USA17 (BMW Oracle Racing 90)

In 2007 Russell Coutts approached VPLP to design USA 17, the fastest racing sailing boat to contest the America’s Cup. Little did the team know that the project would take three years of relentless modifications, improvements and developments to produce a trimaran featuring 35 m floats and a 68 m pivoting wing mast! Proof of the pudding came in 2010 with victory over the Swiss catamaran Alinghi in both races of the 33rd America’s Cup in Valencia (Spain).

Geronimo

Geronimo then Sodebo Ultim then Actual Leader then Brest Ultim Sailing Commissioned for Olivier de Kersauson and built at the Multiplast yard in 2001, Geronimo prefigured the new generation of record-breaking machines of over 100’ – soon to be known as “Ultims” – that VPLP was beginning to design in the first couple of years […]

L’Hydroptère

The Hydroptère project was an extraordinary story spanning almost twenty-five years and one of VPLP’s oldest collaborations. Managed by Alain Thébault, working tirelessly in the wake of Eric Tabarly, the project was first discussed back in the 1980s. However it took until 1994 for the Hydroptère to be finally commissioned. Originally the idea was to build a foiling tall ship that could break ocean sailing records. Over time, however, the goal of the project shifted towards setting sailing-speed records.

Poulain

Poulain then Un autre regard then Charal then Lyonnaise des Eaux Dumez then Sport-Elec then Idec

GĂ©rard Lambert

GĂ©rard Lambert - foiler 1984

Gérard Lambert, named for the hero of a song by French rocker Renaud, was our very first design and was produced in the same year we founded the naval architecture firm called VPLP! Built in glass and carbon fibre in 1983 in a little village in the Breton region of the Morbihan by Jean-François de Prémorel for Vincent Lévy, this 50-metre trimaran featured foils – already! – which we added to glass-reinforced plastic floats (GRP) for the first time.