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Seeing Geodis return to the water at Port Saint-Louis-du-Rhône takes on a special significance when you know the boat?s history. The 1994 Finot design has come a long way. Yet Antoine Brunet and Caroline Da Silva weren?t content simply to save an old 60-foot Open: they now want to sail it and race it. With their sights set on the Route du Rhum, which completely changes the scale of the project.
A 60-foot boat built to win a round-the-world race
Before becoming Geodis, the monohull was launched in 1994 under the name Sceta Calberson 4. Designed by the Finot firm for Christophe Auguin, it belongs to a generation of 60-foot Open class yachts that were still very different from today?s IMOCA boats. Narrower than some of its contemporaries, but already with a draft of 4.50 m, it was designed to perform exceptionally well downwind.
His list of achievements grew quickly. Christophe Auguin won the 1994 BOC Challenge, a solo round-the-world race with stopovers, and then the 1996 Vendée Globe. He crossed the finish line in Les Sables d'Olonne on February 17, 1997, after 105 days and 20 hours at sea.
The boat's story doesn't end there. In 1998, Auguin set a record for crossing the Atlantic from New York to Lizard Point in 9 days, 22 hours, and 59 minutes. The monohull then changed owners and names. Bernard Gallay finished eighth in the 2000?2001 Vendée Globe aboard it. Hervé Laurent competed in The Transat 2004 and then the 2004?2005 Vendée Globe, which he abandoned after losing a rudder. Philippe Fiston entered it again in the 2006 Route du Rhum.
This long career also explains part of the current renovation project. Geodis is not a boat that has remained unchanged since 1994. The keel, rigging, structures, interior fittings, and ballast tanks have been modified over the course of its various expeditions.
From racing boat to abandoned sailboat in Cherbourg
After her career at sea, the former Geodis gradually disappeared from the starting lines. She remained in Cherbourg for several years, where her condition deteriorated. In 2024, the administrative situation finally caught up with the physical condition of the vessel: its owner lost ownership after accumulating more than 50,000 euros in unpaid port fees. The city of Cherbourg then took possession of the boat.
The 60-foot boat was finally put up for auction in the spring of 2025. Antoine Brunet and Caroline Da Silva purchased it for less than 16,000 euros.
The couple possesses some of the necessary skills. Antoine works in composites and is a trained shipwright with experience in shipbuilding. Caroline, for her part, has twenty years of experience in the shipbuilding industry.
After an initial refurbishment in Cherbourg to make the boat seaworthy, the Geodis left Normandy on August 18, 2025. It reached the Mediterranean on September 4 after a tow of more than 2,000 miles. But this first voyage was just one step in the process. On December 12, 2025, the boat was taken out of the water at Port Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. The real refit could begin.
Keel, rudders, rigging, and hull?the shipyard delves into the very heart of the boat
On an older 60-footer, the question isn't just about what still works. You have to inspect the components that bear the load and restore the reliability of a boat that's meant to return to the sea.
The keel and rudders have been removed. The bearings have been replaced. The hydraulic cylinders have been refurbished, including work on the rods and seals. The hull has been completely sanded down before the coating and finishing work resumes.
The rigging is also undergoing extensive work, including the replacement of the mast with a newer model, as well as the mainsail track. A significant portion of the deck hardware is being replaced. The halyards, sheets, and end bags are also on the shipyard?s to-do list. All ballast tanks, which had undergone various modifications, were removed to improve the vessel?s reliability.
On the deck, the panels are being reworked or modified. The portholes are being removed to reseal them, while opening hatches are being added to the roof. The electronics are being overhauled, and the transom?which was already repaired during the Cherbourg refit?is being reinforced with carbon fiber.
Some of this work is done directly by Antoine, particularly the composite work. This approach helps keep costs down, but it is time-consuming. Since December 2025, the couple has been spending several days a week working on the boat in addition to their day jobs.
The network of sailors built around the boat also plays a role. Bertrand de Broc, who has sailed on this 60-footer and has become its patron, contributes his experience. Christophe Auguin, Kito de Pavant, and Nicolas Rouger have also participated in the project or provided advice and equipment.
The Route du Rhum changes the scope of the project
Geodis was relaunched on August 29 by the Port Navy Service team. Family and friends had traveled to be there for this emotional day.
At the time of the purchase, competing in the Route du Rhum was not part of the plan. The initial goal was to save the boat, bring it back to the Mediterranean, and restore it to seaworthy condition for the long term.
The encouragement the project received and the arrival of the first material contributions were a game-changer. Antoine and Caroline then applied for an invitation to the 2026 Route du Rhum. The boat was awarded a wild card, and Antoine has been listed among the race?s entrants since July 24.
Geodis will compete in the Vintage Mono class and will face off against another Vendée Globe winner: the former PRB, Victorieux, which was skippered first by Michel Desjoyeaux and then by Vincent Riou. Before heading to the starting line, however, there is one step that is far more practical than simply filing an entry form: sailing enough to qualify the skipper and test the boat.
The plan therefore calls for a voyage up the Mediterranean to Cherbourg. The route is expected to cover approximately 2,500 miles, while 1,200 miles of non-race sailing are required for qualification. This transit will primarily serve as a full-scale test following the refit. On a boat of this age, a few outings off Port-Saint-Louis are no substitute for several days at sea to work the rigging, put the keel through its paces, test the autopilots, and track down leaks.
For Antoine Brunet, this is also a personal challenge. Despite having competed in several Mini races in the Mediterranean and logged many nautical miles aboard Geodis, the 2026 Route du Rhum will be his first transatlantic race.
Finding Partners to Steer Geodis After the Rhum Race
The launch, therefore, does not mark the completion of the restoration. Rather, it marks the beginning of the second phase of the project: the boat?s use for recreational sailing.
So far, Antoine and Caroline have financed Geodis primarily with their own funds, supplemented by loans, donations of equipment, and used sails. This DIY approach makes sense on a vintage boat, but it has its limits.
The couple is therefore looking for partners to shore up the budget for the 2026 Route du Rhum and prepare for what comes next. After all, the plan isn?t to cross the Atlantic before permanently mooring Geodis at the dock.
After the Rhum, the boat must return to Port Saint Louis du Rhône. Antoine and Caroline are already planning other races, including the 2027 Rolex Fastnet Race, which starts in Cherbourg.
Thirty-two years after her maiden voyage, Geodis is thus entering a new phase in her career. The goal is no longer for this Finot-designed boat to compete with the foiling IMOCA yachts. The challenge now is to keep a boat that has weathered several generations of offshore racing in a condition to sail and compete. And to achieve that, the biggest task may no longer lie in the hull. It now lies in securing the budget needed to keep the story alive.
