In the world of sailing, innovation and performance sometimes come together to create remarkable works of nautical engineering. The Javelin 45, designed by the naval architecture firm Vaton Design, is a prime example of this quest for excellence. Originally built in 1992, this racing-cruising monohull combines sophisticated design with surprising performance on the water.
While Rémi Fruneau, a state sailing graduate, recently acquired the boat, skipper Nicolas Magnan had already seen the boat's potential, which prompted him to prepare it for the Route du Rhum 2018. He transformed the Javelin into a boat optimized for single-handed sailing. Let's retrace the stages of this project.
Gilles Vaton's balance of speed and comfort
Since the 1980s, the naval architecture firm Vaton Design has been at the forefront of innovation as a promoter of large racing-cruising yachts. Among Gilles Vaton's creations, the Javelin 45, a monohull built in 1992 at the Malt International shipyard under the name of Bella Dona, stands out for its racing profile and performance at sea.
At 13.50 meters long and 4.15 meters wide, this boat's layout is optimized for crewed sailing. It allows fluid circulation on board, while retaining its characteristic speed and stability. This aluminum racing-cruising monohull, designed to guarantee comfort, power and maneuverability, is the only prototype ever built. Its finely crafted hull allows cruising speeds of 8 to 10 knots, with a maximum potential of around 15 knots in favorable conditions. With its generous sail area, the Javelin 45 is equipped with a 75 m2 mainsail and a 65 m2 genoa.
Refitting for performance
In 2016, the Javelin 45 caught the eye of Nicolas Magnan, a sailor with a passion for competition. His desire to take part in the Route du Rhum 2018 as a tribute to his family, in particular his late father and siblings, prompted him to acquire the boat, which was then named ''Javelot''.
Behind the sporting adventure also lies a dimension of solidarity. Nicolas wants to use this race to promote association Autour de l'Enfant which installs breastfeeding rooms in urban areas and offers medical care to the underprivileged. What's more, for every half a nautical mile walked, the ZEI-World environmental social network, in partnership with the zero deforestation association, will finance the preservation of 1,000 m2 of Amazon rainforest, which will then be redistributed.
Originally designed for a crew of 12 to 14, Javelot underwent an exhaustive refit necessary for solo offshore sailing. Under the supervision of Gilles Vaton, Nicolas undertook a complete refit of the boat to bring it into compliance with RSO 1 regulations, with a provisional budget of 250,000 euros: a process including essential technical modifications such as the installation of a new aluminum keel calculated by Derivoire Ingénierie and produced by Navilest, as well as a redesigned rudder to improve responsiveness under pilot. The boat has also been fitted with a Volvo DI30 engine to provide extra power for harbor maneuvers. To adapt to single-handed sailing, the Javelin 45 is equipped with ONESAIL sails optimized for performance, and a NKE electronic control unit to guarantee precise, safe navigation.
From workshop bench to racetrack
During the qualification phase of the Route du Rhum, Nicolas Magnan realized that there was a problem with the rudder, and that it wasn't balanced at all. Shortly before the start, after consultation with Gilles Vaton, he decided to replace the original rudder with one from a damaged but restorable Grand Soleil 52. This modification required the rapid manufacture of new parts in polyoxymethylene and stainless steel, putting further pressure on the preparation team.
Once the boat was back in the water, a test was carried out in 20 knots of wind. Her behavior was impeccable: the boat was perfectly in line and the helm posed no further problems. The delivery trip from Marseille to Saint-Malo went off without a hitch, except for one incident. Nicolas and his crew, including Sébastien Audigane and Antoine Beysens, were confronted with Hurricane Leslie off the Portuguese coast. After a few hours of sailing in winds reaching over 60 knots, they managed to take refuge near the coast to wait out the storm. The ordeal reassured Nicolas of the boat's reliability and the choices he had made in preparation.
In November 2018, the Javelin, renamed SOS Pare-brise + for the occasion, is finally taking part in the race. At the helm, Nicolas Magnan is aiming for the top 10, determined to reach the West Indies with several objectives: '' I'm sure I'll be one of the slowest, but the aim is above all to get to the other end of the Atlantic with a boat in good condition and to represent our partner associations well'' confided the skipper at the time.
After 6 days of upwind sailing, the door to the trade winds finally opens. Between the Azores and Madeira, Nicolas heard squeaking noises coming from the stern. At first, he suspected a problem with the lubrication of the bearing or the connection to the pilot. After several inspections, he noticed a worrying movement between the rudder stock and the stainless steel ring linking it to the helm. The weld, which had held during the 2,500-mile delivery trip, was beginning to give way. With the exception of the rudder, which Nicolas repaired at sea, the boat did not report any major damage during the race. Nicolas thus finishes 8th in the Route du Rhum 2018 in the Mono Class, fulfilling his starting contract by finishing in the top 10.
Thanks to technical choices and considerable personal investment, Nicolas Magnan was able to prepare the Javelin 45 to meet the challenge of the legendary Route du Rhum in Solo Class in 2018. Recently, in 2024, Rémi Fruneau, a qualified sailor, acquired this racing-cruising monohull and sailed it from Malaga in southern Spain to Brittany. The yacht can now be seen at the Bassin Vauban in Saint-Malo, where the sailor intends to make full use of its qualities.
