Multi50 update, Team Maitre Jacques improve own record in the Cowes - Dinard Race

From the following entry on Maitre Jacques Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Trimaran.Maitre.Jacques/posts/797139823651170

The rough bing translate is below:

Maître Jacques set a new record on the Cowes-Dinard two years after beating the record of the Cowes-Dinard (established in 2006 by Ellen Mac Arthur *), Loïc Féquet and his team have further improved the time of this cross-channel 170 miles last night, and this, despite the unfavourable announced weather. 12 h 39, the record time of Cowes-Dinard went 11 h 18 min 50s: any takers!

Yesterday left the Isle of Wight at 11 h 20, UT, master Jacques team to instantly set the tone down the Solent in 50 minutes, with peaks at 25 knots, with an irregular and steady breeze.
Then it was direct route towards Brittany, on a flat sea in a medium of 10-12 knots breeze. Not ideal, but better than those that were announced: 2 more knots of wind and 3 knots of earned to the speedo...

Little sequence "suspense" when, in Guernsey, where the Team master Jacques has struggled against the current in a breeze very low for an hour and a half...

But as soon as they were able to extricate itself from this delicate passage, they have again traced in a direct line towards the finish line they have crossed at 10:40.

Loïc Féquet, skipper master Jacques: "It is always interesting to navigate with the pressure of the chrono...". The weather conditions were not ideal, but it was almost all done in a straight line and on a flat sea, allowing beautiful accelerations. We had the chance to get out of the Solent without having to pull the edges, which is rare, it was already a good gain on the chrono. Then, apart from the stroke of brake in Guernsey, it has sailed well. And it is true to have 2 knots of wind more than forecast, it saves us immediately 3 knots in speed.

This is a beautiful satisfaction, an interesting exercise... to renew! ' * In 2012 for its first participation in this event, the master Jacques team had managed to set a new record time in a multihull of 12 h 39', beating the time of 1:47 PM ' directed by Ellen Mac Arthur on Castorama B & Q in 2006.

New record time of the Cowes-Dinard: 11 h 18 min 50 s, established by the Multi 50 master Jacques, July 11, 2014.

Crew master Jacques 2014: Arnaud Le Gall, Benoit Chacko, Julien Deniel and François Le Bourdais.

Multi50 Team Maitre Jacques, photo courtesy Pierrickcontin.fr

Team Maitre Jacques, Loic Fequet completes solo qualification for the Route du Rhum and then goes on (with crew) to take line honours and class win in the Record SNSM

The revamped Multi50 trimaran Maitre Jacques has proved to be a super performer with it's new floats.  Loic Fequet completed a solo qualification for the Route du Rhum and then with crew took line honours in the Record SNSM and a class win. 

a press release here (in French) on the Record SNSM:

the rough bing translate below:

Master winner Jacques Record SNSM 2014!

 It has not dragged! The 50 foot skippered by Loïc Féquet trimaran crossed the finish line at 11 h 43'52 ". He won so very beautiful way the Record SNSM in the Multi 50 category with a time of race of 20 h 11'52 ", at an average speed of 11.39 knots on the theoretical distance of 230 miles. Congratulations to Loïc and his team! The two IMOCA, Initiatives-heart (Tanguy de Lamotte) and Imagine (Armel Tripon) are expected late in the afternoon, at the same time as the Multi 2000 Restabern (Jean-Christophe Lair), leader of the 180-mile course.

"Spikes up to 24 knots"
 

Escorted by the SNS 125 featured "Admiral de Castelbajac" upon his arrival, the skipper Loïc Fequet displays its satisfaction: « very happy Yes! The aim was to earn miles. More on actually, better. And then the Record SNSM is for a good cause, rescuers at sea, so the joy is even greater! We met a flat sea. It lacked a little wind at the start, which explains that we have toiled to Quiberon. Then it hit more air, a ten knots, allowing us to accelerate. Then there has again been a little downtime in Sainte-Marine, because the wind was not well established in the Bay. On the other hand, back, up to the island of Yeu, it was very nice, with spikes up to 24 knots on a sea of oil! The buddies (the two IMOCA including, ndr)? On little saw them. They came back on us in the Bay of Quiberon, when there was no wind, but as soon as we had a little more air it has again left behind them. Appraisal: it was very nice, with a beautiful time in Saint-Nazaire. Despite the lack of wind, could test some things. Let's write a small list to the preparer of the boat... »

and on the 1000nm qualification run for the Route du Rhum:

Qualifying check!

Maître Jacques paré for @RecordSNSM Loïc Fequet has cordoned off this morning its 1000 miles qualifying in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe after 4 days and 4 nights in sea and positive technical assessment. Now place in the competition: the skipper Maître Jacques and his team are preparing now and already to play the Record SNSM, whose departure will be given this Sunday in Saint Nazaire.

Party Lorient Monday afternoon, Loïc arrived this morning to Saint-Nazaire... Its 1000 miles the Route du Rhum qualifier took place in excellent conditions. The skipper Maître Jacques was able to validate everything that there was to check on the boat following its big technical construction.

Replacement of floats has changed significantly the sensations of bar and the reactions of the boat: "there was a great job indeed, there is nothing to complain about".
Double satisfaction so the Team master Jacques who comes to qualify for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe and find a boat ready to do battle.
These 4 days and 4 nights from sea also helped Loïc to recover in her bubble of solitary sailor: used to speed, to trust its automatic pilot...

This first step, Loïc will be able to address its training program and races, starting with the Record SNSM, as early as this weekend. Tomorrow, the Team master Jacques will be full in Saint-Nazaire. They all look forward to the red and white trimaran weapon of its new floats.
These 360 miles (666 km) consisting of two back and forth between the resident of Saint-Nazaire port and a brand of course located off the coast of Sainte-Marine in Finistère (North of the Glénan) will enable the crew continue validations technical and, of course, try a beautiful time!

Top departure Sunday at 3 p.m. off the coast of Saint Nazaire!

Loïc Féquet, skipper master Jacques: "the goal was really to qualify, I have therefore voluntarily not shot on the boat. But everything is perfect, the sensations are very good. It was also an opportunity for me to get used to the solitaire, at the speed of the boat, at night, to trust the driver!... The conditions were perfect for it. But the exercise will be to renew.
From a technical point of view, there is nothing to complain about. And other floats, everything else was already validated since last year. We will still do a complete check of the boat by receipt of consciousness, but it is ready to attack the Record SNSM and we also! » Multi50 official

Multi50 update, Maitre Jacques trimaran relaunched

The Maitre Jacques team have relaunched their Multi50 trimaran after the installation of new floats to replace the old and fatigued outer hulls.   The new hulls are mostly constructed with foam sandwich as the Multi50 rule only allows selected reinforcement with carbon fiber.

photo courtesy Maitre Jacques team

photo courtesy Maitre Jacques team

and a short video of the launching here:

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=778079885557164&set=vb.194557893909369&type=2&theater

 

Multi50 trimaran Maitre Jacques has her new floats installed

The Multi50 Maitre Jacques has her new floats installed.  These floats are built out of the same mold as those fitted to the Multi50 FenetreA Cardinal (the former Crepes Wahou 3).  These floats will lift the boats performance and make it a more forgiving boat in tough conditions. 

Multi50 update, FenetreA Cardinal and Actual relaunched after winter refit, Maitre Jacques receiving new floats

The FenetreA Cardinal team have relaunched their Multi50 as a cost saving move they shared refit space with Team Actual in Hennebont who have also relauched earlier this week. 

You can follow the FenetreA Cardinal team on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/FenetreaCardinal

 

 

In other Multi50 news the trimaran Maitre Jacques is to receive new floats.  The damage that occurred to the starboard float in the 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre convinced the team that it was best to replace both rather than attempt a repair.  As a bonus the new floats should boost Maitre Jacques performance and make the top end of the Multi50 field even more competitive.  They hope to have the boat ready to launch by the 29th of May.