Crêpes Whaou! 2 then Maître Jacques then Ciela Village then Drekan Groupe

Built for Franck-Yves Escoffier, Crêpes Whaou! 2 was the first of a new generation of 50’ multihulls and the first Multi50 (renamed Ocean Fifty in 2021) designed by VPLP. Power, manoeuvrability and value for money being the priority, the firm drew heavily on its experience designing ORMAs to produce a trimaran optimized for a stringent set of class rules which, initially, banned foils, pivoting masts and hydraulics. From the outset Crêpes Whaou! 2 started a winning spree, including successive victories in the Jacques Vabre (2005–2007) and the 2006 Route du Rhum.

Loïc Féquet raced her under the name of Maître Jacques from 2011 and, after considerable modifications (mast and floats), she continued to perform well in the class. In 2015 Thierry Bouchard bought the Multi50 and renamed her Ciela Village.

Two years later it was Eric Defert’s turn at the helm, competing as Drekan Groupe. Unfortunately the boat capsized in the 2017 Transat Jacques Vabre and had to be abandoned. She reappeared in February 2019 off the coast of the Bahamas, still in one piece!