The SAEM Vendée is delighted to welcome MaxSea International, the French specialist in navigation software as the first Official Supplier of the Vendée Globe.

In the run-up to the 7th edition of the race that leaves on 10th November 2012 from Sables d’Olonne (Vendée, France), the non-stop solo round the world race without assistance, is consolidating its new marketing structure. The official supplier has joined the organization already headed by the three Official Race Sponsors and historic investors – the Vendée, the city of Sables d’Olonne and Sodebo.

MaxSea International, based in Bidart (Basque Country, France) will supply the Vendée Globe Race Management with the software necessary to track the race participants. As was the case in both the 2004 and 2008 editions, the software will allow the interface of the fleet’s position and route on specially adapted round the world racing cartography; as such enhancing and assisting the experience and comprehension for numerous race fans following the Vendée Globe official web site on a daily basis.

MaxSea International is the European market leader and the benchmark in tools for navigational aid. Created in 1985 MaxSea International has made extensive growth overseas with a large range of products for all three maritime sectors; - leisure, commercial fishing and merchant vessels. The company strives to provide and share their know-how with all the actors of the world’s maritime fleet and to participate in the evolution of any professional or leisure aspect of navigation. With close to 40,000 installations worldwide, MaxSea software is today sold in 25 countries, on 5 continents and supplied in 13 languages.

Alex Thomson’s monohull Hugo Boss was taken out of the water earlier this week and is about to undergo a number of repairs and technical improvements. After taking part in the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre and the solo Transat B to B, a lot of work is necessary in the coming months, before she is relaunched in the spring.
 

Samantha Davies, who recently signed with the SAVEOL brand for the forthcoming Vendée Globe, has just announced that she has taken possession of her new IMOCA monohull, which is none other than Roland Jourdain’s former Veolia, as planned back in December. The boat is currently in the hands of her technical team, who are going to be busy preparing her for the race and giving her her new colours. Time for a winter refit for the British sailor, with SAVEOL due to be relaunched in the spring.

Bernard Stamm’s monohull, Cheminées Poujoulat, which has just spent 48 hours half under water in the military harbour in Terceira, was transferred yesterday to the island’s trading port, where firemen were waiting to pump her out. The technical team was then able to look inside, start to tidy up and examine the damage. The boat is due to return to France by cargo vessel in order to be repaired and checked over before being prepared for the next Vendée Globe.

In order to make significant reductions in the cost of monohulls, the IMOCA class is looking at the alternative of a one-design boat. The aim is to cut costs by 30% without losing anything in terms of performance and competitiveness. Such a major change cannot in any case be adopted without taking into account the viability of the current fleet, which includes six new boats lining up for the next Vendée Globe. That is why the IMOCA class has decided to give everyone (racers and owners) time to reflect. We will find out in January 2012 what they have decided...

Michel Desjoyeaux’s new Foncia was launched on 20th September and will be setting out in a fortnight’s time on the Route du Rhum, then at the end of the year will be taking part in the Barcelona World Race. Michel Desjoyeaux's new monohull can now be visited thanks to 3D imagery.

Team Foncia and Dassault Systèmes wanted to go further than simply looking for good race performance and wish to enable as many people as possible to visit the boat using a computer. Thanks to 3D graphics, you can wander around the boat as you wish, fly over the boat in a helicopter, dive under the hull to take a look at the appendages, step into the manoeuvres cockpit, go down below, look at the control screens, look into every nook and cranny aboard the boat and see what life is like for Michel Desjoyeaux in his new environment: "These visits have always been reserved for a certain elite, but are now open to everyone and I can see how 3D interactivity offers new ways of sharing experiences," explained an enthusiastic Michel Desjoyeaux.

To visit the boat click here