banque pop trimaran

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Extraordinary boats: Banque Populaire XI

• July 27, 2021

Rupert Holmes gets the inside line on the new Banque Populaire XI the latest Ultime from the French banking giant

Banque Populaire is one of the world’s most experienced and successful sailing teams, and was the force behind Armel Le Cléac’h ’s 2016 record-breaking Vendée Globe victory, they now have a new Ultime trimaran in the form of Banque Populaire XI.

Only a year after her launch, the previous giant trimaran Banque Populaire IX crashed out of the 2018 Route du Rhum in spectacular fashion, having already capsized once before, and was declared an insurance write off after being towed in broken chunks back to shore.

Much has been learned from the experience with that boat and the new vessel incorporates radical improvements that put it a big leap ahead of her predecessor in terms of both performance and, more importantly, safety and reliability.

Banque Populaire Xl is the result of a colossal 150,000 hours of design and construction work. Photo: J Lecaudey/BPCE

Like Banque Populaire IX, this boat was conceived with a single objective in mind – for one person to sail round the world faster than anyone else. The record to beat is 42 days, 16 hours set by François Gabart in 2017.

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Structural failure of a cross beam failing after a collision with an unidentified floating object (UFO) was the cause of the loss of Banque Populaire IX.

Her successor, Banque Populaire XI, benefits from an entirely new concept for structural engineering of the cross beams, plus considerable work on both the foils and the sail plan to make foiling more stable over sustained periods.

The foil on the starboard ama – these are almost twice the size of those on Banque Populaire lX. Photo: Rupert Holmes

“We have worked a lot on the foils, daggerboard and rudders, as well as with the sails, to go fast and be stable,” Clément Duraffourg, the team’s head of data acquisition and analytics, revealed. As a result the new boat’s foils are almost twice the size of those of the previous boat.

A further important plank in the project is a state of the art simulator bought from Emirates Team New Zealand . While the boat was in build this enabled the team to spend more than a year trialling numerous different parameters.

As a result, Duraffourg says, even before the boat hit the water they had good base settings for the foil adjustment across a wide range of conditions. Given the interplay between the main foils, plus the T-foils on the centreboard and each of the three rudders, this task is extremely complex, yet absolutely critical to success.

The massive daggerboard also features a large foil area. Photo: Rupert Holmes

“The bigger foils, including the rudder T-foils, make the boat more stable when flying and add righting moment, which means increased safety,” skipper Armel Le Cléac’h told me as the boat emerged from the shed at CDK Technologies in Lorient.

This makes it easier to achieve high average speeds, by staying up on the foils for longer, without potentially dangerous and slow splash-downs. “The foils will continue to function up to around 45 knots of boat speed, and the simulator tells us the boat should be able to make 50 knots,” le Cléac’h added. “But then you start having problems with cavitation.”

Banque Populaire XI: Aiming for consistency

However, achieving these kinds of high top speeds was never a priority. Instead, the aim is to achieve a consistent average speed without significant peaks or troughs. “For me a good 24-hour run would be staying close to an average speed of 35 knots,” Le Cléac’h says. “That would be a super day.”

A key reason that top-end speed potential is academic with these boats is that the upper end is determined by sea state, including swells that may be generated hundreds of miles away, and not by theoretical performance in flat water.

The importance of this was brought home for me during a sail on Giovanni Soldini’s foiling MOD70 Maserati off Lanzarote in 18-22 knots of true wind.

All sail handling is carried out from the protected aft cockpit, which has a wheel each side. Photo: Rupert Holmes

We occasionally hit speeds of 38 knots, but never sustained that pace for long before ploughing into the back of the wave ahead and crashing down off the foils, slowing markedly and fire hosing the whole boat with torrents of water.

It was quickly obvious that the first key to faster and safer passages is to minimise these splash down events, rather than chase ever-higher peak speeds.

In addition to bigger foils for Banque Populaire XI, which improve stability when airborne, the team worked with North Sails to further refine sail shapes that confer better stability when foiling.

Duraffourg says: “These boats are very reactive and very dynamic, so we need a sail plan that won’t induce too much heel. The sail plan is also as close to the deck as possible to benefit from maximum end plate effect.”

At this level most round the world record attempts fail, not because the boat isn’t sufficiently quick, but as a result of a critical breakage.

Banque Populaire XI therefore incorporates a conceptual step-change in the approach to the structural engineering of the cross-beams. These have twin structural elements, so that if the boat hits a UFO at speed and one element breaks the second should remain intact.

Both ends of the amas are very fine. Photo: J Lecaudey/BPCE

The beams also have a monitoring system that Duraffourg says “helps us to see the condition of the laminate.” The idea is this will allow the boat to continue racing or, if damage is more extensive, to safely make port without assistance.

This fundamentally different philosophy for Banque Populaire XI is one that clearly adds cost and weight (the boat is a tonne heavier than its predecessor) but reliability is the over-riding factor. “This is very important for us,” emphasises le Cléac’h.

In a similar vein, there are systems on multiple levels to minimise the risk of capsize. For instance, the hydraulic ram that controls the mainsheet will release at a predetermined load. In addition there are cleats connected to a pneumatic system that will automatically release if the boat’s heel angle exceeds a specific value.

The autopilot can also be configured to change course to depower the boat if heel angle is greater than a pre-set figure.

Externally, the most obvious differences on Banque Populaire XI are in the aerodynamic shapes that minimise wind resistance. This is a vital factor when the apparent wind speed can top 50 knots for thousands of miles at a time.

Extensive aerodynamic CFD analysis produced a profile close to that of an aircraft wing – even the doghouse is shaped with this in mind. As well as reducing wind resistance this shape increases vertical lift, giving the foils a small helping hand. It’s also a shape that gives the central hull enormous inherent stiffness.

To keep weight to a minimum, lightweight fabric is used to achieve the necessary shape for the cross beams in areas where no additional structural strength is required.

Harken developed larger, extremely light carbon winches for the boat. Photo: Rupert Holmes

Duraffourg believes we will see still more optimisation in this area in future: “Aerodynamics are the last brake on performance and we are getting into a new era in this field,” he told me.

Construction of the central hull and amas was subcontracted to Multiplast in Vannes and Fibre Mechanics in Lymington.

The main hull is of a new design by VPLP. It’s flat bottomed, with very fine forward sections, then becomes very deep further aft, where there’s also plenty of flare in the topsides, which increases the beam at deck level.

In addition to its adjustable elevator foils, the huge daggerboard includes a pinger intended to warn humpback whales of the boat’s presence. “We don’t want them to be afraid, but just that they notice us,” says Duraffourg.

The amas are built from the existing moulds from Banque Populaire IX, that were also used for Actual-Leader and Sodebo . These are so fine in the ends that the antifouling stops more than 4m aft of their bows, while the transoms taper away to the minimum needed to support the rudders.

All three rudders, plus the daggerboard, have elevator flaps that can be set at different angles to control the flight, trim angles and both longitudinal and transverse stability. These are not interfaced with the pilot but some of the trimming is adjusted almost automatically.

The control section is spilt into two areas. Aft is a covered cockpit with a wheel each side. Enormous glazed areas and extensive white paint makes this feel almost as bright as being outside, despite the excellent protection it provides. Further forward is a more sheltered area with bucket seats and additional monitors.

Forward pulpit on the central hull offers some security when changing sails. Photo: J Lecaudey/BPCE

Sail handling systems haven’t changed a great deal from previous maxi trimarans, although Harken developed new carbon winches for the team that are exceptionally light. While everything is optimised for le Cléac’h to handle the boat alone as efficiently as possible, the layout also works when sailing two-handed and even with a team of six when training, on delivery and for occasional crewed races.

Huge potential

At the time of writing Banque Populaire XI has shown tremendous promise, exceeding 40 knots on each of the first four days of sea trials. “Even we are amazed – compared to its predecessor the boat achieves significant speeds more quickly and with less wind,” says le Cléac’h.

However, we will have to wait to discover the boat’s full potential in solo long distance mode. After an extended set-up phase this year’s main objective is the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race with Kevin Escoffier in November, where they will take on Thomas Coville’s Sodebo, Yves Le Blevec’s Actual-Leader, and Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier in Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (now out of Ultime class measurement).

Therefore a solo record circumnavigation attempt is not expected before 2022. Le Cléac’h will also doubtless be looking closely at the latest new Ultime, François Gabart’s M101 , which has just hit the water.

The prospect of two state of the art Ultimes simultaneously racing the clock and each other around the globe – and up to five giant trimarans attempting records and races over the next couple of years – will undoubtedly be an incredible spectacle.

Banque Populaire XI specifications:

LOA: 32.00m / 105ft 0in Beam: 23.00m / 75ft 5in Draught max: 5.00m / 16ft 5in Displacement: 15,000kg / 33,000lb Upwind sail area: 350m2 / 3,770ft2 Downwind sail area: 600m2 / 6,460ft2 See more: voile.banquepopulaire.fr

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First Look: Banque Populaire V

• By Lyn Hines
• Updated: October 7, 2008

BankPopulaire368b

Banque Populaire, a French bank, invited all comers to the renovated Nantes shipyard waterfront last Saturday to celebrate their 20 years of sponsoring sailing and for the formal christening of the G-class maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V, the largest ocean racing trimaran built to date.

Nantes is the birthplace of Eric Tabarly and Jules Verne and the crowd was also treated to the sight of Eric Tabarly’s five Pen Duicks moored in a row, French Olympians and Olympic-class sailboats, and on the water racing displays by the French sailing federation.

Built to conquer the ocean sailing records such as the Jules Verne around the world record– currently 50d:16h:20m– Banque Populaire V is 131 feet long, with 121-foot amas, a mast height of 154 feet, a maximum draft of 19 feet, and a displacement of 50,690 lbs. The mainsail measures 4,842 sq. ft. and the gennaker, 6,450 sq. ft.

Leading the project is Pascal Bidegorry, a previous winner of the Figaro Solo, and the 60-foot multihull circuit championship. He was named skipper of Banque Populaire IV in 2004 and won the Jacques Vabre in 2005.

In 2006, the sponsor tasked Bidegorry with building a record breaker. A call for design bids went out and the architect office of Marc van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Provost was chosen. Kevin Escoffier headed up the study office, LMV (Cherbourg) built the hulls and floats, Lorima constructed the mast, and CDK Composites manufactured the cross arms and did the final assembly of all the components in a purpose-built shed in Lorient, France.

“I have built plenty of boats but it is the first time I have seen it come together so smoothly in human terms as well as technical,” says Ollivier Bordeau, who oversaw the build. “The bank gave us carte blanche but we didn’t want to surpass that for any eventual build changes.

“In total, it took 18 months, including for calls for bid, six months of studies, and the build. We received designs for three boats, two trimarans and one cat; eventually choosing a trimaran because it would be lighter. [BP V is 13 feet longer than Orange II but 22,000 lbs. lighter.] This is critical for the many weather systems to be encountered.

“There are a lot of embedded measurement systems for the initial verification phase. For example, we wanted to be sure as possible with the Harken winches, which are expected to deal with loads up to 15.4 tons, and also in the different appendages.

“We want to accumulate data for future projects as well. The boat is made up of pre-impregnated carbon, nomex, and cooked four times, at a more elevated temperature (100 deg Cel) than [in many other builds]. The central hull mold was built in an auto clave.

“To assemble all the parts, we used a new system, for the first time in France. We scanned the principal pieces, giving us 1,000 reference points for each section. This assured that the pieces conformed to the architects’ plans. The sections were then reassembled using a computer. It was a very time-consuming process but we were very happy with the results, which allowed precision down to the millimeter. We started assembly with the central hull, then the aft arm, front arm, then one float, then the other.”

Kevin Escoffier, who headed up the research department, further explained about foil development and hull shape: “We spent an enormous amount of time on the foils to make sure they were fast but above all strong. The support boxes for the foils are in titanium because in the event we hit something, we prefer to break away the foil stead of having it fold up like knife blade into the hull. Each float has a curved foil, which follows the hull shape, adding strength, and giving some lift. The small fin works just like on an airplane wing tip. We also purposely designed the bows to be fine and not dig into the waves to avoid pitch poling.”

The boat and crew are now in the discovery phase, focusing on day sails from the team’s base in Lorient, checking systems, and gradually stepping up the program to be ready for their first planned Transatlantic crewed record attempt, the Discovery Route (Cadiz-San Salvador) sometime this coming winter. The time to beat is 7d:10h:58m:53s:, set by Franck Cammas on Groupama 3 in 2007.

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Launch of the Maxi Banque Populaire XI

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Interview / Armel le Cléac'h explains the details of the future trimaran Ultim Banque Populaire XI

The design of the new Banque Populaire XI trimaran was unveiled this week. What are its characteristics? How does it differ from its competitors? Interview with her skipper Armel le Cléac'h.

Tell us about your new boat, what's the difference with Banque Pop IX?

The notable difference is in the appendices, which are really different in terms of size. We have developed stability under foils while at the same time trying to facilitate our flight in a maximum of conditions. The foils are much larger than those installed on Banque Pop IX. They are designed to be raised and lowered depending on the conditions, and whether or not power is needed. When conditions are encountered, Banque Pop'XI will be able to raise its foils to regulate its speed .

Today we can see that the foilers taking part in the Vendée Globe are forced to slow down the potential of their boat in certain conditions. Sometimes it is necessary to reduce the foil's thrust to preserve the boat and improve the life of the crew .

The "aero" part has evolved a lot compared to Banque Pop IX. On these boats, which sail at an average speed of over 30 knots, a maximum number of fairings have been fitted on deck to limit aerodynamic drag. The location of the cockpit, which was chosen by the team, is at the level of the aft arm. The floor is lowered in relation to the deck of the central hull, but we didn't opt for an extreme solution as on François Gabart's future Ultim or on the Hugo Boss IMOCA . We want to keep a vision of our environment and the boat .

The floats are very similar to those used by Banque Pop IX, only a few details have been improved.

Your previous trimaran capsized after hitting a UFO . How did you anticipate this problem on the future Ultim?

We've obviously taken into account the experience we gained on our previous trimaran . We've improved the boat's ability to withstand an impact with a UFO . The design team has put in place a sort of "bumper" on the bow arm, which is designed to withstand a shock. This fuse will allow us to preserve the structure of the arm in the event of an impact.

Fibre optics have been installed at all the hot spots on the boat . With the constant whistling of the foils, you can't always hear what's banging. We can't be listening to all the boat's noises, and this fibre should enable us to alert us to any possible fragility in the structure.

What are the differences with the latest Ultim trimarans?

Length and width will be identical to the last two Ultim (Sodebo and Gitana), i.e. 32m long by 23m wide. From an external point of view, the main difference is in the life cell. It is far forward on Sodebo, below deck on François' future boat (Gabart), and rather aft on Gitana. Banque Populaire XI's air draught will be a little shorter than the other Ultim boats.

Banque Pop is a member of the Ultim class, how do you see its evolution?

The Banque Pop team is still in the Ultim class. We are delighted with the arrival of the future Actual (ex Macif) in the class and also with the purchase of Yves le Blevec's former boat. This shows that the class is showing a certain dynamism. It needs skippers who are going to write great stories and tell adventures.

The next deadline for the Ultim class will be the Transat Jacques Vabre, which should bring together at least six boats, which will be a great line-up. We need to race and finish them, in order to show the public the incredible potential of our machines. We exchange a lot about safety issues. We've had our share of problems, just like all the other boats. This is part of the history of a relatively young class.

What do you think of Sodebo's advance? [EDITOR'S NOTE This interview was carried out a few hours before the announcement of the retirement of Thomas Coville's trimaran ]

This is great! Thomas and his crew passed Good Hope with a day's lead. But it won't be easy to hold this lead in the Indian. When Idec won the record , his trajectory in the Indian Ocean was almost perfect, on a single tack. It's difficult to make such a beautiful route! If Thomas and his crew reach Cape Leeuwin with the same timing, they can glimpse the prospect of winning the Jules Verne.

After her aborted attempt, we also hope that Gitana will be able to leave again soon.

When will Banque Pop XI join his element?

The launch is scheduled for April 2021 in Lorient . In spite of a rather special context, we are on schedule. Our first race will be the Jacques Vabre, which will start in Le Havre on October 24, 2021. Then we will focus on the Route du Rhum 2022.

Published on January 15th, 2024 | by Editor

Brazilian pit-stop in maxi trimaran race

Published on January 15th, 2024 by Editor -->

(January 15, 2024; Day 9) – While the leading duo of Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) and Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) are still less than 50 miles apart in the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest, making around 34-35.5 knots sailing SSE of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, the first pit-stop for the six-boat Ultim fleet has occurred.

In this solo, non-stop race around the world in the 32m Ultim Class, Armel Le Cléac’h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) arrived today in the port of Recife in Recife just before 0740hrs UTC. A team from Banque Populaire was waiting for her so that they could begin repairs as soon as the boat was docked.

When his big gennaker came loose at the tack and tore off the pulpit during gales several nights earlier, his team was unanimous the skipper should not go into the ‘big south’ with no pulpit on the main hull.

He is expected to time his departure from the Brazilian port at the required 24 hours minimum stipulated by the rules for a skipper who accepts help for a pitstop.

“Continuing the race without the pulpit which keeps me safe during maneuvers would be impossible,” Le Cléac’h said. Maxi Banque Populaire XI also has an issue with the hydraulics on the starboard foil which would not go right down and the team was standing by to repair.

“We will be back to sea tomorrow morning,” reiterated the skipper. “So many things can still happen, the race is far from over.”

According to the SIs which stipulate the minimum of 24 hours, the Maxi Banque Populaire XI will not be able to leave before 07:38 a.m. UTC tomorrow morning.

For Laperche and Caudrelier, they are working their way around the Saint Helena High in the South Atlantic, and have yet to depart from the Brazilian coast line. However, they are both looking to have a good timing to hook into a depression, probably in two days, with the low promising downwind conditions with the winds averaging 25 to 35 knots which will take them to the tip of South Africa by December 19

More than 400 miles behind Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) is now third. Having been racing side by side with Armel Le Cléac’h for a long time, Coville is now on his own as he transits the western side of the Saint Helena anticyclone. But what is concerning for the eight times round the world circumnavigator Coville is that he won’t make it on to the same depression as the first two.

Observes Race Director Guillaume Rottee, “The door will close, the anticyclone will expand again, which will not be easy.”

Anthony Marchand is the fifth skipper to pass the Equator. The skipper of Actual Ultim 3 crossed it at 1057hrs UTC after 7 days, 22 hours and 27 minutes at sea, or 1 day, 16 hours and 14 minutes after Tom Laperche. He had a more complicated battle with the doldrums where he had slightly less wind than expected.

“It was a little slower and harder than for the leaders who didn’t stop,” explains Rottee. “But from now on Marchand is heading towards the Brazilian coast. He probably won’t get past Recife before Armel comes back out but it’s always better for morale to have a boat close to you.”

In sixth, Éric Péron is more than 1,800 miles from the race lead after having to be patient to maneuver between the Cape Verde cetacean exclusion zone and a light wind area which had slowed his progress. But that is behind him and the skipper of ULTIM ADAGIO gybed onto starboard to head west and head down to the Doldrums.

Details: https://arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en

The Ultim Class trimarans have a maximum length of 32 meters and a maximum width of 23 meters.

The solo speed record around the world was set in 2017 by François Gabart (FRA) on the 30m Macif trimaran in a time of 42d 14h 40m 15s for an average speed of 21.08 knots. This yacht has been rebranded and will be raced by Marchand.

Entrants: • Charles Caudrelier (FRA), Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (2017 Verdier 32/23) • Thomas Coville (FRA), Sodebo Ultim 3 (2019 VPLP/others 32/23) • Tom Laperche (FRA), Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue (2021 VPLP 32/23) • Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA), Maxi Banque Populaire XI (2021 VPLP 32/23) • Anthony Marchand (FRA), Actual Ultim 3 (2015 VPLP 30/22) • Éric Péron (FRA), Trimaran Adagio (2014 VPLP 31/21)* * Only entrant without foiling appendages

Five rules from the Sailing Instructions: • The start line is kept open for 168 hours and the finish line is closed after an elapsed time of 100 days after the start time, that is to say 16th April 2024.

• The skippers can communicate and exchange with their teams on shore, so they have the freedom to get weather information and be routed by their team on shore and get technical help and advice to help with technical problems.

• The solo skippers can stop but there are two distinct operations. A technical stop is unassisted and requires the sailor to drop anchor, take a mooring, or tie up alongside an anchored or moored boat with no external help. There is no time penalty for a technical stop. But for a technical stopover (escale technique) where one or more crew or technical team come on board to help, there is a mandatory 24 hours minimum. This does not apply to the start port of Brest where all means are authorized to reach or leave the port within a radius of 50 miles.

• For the first time in ocean racing, zones where there are known to be a high concentration of whales and sea mammals are determined. Establishing these zones should both protect the marine wildlife and reduce the chance of a collision. These zones are around the Azores, the Canaries, south of South Africa, the Kerguelens, and parts of the Antarctic.

• There are ice exclusion zones to protect the skippers and their boats.

Tags: ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest , Ultim Class

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Bientôt sur le site A l’image de la « Carte de l’Océan » dressée par un grand cartographe français du 18 ième  siècle et représentant les routes des navigateurs autour du monde sur la carte papier, la cartographie numérique du Jules Verne offrira la possibilité de dérouler et comparer les différents records successifs autour du monde réalisés suivant le règlement du « Trohée Jules Verne » . Mais le point remarquable de cette cartographie sera de pouvoir suivre tout nouveau défi, le comparer en temps réel par rapport aux records précédents tout en respectant les contraintes imposées par le défi en cours.

Cet outil se voudra simple d’utilisation mais moderne et doté de fonctionnalités permettant de voyager autour du monde. Nous espérons vous voir très nombreux et prendre beaucoup de plaisir.

René Boulaire

Loïck Peyron / Banque Populaire V

The world’s biggest ocean trimaran would defy space and time. Loïck Peyron and thirteen high-level sailors launched the Banque Populaire V machine in their quest for the mythical Jules Verne Trophy. Consistently ahead of the existing record, the maxi yacht felled obstacles, thwarted traps, and pushed its luck to beat the timer.

On 22 November, at 9 hours, 31 minutes and 42 seconds, a blue rocket sped downwind, off Brittany’s Ushant Island (1) (1) Victoire autour du monde , Marie Le Berrigaud-Perochon, éditions Mer et Découverte, 2012. . The starting line of the Jules Verne Trophy was thus crossed by the world’s biggest trimaran. Measuring 40 meters long, 13 meters wide, with 450 m2 in mainsail, the maxi Banque Populaire V (“BPV”) recorded an average of 30 knots as it set off on the race, holding onto the promise of reaching the equator in under six days.

Braking the machine

The recidivists on board were well aware that to win, it was necessary to get back. The world tour via the three capes is a test of endurance as much as it is of speed, punctuated by the turns in the weather. Peyron’s thirteen men would need to learn to slow down their mount in order to spare the equipment.

From the Baleares, Marcel van Triest, the land-based router sketched out the best possible route with them to finish the itinerary in a record time. The reference time to beat was the one set by Franck Cammas who won the Jules Verne Trophy on Groupama 3 , in 2010, in 48 days, 7 hours, 44 minutes and 52 seconds.

After a sporty first night, with the sea chaotic off Portugal, BPV headed straight for the Canaries. The boat’s average speed at that point swung between 27 and 29 knots.

Loïck Peyron suddenly decided to bend his itinerary 90° to the south. The boat headed west to latch onto an easterly wind rotation and a better angle for going down. For several hours, the trimaran dropped speed, but the strategy paid off.

Galloping to the equator

On the fourth day of sailing, 666 miles (1,071 km) were covered in the space of 24 hours. BPV cavorted under northeasterly wind at 20 knots (37 km/h): the trade winds were regular, the sea smooth. On board, the rhythm was intense. It was constantly necessary to take in or let out sailcloth in an attempt to restrain the “machine” without braking her stride. “We’ve changed direction a little, we’ve shifted the point where we cross the Doldrums. The cloud gurus have found us a little hole where we have to slip through,” reported Florent Chastel on the radio. “For now, we have the full mainsail and solent, between 100-110° wind at around twenty knots, and we’re progressing at 32-33 knots. The sea’s fairly flat, it’s not bumpy, it’s really pleasant. We’re keeping up crazy averages.”

BPV was only 60 miles (96 km) ahead of its virtual rival when it finally got out. And on Sunday 27 November 2011, at 23 hours, 26 minutes and 52 seconds (GMT), Loïck Peyron was only 28 minutes and one second in front of Franck Cammas when crossing the equator. And so the maxi trimaran picked up its first record on the Jules Verne course: Ushant-Equator in 5 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes an 10 seconds.

The next obstacle: Saint Helena’s High, a calm zone in the South Atlantic. The conditions for getting around it were good, according to the forecasts of land router Marcel Van Triest. The Banque Populaire Team traced a wide curve to skirt around the phenomenon along its southwest boundary and then went south. The detour was unavoidable, but the boat’s speed didn’t flag, and the distance between BPV and its virtual rival widened.

At 43°South, on 2 December, air and water temperatures plummeted while winds went up to 35 knots (64 km/h). Equipped with the mainsail and two reefs and the forestaysail, the maxi trimaran, reined in by its pilots, sailed with a 955-mile (1536 km) lead on the benchmark time.

On 4 December, the 14 sailors left the Cape of Good Hope behind them, after 11 days, 21 hours, 48 minutes and 18 seconds (5) (5) Until then, the absolute record between Ushant and the Cape of Good Hope was 13 days, 6 hours and 1 minute. Peyron improved the time set by Cammas in 2010 by 2 days, 15 hours, 43 minutes and 25 seconds. . A new record was notched up by the maxi! “11 days and 21 hours, it’s obscene,” remarked Loïck Peyron on the radio session of the day. “A few decades ago, 12 days was the time taken by Charlie Barr to cross the Atlantic. Tabarly was the first to do the Atlantic in a little under 12 days, barely 20 years ago.”

Indian express

Entering the Indian Ocean, Banque Populaire V headed towards the Kerguelen Islands. Pushed by a northwesterly wind, the giant trimaran faced big swells that forced the sailors to slow down once again. On board, the rule was strict: no faster than 30 knots! Prudence was de rigueur at 48° South: here, visibility was limited and an iceberg field was indicated east of the Kerguelen Islands, a hundred or so ice blocks measuring several kilometers long below 50° South.

On 6 December, despite a relative slackening in pace, the crew managed to gulp up 800 miles (1287 km) in 24 hours. “It’s only the third time that a boat has reached averages of 800 miles per day,” rejoiced Kevin Escoffier, engineer and design-office manager in the Banque Populaire Team. “And what’s particularly impressive is that it’s happening on a world tour.” Only Groupama 3 and Banque Populaire V had ever gone over this threshold when the record for crossing the North Atlantic was broken in 2009.

After only 15 days of sailing, with a 1933-mile (3110 km) lead on the record holder, the BPV team rounded the Kerguelen Islands from the south and prepared to climb back up north to get around the ice and scuttle towards Cape Leeuwin, the next obligatory passage point on the course. With Australia in its sights, the blue trimaran caught up with a depression which allowed it to continue to take advantage of a steady westerly flow.

On 10 December, the BPV skipper and his crew pocketed a new reference time: after 17 hours, 23 hours, 57 minutes and 18 seconds since Ushant, they passed the first Australian cape and shortly afterwards entered the Pacific, 3 days, 14 hours and 24 minutes ahead of the holder of the Jules Verne Trophy.

Pacific hotpot

The maxi trimaran steamed ahead on its crossing of the world’s biggest ocean. A 48-knot free-fall in the early morning of 12 December concluded a first chaotic night. The swell lengthened and the sea soon became easier to handle. (6) (6) Radio session, December the 12th. , with Loïck Peyron. https://www.tropheejulesverne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/TJV_COURSES_BANQUE-POP_audio1212.mp3

But the pleasure of gliding was short-lived. On 15 December, a front arriving from northern New Zealand hit Banque Populaire V with 40 knots (74 km/h) of crosswinds, bringing choppy seas under its floats.  For eight hours, the mainsail was reduced to its strict minimum and flattened as far as possible so that its only purpose would be to stabilize the boat. Marcel van Triest, the land-based router, had no good news to bring about what was to follow this storm: the prospect of an ice field forced BPV to veer north where it would fall into calmness. The comfortable 1882-mile (3028 km) lead on the record holder would be halved up to Cape Horn.

On 16 December, the iceberg that Loïck Peyron was hoping to avoid was in sight. “B15J” – this is the name that scientists have given it – measures 20 kilometers long and is accompanied by a trail of equally dangerous blocks. Plans were made for a vigilant watch. “The slightest bit of ice that we can’t spot in the radar, invisible at night, can shatter a hull or two or three all of a sudden,” pointed out the skipper. “Those who are sleeping have their feet in front of them because it’s better to break an ankle than a neck, in the event of impact. We’re advancing at around 15 knots, as slowly as possible, towards the exit of this very dangerous zone.” (7) (7) Radio session,December the 17th , with Loïck Peyron. https://www.tropheejulesverne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/TJV_COURSES_BANQUE-POP_audio1712.mp3

Stuck in the anticyclone awaiting it, BPV would take another six days to exit the Pacific. On 21 December, the mythical cape was finally in the bow’s reach. “I’ve got a little dilemma at the moment because going right near Horn, at the request of half of the crew that’s never seen it, would fulfill the greatest wishes of some, but on the other hand, we risk getting into 35-40 knots (74 km/h) of wind and I’m not that keen on this,” warned Loïck Peyron. With a little more than 600 miles (965 km) ahead of the Groupama time, compared with its 2000-mile (3218 km) lead a few days earlier, the skipper didn’t hesitate for long.

On 23 December, the Banque Populaire V trimaran went over the longitude of the southern tip of America, after 30 days, 22 hours, 18 minutes and 48 seconds of sailing. In other words, they were over a day under Franck Cammas’ time in 2010 (8) (8) The skipper made no improvement on the WSSRC record for crossing the Pacific Ocean, from the southern tip of Tasmania to Cape Horn – the title was kept by his brother Bruno Peyron who followed this course in 8 days, 18 hours and 8 minutes. A record set on the catamaran Orange II in 2005. . But the sailors wouldn’t get to see the Horn up close.

“Bonjour, Northern Hemisphere!”

At the entrance of the Atlantic, a little effort was made to go eastwards in order to latch onto a flow generated by a depression centered on the Falklands towards the east, before heading north, homebound! The beneficial effects of the depression dissipated around Uruguay but gaining a 900-mile (1448 km), then 1000-mile (1609 km) lead on the reference time allowed the crew to envisage climbing up serenely at 15 knots… Upwind.

The northeasterly wind around the Brazilian coast left the BPV crew no choice except a tame pace that countered high performance. But this was nothing out of the ordinary in these latitudes, and the blue trimaran still managed to get to the northern hemisphere with an advance of 3 days, 18 hours and 24 minutes on Groupama 3’s time from two years earlier (9) (9) The Banque Populaire Team covered the Ushant-Equateur (return) leg in 38 days, 2 hours, 45 minutes and 48 seconds, compared with the 41 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes recorded by Franck Cammas and his crew. . “We went over the equator at high speed. We’re doing 35 knots on a practically flat sea. Pure joy,” rejoiced the BPV skipper on 30 December. “The boat’s not suffering, the guys even less. Everyone’s delighted, especially the first time Cape Horners. Bonjour, Northern Hemisphere!”

Final detour

It seems that on this tour, every happy episode had its flipside. As soon as the 0° latitude was passed, BPV’s 14 crewmembers were shaken up by 34 knots (62 km/h) of wind and a choppy sea all night long.

As 2012 dawned, BPV sailed in optimal conditions along the latitude of the Antilles. But further north, the Azores High set up base across the Atlantic, blocking the whole of the direct path to Brittany. For a moment, Peyron envisaged cutting through the ridge despite the boat-breaking sea, but prudence won out once again. More than ever, it was necessary to look after the equipment. What’s more, the skipper knew that the record was his and that gaining more time would be pure greed. “Fast but not furious” : this was the motto on board.

It was thus after a large detour to the west that the 14 crewmembers finally entered the Channel via the Irish Sea. The blue rocket swallowed up the last miles separating it from victory, at an average of 35 knots. The arrival line was crossed on 6 January, at 22 hours (GMT), the obscurity broken by flashes from Europe’s most powerful light, streaming from the lighthouse at Ushant, the Créac’h.

Banque Populaire V’s fourteen crewmembers had just covered 29,002 miles (46674 km) at an average speed of 26.51 knots, in 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds. They had smashed the existing circumnavigation speed record. They were the new holders of the Jules Verne Trophy.

A few days earlier, during a radio session, Loïck Peyron had paid discreet but deeply felt homage to the collective work leading to the record: “We can feel that lots of work was done on the boat in the last three years, not just in the design but also in navigation. All this certainly didn’t start when I arrived.” And he added, even before going over the finish line: “Technically, everything’s going to improve, and it’s obvious that this record will probably be broken in a few years’ time…” (10) (10) Radio session, January the 4th , with Loïck Peyron. https://www.tropheejulesverne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/TJV_COURSES_BANQUE-POP_audio0401.mp3

The skipper didn’t yet know that his next challengers would be borrowing the same vessel three years later: a legendary maxi trimaran, now dressed in black and gold, rebaptized Spindrift 2…

Francis Joyon / Idec-Sport vs Loïck Peyron / Banque Populaire V

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Banque Populaire V: The biggest

Article published on 07/05/2009

By Jean-Christophe Guillaumin

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L’ultim de toutes les audaces : le nouveau Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire XI mis à l’eau

Mercredi 28 avril 2021

16 tonnes, 32 mètres de long et 23 mètres de large : Banque Populaire XI, c’est 24 mois de construction par 150 entreprises, françaises et locales en grande majorité.

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Ce nouvel « Ultim » de 16 tonnes, 32 m de long, 23 m de large et 37 m de haut, qui sera skippé par Armel Le Cléac’h , a mobilisé, pendant 24 mois, 150 entreprises afin d’être mis sur pied malgré la crise sanitaire ! 

Mélange de haute technologie et d’artisanat, ce géant des mers vient d’être mis à l’eau le 27 avril, à Lorient. Ultim de toutes les audaces, avec des foils en forme de S, environ deux fois plus grands que ceux des anciennes générations, illustration d’une recherche poussée en matière d’aérodynamique, à l’instar de la F1,  Banque Populaire XI  est le résultat d’une prouesse technologique, technique, humaine et logistique  qui lui permet d’être le dernier fleuron de l’industrie nautique et de la voile sportive.  

Le Team Banque Populaire a mobilisé pour sa conception et sa construction pas moins de 150 entreprises , françaises et locales dans leur grande majorité. Acteur majeur de la course au large, à la fois sponsor et armateur, Banque Populaire a ainsi accompagné des artisans, ingénieurs, et architectes, fidèle à son ADN de banque proche de ceux qui entreprennent. Par la même occasion, la banque démontre son implication forte dans le rayonnement des acteurs de l’économie bleue, qui rassemble toutes les activités économiques liées à la mer.

Désormais, un autre défi attend l’équipe avec les premières navigations pour Armel Le Cléac’h et son co-skipper Kevin Escoffier. En ligne de mire : le départ de la Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre en novembre prochain.

LE MAXI TRIMARAN BANQUE POPULAIRE XI EN CHIFFRES 

• 32 mètres de long, 23 mètres de large, 16 tonnes
• 24 mois de construction
• 4 500 heures (conception, architecture, plan, simulation chez VPLP) 
• 300 plans de fabrication
• 150 entreprises mobilisées
• 150 000 heures de travail (dont plus de 100 000 heures pour le seul chantier CDK Technologies) 

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Ultim Banque Populaire XI - Mise à l’eau au printemps !

Article publié le 02/12/2020

Par Emmanuel van Deth

n°204 déc. / janv.

Le Team Voile Banque Pop vient de dévoiler les premières images 3D de sa prochaine Formule 1 des mers !

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