Ny look på Sodeb’O

Thomas Coville onboard Sodeb’O in Preparation for La Route du Rhum La Banque Postale 2010. Photo: Christophe Launay.

On his return from his round the world record attempt in January 2009, the skipper, as per usual, filled page after page of his notebook. Next on the jobs’ list was to sift out the really good ideas, in the knowledge that Thomas’ objective was to make the boat lighter and even speedier for the Route du Rhum (October/November 2010). Added to this challenge is another solo round the world record attempt, which is scheduled on his return from Guadeloupe.

It promises to be a hectic year then for the maxi trimaran and her skipper, with the focus on two very different exercises, one of which involves a sprint. Clearly, it’s one thing for the skipper to be the fastest man to sail across the North Atlantic and over 24 hours in solo configuration, but taking the start of the next Route du Rhum or setting off on a round-the-world record attempt without new weapons is something entirely different and hence not an option. Indeed, the weapons in question, are clearly synonymous with saving weight, but also and above all the foils should enable the 32 metre, 3-hulled machine, to make a 5 to 7% gain in speed across the water. That is of course “if the theoretical values translate into real figures, which would enable us to make a solo circumnavigation of the world in under 57 days!” explained Thomas Coville on Monday morning, just hours after the launch. “The foils will enable us to be less Archimedean and more aerial. It’s essential to use our knowledge of the boat to be able to follow through this evolution. The boat will pass into another era. With the canting mast and the foils, the boat will be considerably boosted. She’s going to fly! What remains is to ensure the automatic pilots are as reliable as possible, because they’re going to be under a lot of pressure. One of the things we’ve integrated is a gyroscopic compass used by the army. The responsiveness of the rams, the design of the beams, it’s all been developed internally”.

Whilst work has been carried out on the aerodynamics and the hydrodynamics, the Sodeboys have been tracking down the slightest surplus gram. This search has even extended as far as the trampolines, where they’ve rigged up a machine which enables them to make trampolines whose lattice work doesn’t contain knots. The upshot of this is 80 fewer kilograms. The same is true for the whole of the running rigging. Martial Salvan, the splicing expert, was given a strict road map: “It’s up to you to find the solution to saving weight without losing out on resistance!” Thomas certainly has a lot to smile about since every technician has taken up his bet in their speciality.

As regards the look, the company who has been working on the brand’s platform has kitted itself up with a new logo and new colours. As such the boat is sporting her own new livery. Orangey red and grey, the new décor, which has been created under Jeff Callec who is an expert in the art of collage, effectively highlights the slender, elegant lines of the Nigel Irens/Benoît Cabaret design. Drawing inspiration from the graffiti photographed here and there on walls and underground trains, the decoration, taken up on the hulls, are designs which follow the theme of Thomas’ adventures and the Sodeb’O products.