A Walk Along the Docks
Our guide, Kiwi skipper Conrad Colman, leads us through a bustling dock walk, giving a personal, knowledgeable take on the vessels and their unique modifications. “This here is my boat,” he says proudly, pointing to his blue, red, and white IMOCA Class yacht MS Amlin, “sponsored by an international insurance company and representing a slice of French-Kiwi patriotism.” The IMOCA Class yacht is a 60ft development class monohull sailing yacht governed by the International Monohull Open Class Association. The class pinnacle events is single person ocean races, such as the Vendée Globe and Route du Rhum.
His vessel is a daggerboard-equipped older generation IMOCA, a design suited to his approach but not necessarily competing at the level of newer foiling models.
Each vessel along the dock tells a story. Next in line, an IMOCA previously sailed by Alex Thomson, known for its innovative fully enclosed cockpit, now bears a striking yellow paint job. It’s a boat that has pushed boundaries and inspired the current generation of ocean racers, adapting innovative features like the enclosed cockpit to keep skippers dry while battling high seas.
The tour also brings insights into the physical demands and risks these sailors face. Colman recounts an incident aboard the Ocean Race-winning 11th Hour, highlighting how the boat’s incredible speed can be a double-edged sword. The sailor on board, Seb, once suffered a significant neck injury due to the boat’s sudden deceleration. For these skippers, speed and safety dance on a razor’s edge, a testament to the unforgiving nature of the Vendée Globe.
The Fleet’s Technological Evolution
As we continue along the dock, the evolution from traditional daggerboard boats to cutting-edge foilers is evident. “The rule for rudders in this fleet doesn’t allow us to generate vertical lift,” Colman explains. However, through clever engineering, some boats have managed to manipulate rudder positioning to stabilise and even lift the stern slightly, allowing for more control. “These modern foilers are like nothing we’ve seen before,” he adds, pointing to a few examples that represent the height of maritime engineering.
Some boats, like the one piloted by Swiss sailor Justine Mettraux, have refined foils and hulls to achieve greater stability and lift, essential for maintaining control on long oceanic sprints. These updates come at a steep cost, however, with high-end foils alone often running into hundreds of thousands of euros.
Not every skipper can afford such high-tech adaptations, however. Colman’s own boat remains a daggerboard model, a reflection of both his budget and his long-term plans. He shares, “The cost of adding foils isn’t just about buying the foils themselves – you have to upgrade the rig, reinforce the hull, and make sure the boat can handle the new loads.” For now, he’s content with focusing on the 2024 race, with an eye toward a full upgrade cycle for the next Vendée Globe.
Stories of Rivalry and Friendship
This dock walk isn’t all technical talk, though. Alongside the boat descriptions are stories of camaraderie and competition among skippers. Colman recalls a moment in 2016 when he crossed paths with Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi in the middle of the South Atlantic, communicating with a few Japanese phrases he remembered from school. For these sailors, the race isn’t only about besting the competition but also sharing once-in-a-lifetime experiences with other skippers who understand the isolation and intensity of life at sea.
One competitor worth watching is Boris Herrmann of Germany, whose “German Tech” boat earned a reputation for exceptional durability in rough seas. Herrmann’s vessel is notably large and robust, designed to handle severe Southern Ocean conditions while keeping its skipper dry and comfortable inside a sturdy hull. In a testament to the Vendée Globe’s challenges, Herrmann’s previous Vendée Globe attempt saw him narrowly miss the podium due to a collision with a fishing boat just days before the finish.
Preparing for a Race Like No Other
As the clock ticks down to the start, the atmosphere in Les Sables-d’Olonne is a mix of anticipation and respect. Competitors know that beyond the technicalities of hull design and foils lies a gruelling journey that tests both equipment and endurance. The Vendée Globe is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one, where equipment failures and injuries are par for the course.
The skippers will soon depart, leaving behind the relative calm of the dockside and embracing the unknowns of the open sea. This year’s race promises to be one for the history books, with a fleet that embodies the relentless drive for speed, innovation, and survival in some of the most challenging conditions on Earth. Whether navigating with foils or daggerboards, each skipper is prepared to face the challenges that define the Vendée Globe – proving yet again why this race is one of the greatest maritime tests of our time.
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