© Primagaz

Primagaz

RMO then Primagaz then Foncia then Bayer then Rexona then Région Guadeloupe

Primagaz, launched under the name of her initial sponsor RMO, is one of the most successful multihulls of the ORMA 60s designed by VPLP in the 1990s and 2000s. Carrying Laurent Bourgnon to two victories in the Route du Rhum (1994 and 1998), she symbolizes the first generation of the 60’ ORMA. Developed from Pierre 1er, this new trimaran was the first to sail on a single float. Built by the B & B yard in La Trinité, she is beamier than her ancestor with different floats and hull shape below the waterline.

© Primagaz

Primagaz would be a veritable testing ground throughout her lifetime and VPLP, nurturing grand ambitions for ocean trimaran racing in the early 1990s, couldn’t dream of a better skipper than the talented Laurent Bourgnon to launch the ORMA class.

© Christian Février

With Bourgnon at the helm, the trimaran acquired an impressive list of trophies, including the transmediterranean record, transatlantic record and wins in numerous major races. And while she was best known as Primagaz, she continued to race under several other monikers, such as Foncia, Bayer, Rexona and Région Guadeloupe.

Launched

1990

Category

Orma

Architect

VPLP Design

Builder

B&B

Materials

carbon

Length

18,28 m

Beam

15 m

Draft

1.54 m/2.88 m

Air Draft

27,50 m

Propulsion

sail

Sail Area

330 m² / 490 m²

Achievements

1990: 3rd in the Route du Rhum (Laurent Bourgnon)

1991: 1st in the La Baule–Dakar (Laurent Bourgnon)

1991: 1st in La Course de l’Europe/Open UAP (Laurent Bourgnon)

1992: 1st in the Québec–Saint Malo (Laurent Bourgnon)

1993: 2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Laurent Bourgnon)

1994: 1st in the Two-Handed Transatlantic Race/TwoSTAR (Laurent Bourgnon & Cam Lewis)

1994 and 1998 : 1st in the Route du Rhum (Laurent Bourgnon)

1994 : Solo Transatlantic Sailing Record Laurent Bourgnon) 7d 2h 34m

1994: Solo 24 Hour distance Record (Laurent Bourgnon) 540 nautical miles

1995: 3rd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Laurent Bourgnon & Cam Lewis)

1997: 1st in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Laurent Bourgnon & Yvan Bourgnon)

1999: 3rd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Laurent Bourgnon & Yvan Bourgnon)