He is back again for the solo round the world race. One of ocean racing’s most impressive characters, known for his rather unusual career path and his sheer determination, Bernard Stamm is back at the helm of an ambitious project suiting his temperament as an ocean conqueror. With construction well advanced and the launch of his new 60-foot boat designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian due to take place in March, the Swiss-Breton skipper has promised to be there at the start of the 2012 Vendée Globe with an innovative boat and a scientific project. We met up with him to discuss his plans.
How far advanced is the construction of your new boat at the start of this new year?
Bernard Stamm: “The boat is really taking shape. All of the parts, or almost, have been made in Switzerland at the Décision yard. So we’re now into the assembly phase, where all the bits come together. She is due to be launched in March after a construction period lasting thirteen months. In collaboration with the team at the yard, Jean Le Huérou-Kérisel, the project’s technical director has left nothing to chance in order to ensure that everything was just right. Every little piece has been weighed, examined and checked over. From experience, we know that it is never good to rush this phase and that has been one of the guiding principles for us in this project: we have given ourselves the time to do things properly. That is why we are counting on Swiss precision. That explains why the programme we drew up included me sailing in the Figaro class in 2010 and in a Class40 boat in the Route du Rhum, rather than rushing things to be there at the helm of the new 60-foot boat.”
What led you to choose Juan Kouyoumdjian for the design?
B.S: "I know Juan well and I like the way he looks at things and his attitude to the design work. On top of that, he offers a different way of looking at these boats in the framework of the new rules. Without wishing to forget all our past experience, this means we can examine the problem in its entirety and get a different overall perspective. This is a real effort from a number of teams: mine, the lads at the yard, which is a supplier as well as being a partner and then the designers at Juan Yacht Design.”
In what way is this boat innovative?
B.S.: “The boat conforms to IMOCA class rules. At first sight, she therefore looks like many of the other 60-foot boats that we see today. In terms of performance, her light weight and reliability, she is nonetheless innovative to the extent that we tackled all the questions concerning her design and construction with the aim of getting the best possible. To avoid damage happening as much as we can, there will be a lot of sensors on board keeping an eye on the structure. Of course, there are also some differences that I can’t reveal!”
Another unique aspect to this project is the scientific element with the collaboration of Océanopolis in Brest and the Lausanne technical school. What are the goals here?
B.S.: Looking beyond the competitive aspects, the Rivages 2012* project aims to encourage fundamental research and the transfer of technology into concrete applications. Without affecting her performance capabilities, the boat will also be used as an oceanic platform. There will be a mini lab on board to carry out measurements in the real world, in particular around seas that are not often visited. In addition to that, an environmental study is being carried out with a carbon evaluation. We’re going to be measuring the environmental impact of the construction of the boat in order to compensate for that by contributing to sustainable development projects.”
What programme do you have lined up for 2011?
B.S.: “The launch is scheduled for March, not on Lake Geneva, but in the Mediterranean. Then, the boat will take part in her first event in July with the Europa Race, which will be followed by the Fastnet, and the Transat Jacques Vabre in the autumn.”
*The Rivages 2012 project
The Swiss foundation set up by the Sandoz family, is supporting the Rivages 2012 project by financing the construction of the new boat and the scientific elements. For the race programme, Bernard Stamm is still being supported by his loyal sponsor, Cheminées Poujoulat, under whose name he will be taking part in his next scheduled races including the 2012 Vendée Globe.
