major structural problem on the CIC Transat, Clarisse will take the start of her 2 e Vendée Globe on a high-performance, reliable machine.
- Length 18.28 m
- Width 5.85 m
- Draft 4.50 m
- Weight 8 tons
- Mast height 29 m
- Mast type Mast-Wing
- Foils Yes
- Max. sail area
- About 350 m2
- Carrying 560 m2
