Sodebo Ultim 3 relaunched: Countdown to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe has begun
by Sodebo Ultim 3 23 Jul 11:15 PDT
23 July 2026
Sodebo Ultim 3 relaunched © Fred Morin / Sodebo Voile
On Thursday, July 23, in Lorient, Sodebo Ultim 3 was relaunched after a maintenance and optimization project that began in early February, following the Jules Verne Trophy. The main upgrade: a new pair of foils.
Thomas Coville, who is preparing to return to solo racing, can now focus on the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, a major event in which he will participate for the eighth consecutive time.
It was a big day for Thomas Coville and his team, who made no secret of their enthusiasm and excitement as they saw Sodebo Ultim 3 return to the water in a significantly improved version. With 100 days to go before the start of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe on November 1st in Saint-Malo, the skipper is looking forward to resuming solo sailing. "It's been a long time since I've been so eager to rediscover this boat," he declared. "During this 2026 refit, we've made so many changes that it's practically a new Ultim."
Shortly after the arrival of the Jules Verne Trophy on January 25th, the trimaran returned to the comfort of Lorient for a major refit. "During this round-the-world race, the crew pushed the boat to its limits in an unprecedented way," explains boat captain François Duguet. For nearly six months, the work focused on two main areas: maintenance and repairs, on the one hand, and optimizations in preparation for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe race, on the other. "At the start of the refit, we carried out ultrasonic testing on the entire structure and appendages. There was some structural work to redo, but nothing out of the ordinary," says François Duguet. "We also performed general maintenance on the systems: mechanical, hydraulic, and deck hardware. Again, the equipment suffered during the round-the-world race, but that was to be expected. There were no unpleasant surprises." Everything that needed replacing has been replaced, and everything that needed maintenance has also been maintained.
And then, for this season focused on the queen of transatlantic races between Saint-Malo and Guadeloupe, other improvements have been made to Sodebo Ultim 3, starting with the manufacture of a new set of sails and the construction of a new daggerboard, currently being finalized, which will be installed in August. "Significant work has also been carried out on the aerodynamics, particularly on the tarpaulins located under the boom and around the net," adds the boat captain.
New foils for earlier takeoff
In terms of optimizations, the most spectacular and visible evolution is the new pair of "S"-shaped foils. Larger and more complex than their predecessors, these appendages required the replacement of the foil wells, as well as the raising and lowering system. " The expected gain with these new foils is significant," assures François Duguet. "They should allow us to get foiling earlier, from 12 to 14 knots of wind, depending on sea state and air density. In a short race like the Route du Rhum, which could last around six days for the Ultim trimarans, getting airborne quickly is crucial in the face of the competition. Our 2026 version foils also aim to maintain more stable and consistent flight in rough seas, another key to performance. "
Thomas Coville is delighted with these improvements. "We haven't had a boat this high-performing since this winter, which allowed us to gather a fantastic amount of data from the Jules Verne Trophy. We have a machine that, both technically and in terms of performance, can compete with the others," he explains. "When we built Sodebo Ultim 3, we knew that the improvement phase would last several years. The platform would remain the same, but the other elements were inevitably going to be modified, and this will be a new version. "
100 days before the deadline
In a few days, Thomas Coville will be able to resume sailing with a solo focus. The schedule looks busy leading up to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, as Sodebo Ultim 3 is due to dock in the Saint-Malo harbor on October 19th. "We'll have to make the most of our preparation time," summarizes François Duguet. "Until the end of August, our goal will be to validate everything technically. From September onwards, we'll switch into performance mode."
Eager to discover Sodebo Ultim 3 in its new configuration, Thomas Coville knows he can't afford to rush things. "The idea is to be ready on race day. To do that, we'll have to follow a long, perhaps somewhat tedious, process," the skipper warns. "There's a lot of excitement in the team, but everyone remains focused and fully understands what's at stake: to go for victory in the most difficult multihull race to win solo, with a field that has never been so strong in the Ultim class."