© Jean-Marie Liot/V and B Mayenne

V & B / Mayenne

Groupe Bel then Le Souffle du Nord then Killcullen Team Ireland then V and B – Mayenne

Built in Italy at the Indiana Yachting yard, Groupe Bel was launched in 2007, one month after her sistership Safran. She featured an unusual cockpit with helm stations designed in close collaboration with her skipper Kito de Pavant. The hanging rudders were interchangeable, as a precaution if damaged, and her keels were straight.

As with her older sister her design brief focused on lightness and power, a not too subtle nod to the ambitions of the thoroughbred multihulls.

© Yvan Zedda/Groupe Bel

Sold and skippered by Armel Tripon in 2014, she then entered the 2016–17 Vendée Globe under the name Le Souffle du Nord with Thomas Ruyant at the wheel, retiring in New Zealand. She was then bought by Enda O’Coineen, who was also forced to retire from the Vendée Globe, in order to finish his trip around the world. 

Subsequently picked up by Maxime Sorel for the 2020 Vendée Globe, she at last completed a single-handed circumnavigation, arriving 10th as V and B – Mayenne.

© Jean-Marie Liot/V and B – Mayenne

Launched

2007

Category

Imoca

Architect

VPLP Design /
Verdier

Builder

Indiana Yachting (Italie)

Materials

carbon

Length

18,28 m

Beam

5,50 m

Draft

4,50 m

Air Draft

28,50 m

Propulsion

sail

Sail Area

365 m² / 665 m²

Achievements

2007: 2nd in the Transat BtoB (Groupe Bel, Kito de Pavant)
2009: Solo Transmediterranean Sailing Record (Groupe Bel, Kito de Pavant) 1d 21h 20m 29s
2009: 2nd in the Istanbul Europa Race (Groupe Bel, Kito de Pavant)
2009: 2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Groupe Bel, Kito de Pavant & François Gabart)
2013: Solo Transmediterranean Sailing Record (Groupe Bel, Kito de Pavant) 1d 2h 53m 30s
2014: 4th in the Route du Rhum (Le Souffle du Nord, Armel Tripon)
2015: 4th in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Le Souffle du Nord, Thomas Ruyant & Adrien Hardy)
2021: 10th in the Vendée Globe (V & B, Maxime Sorel)