Route du Rhum: Maxi trimaran a write-off after capsize
by Sail-World.com/nz 24 Nov 2018 15:45 PST
25 November 2018
Armel Le Cléac'h gets Banque Populaire flying at the start of Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe © Yvan Zedda
The foiling maxi trimaran, Banque Populaire XI, which capsized during the Route du Rhum transatlantic race on November 6, has been declared a write-off.
The translated report from the Route du Rhum website reads:
Since the damage that led to the capsizing of the Maxi Banque Populaire IX on November 6th, the insurer and Team Banque Populaire have worked tirelessly to set up a recovery mission trimaran elements. The location of the boat was made possible thanks to the Argos beacon placed inside the boat and to the tracking done by Pléiades satellite with the help of Airbus. Thus, a ship had arrived in the area a few days after the capsizing under the guidance of Adrien Hardy, commissioned by the insurance because of his expertise in the field, in an attempt to bring back the damaged elements of the boat.
After 10 days at sea in difficult weather conditions, the tug arrived in Vigo. The first observations allowed Team Banque Populaire, who arrived on the spot, to observe that the Maxi Banque Populaire IX had deteriorated sharply.
The insurer will now be able to begin its expert work.
Banque Populaire and its team have been working for several days to study the various possible rebounds for the Banque de la Voile, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2019.
The capsize in the Route du Rhum is the second for the maxi foiling trimaran. She flipped during an extended training session off the coast of Morocco with three crew on board, testing systems for single handed sailing. She was recovered with the platform intact and repaired. However the damage during and after a ten day tow in this second incident is too substantial for repair.
Ronan Lucas, Director of the Banque Populaire Team: " Despite all our efforts, with the storm, the boat is completely dislocated and in the state rebuilding is impossible. We are all very sad about this outcome when we think of all the people who contributed to this fabulous project. We are hard at work to imagine the continuation of this magnificent history with Banque Populaire. "
For a fuller translated report and additional images click here