Francois Gabart on Ultime trimaran Macif to challenge reference time on the Mediterranean record route

From the following article on Yachts and Yachting:

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/192115

François Gabart will leave at the end of the week for a delivery with crew to La Ciotat, where he will attempt the Mediterranean record single-handed in early October.

This summer, the trimaran remained moored to its berth, where it was dismasted, to repair the masthead. For the technical team, this was also an opportunity to check all the rigging. They also worked hard to finalise the installation of optical fibres on the appendages (rudders, foils, and centreboard). These will provide valuable information about their behaviour: "The optical fibres will provide us with data on the distortions and strain on the appendages. This will be sent directly to the multihull's computer", explains Antoine Gautier, the engineering office manager. This real-time data will now enable the skipper to preserve the appendages if needed. At the same time they will be studied onshore for the purpose of optimisation.

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