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© Jean-Marie LIOT

Groupe Apicil

Safran II then Maître Coq IV then Groupe Apicil.

The Safran monohull was the first of the six IMOCAs designed by VPLP-Verdier for the 2016–17 Vendée Globe, which she win in the next edition in 2021. Homogeneous, manageable and light, she was designed for single-handed sailing.

This second boat in the Safran series was more powerful than her predecessor, her centre of gravity being further aft to reduce digging in, and her bow gaining in volume. Safran II was the first IMOCA to be fitted with foils, those soon to be ubiquitous appendages which increase downwind and reaching speeds.

“The stronger the wind, the more the appendages (keel and foils) bear the load, lightening the boat and increasing her speed,” says Vincent Lauriot-Prévost.

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© François Van Malleghem/Jean-Marie Liot/Safran

With a view to broadening their scope, the teams at Safran and Banque Populaire combined their resources to carry out certain architectural studies – and the boats were even built at the same yard. For example, the hydrodynamic studies involving the hull were shared between the projects, resulting in only one mould being built for the boats.

Where the new Safran IMOCA differed from her sister project was in the participation of Safran Engineering Services who were involved in checking the structure, designing the instrumentation and providing technological assistance for the 3D weaving of the carbon-fibre rudder blades. 

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© Stéphanie Gaspari

After retiring from the 2016–17 Vendée Globe, she was sold to Roland Jourdain and then Yannick Bestaven, the latter sailing her on the IMOCA circuit as Maître CoQ and winning the 2020–21 Vendée Globe.

Damien Seguin will buy Maître Coq IV in 2021 to race with “ Groupe APICIL”.

 

Launched

2015

Category

Imoca

Architect

VPLP Design /
Verdier

Builder

CDK Technologies

Materials

carbon

Length

18,28 m

Beam

5,85 m

Draft

4,50 m

Air Draft

29,00 m

Propulsion

Sail

Sail Area

260 m² / 440 m²

Award

2021 : 1st in the Vendée Globe

Sun Fast 30 One Design

Paragon

Réalités