Vendée Globe

After nine months of building work on her, the new PRB monohull was launched on Wednesday 6th September. She underwent the 180° self-righting test, then her mast was fitted, and afterwards she was taken off to Bénodet in SW Brittany. The schedule was very tight: a bit of stress, but above all a sigh of relief, as in spite of the brilliant sunshine, the heat is finally off, as everything went very smoothly.

Vincent Riou and Hubert Desjoyeaux were in charge of the team, which was relaxed, in spite of the importance of the moment. After her launch, PRB gave an even more impressive show: the 180° righting test, which is a compulsory safety procedure for all the IMOCA class boats. PRB, with the help of a crane and belts fixed to the bulb, was turned over until the deck was in the water. Once the boat was released, it was Vincent himself inside her, who had to right her himself. This operation was possible thanks to the use of the pivoted keel, which with the counterbalance of the bulb, allowed the monohull to go around 180°completely independently without any outside help. PRB passed the test with flying colours. It only took a few seconds for the boat to get back the right way up. Once this delicate operation was finished, fitting the mast was a simple formality.
«I’m relieved the test went smoothly. It’s a delicate operation. Fortunately, we only have to do this test once. Everyone did very well and things went as planned. It’s great!» explained Vincent, as he came out of his boat after the test. Later today, PRB was due to head for Bénodet. The first real sea trip for Vincent and his new 60 footer is planned for Friday.

The skipper from Loctudy gave a summary of the construction phase and revealed a few special details concerning the new PRB, which is the boat he had dreamt of.


How did the construction work go?

«Everything went smoothly both with the team and the yard. We can say that everything was on schedule, as we’re not behind time getting her into the water. We’ll be doing our first trip on Friday. The construction work was something that interested me, even if it took a long time. I miss going sailing… »


What do you think about the boat you have in front of you today?

«The boat is exactly what I was hoping for. We didn’t really have to change anything from our initial plans. We were really careful about some of our choices involving how to fine-tune the boat. Consequently, we are unlikely to have much to do in the coming months. However, what is going to take some time is testing the boat. This period is going to take a while. It is even going to go right up to the start of the Route du Rhum. I think I’ll only really know my boat once I reach the other side.»


Can you describe the new PRB to us?

«Overall, she’s a fairly classic boat. The difference is in the detail, in the way various parts have been fitted to make PRB what she is. I don’t believe at all that I have done anything revolutionary, but there were some fundamental technical choices to consider. For example, I have chosen a wing mast with outriggers. The faster the boat, the more important the aerodynamic qualities. That’s what led me to choose the wing mast. I wanted the deck area to be better protected. That was the watchword, while at the same time I wanted to keep things as simple as possible. There are not a lot of deck fittings on PRB, and I don’t think she could be any simpler. As for the rest, for the shape of the hull and the appendages, I looked elsewhere for advice and was guided in my choices by the Farr design team.»

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