Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 trimaran, relaunched with canting rig prior to the Fastnet Race

The Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 trimaran has been relaunched after a round of modifications the most notable of which is a canting rig system.  The modifications will be tested out in the upcoming Fastnet Race.

From the following article on the Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 website (In French):

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/...ous-au-fastnet

I've tidied up the bing translate a bit to make it more legible:

"Test, measure, to calibrate..."

Skipper Lionel Lemanchois noted "It will be very interesting to race (Fastnet Race) with Banque Populaire VII, to see how Prince de Bretagne is positioned in speed relative to this large trimaran." This race will also measure the speed gain allowed by the canting mast, especially against the MOD 70, competitors that we know well after the Route des Princes. It is the perfect race to to calibrate", explains her skipper. "Wednesday, we sailed and we canted the mast in all directions in 20 knots of wind about. Everything has to operate impeccably! The boat is lighter at the helm, it luffs (comes back to the wind) more easily," he added, reinforced by the first navigation test in the wake of the modifications with the installation of the system of ropes and hoists to cant the rig.

RORC Fastnet Race 2013, Oman Sail/Musandam MOD70 first ever Omani team to compete in Fastnet Race

Damien Foxall and Dee Caffari who will be part of the crew for the RORC Fastnet Race 2013 on the Oman Sail/Musandam MOD70 discuss sailing on the trimaran and the ongoing appeal of the Fastnet Race for competitors.

Prince de Bretagne Maxi trimaran, relaunched and ready for Fastnet Race

The Prince de Bretagne team have relaunched the Maxi 80 trimaran.  The recent round of modifications focused on the installation of a canting mast system.  This system works on lines and purchases rather than the more common hydraulic systems used on other maxi trimarans.  The main driver is weight by using the string driven system considerable weight savings can be realized over a hydraulic setup.

A recent article goes into some detail (in French).

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/actualites/302-fin-de-chantier

Rolex Fastnet Race 2013, RORC article includes updates on the multihull contingent

The Rolex Fastnet Race 2013 will start on the 11th August with a solid multihull division.  A recent press release by the RORC has some details on the multihull competition.

http://fastnet.rorc.org/news-2013/press-releases-2013/clash-of-the-titans.html

Prince de Bretagne maxi hauled out and in shed receiving modifications for canting rig

Lionel Lemonchois and the Prince de Bretagne team are implementing the canting rig as quickly as possible in order to provide shake down and training time prior to the RORC Fastnet Race.

From the following article on the Prince de Bretagne website:

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/actualites/300-derniere-semaine-de-chantier

Here is the rough bing translate

Entering the shelter on the return from the Route des Princes, and the shadow of the hangar at the base of Lorient at the beginning of the month of July, the Maxi80 Prince of Brittany knows his last days of summer starts. True to his habit, Lionel Lemonchois is working with a small team to optimize its oceanic courier with the objective of quickly to find water. As soon as next Thursday, the trimaran red and grey will be rearmed, remâté, and equipped with a tilting rig, pledge of immediate performance gain.

 

The Princes Highway proved to be instructive, and Lionel Lemonchois was quick to take advantage to engage a major project in record time. Indeed, many saltwater sank under the floats of the maxi-multihull since the first navigation in Lorient bay at the beginning of the month of January. After the first races of spring, and in in wake of the 2 500 miles covered along the coasts in Princes road, the development time has come for team Prince of Brittany, who is currently working for the courier ocean of a pole whose inclination can be adjusted depending on the degree of heel.

"This is a small feature, which will allow him to gain a few precious knots resembling closely." Being able to toggle the mast, this allows to take advantage of the surface of sails when the vessel begins to exit the central hull of the water. Lionel may, in crew as in solitaire, adjust the mast towards the optimum heel", explains Quentin Lucet, a naval architect with VPLP (Lauriot Prévost - Van Peteghem).

"If during its design, this"tilting mast option"was not accepted, it is that we wanted to focus the length in accordance with the specifications of weight", pursues one that is currently working closely with Lionel Jacques Roudot, the head of construction, and Bambino, responsible for the rigging of the boat. "ll was important to validate the design of the boat, and to see with regard to its first sporting confrontations what changes could be made to it. This tilting mast, it is in the logic of things, this is an option that had been considered very early in terms of optimization. It is a true guarantee of performance, especially in the light airs, and the priority objective of this summer yard."

Featuring a well optimized rig, and after a great first overhaul, Prince de Bretagne out of the shipyard Thursday, July 25. Lionel Lemonchois and his team will then conduct navigations of training for the next Fastnet Race, the start will be given on August 11, next to the coast of Cowes.

RORC Fastnet Race update, more entries allowed in the Fastnet Race

The RORC have opened up more spaces for entry into the RORC Fastnet Race, a great opportunity to get your multihull entered if you have a craft capable of competing in the race.

From the following article on the RORC Fastnet Race minisite:

http://fastnet.rorc.org/news-2013/press-releases-2013/rorc-increases-entries-to-rolex-fastnet-race.html

With the entry limit of 300 filled within 24 hours, over 100 boats on the waiting list and entries from multihulls, IMOCA 60s and Class 40s still coming in, demand for places in this year's Rolex Fastnet Race have been greater than ever. To answer this unprecedented demand the RORC has decided to increase the number of places available for IRC rated boats by an extra 40 places, to 340. The addition of multihulls, IMOCAs, Class 40s and Mini Transats could easily bring the total fleet to 380 boats and to cope with this the club has decided to move the event to Plymouth Yacht Haven which has the capacity to supply the extra berthing that is needed.

read more here