Le Havre (AFP)

Thomas Ruyant and Antoine Koch will take the departure of the Transat Jacques-Vabre, Sunday in Le Havre, aboard a foiling 60 feet brand new, made in Italy by 180 entrepreneurs from the North ... before the arrival of a big sponsor.

The boat is now called AdvensforCybersecurity, a 200-employee company that announces 300 customers and 30% annual growth. It is blue and it flies, like all those of this new generation of ultramodern monohulls on which some recipes of multihulls have been applied with more or less happiness.

"We feel that they are crazy boats that have a lot underfoot, it gives a lot of fun and happiness because it's been two years since we designed this boat", said Ruyant during his first sailings in the harbor. Lorient, with the indispensable Antoine Koch at his side.

"It's important to be able to count on Antoine, because he is a naval architect by training, he took part in the design of the boat, so he has a very Cartesian look, whereas I'm more of a feeling. on feelings, with figures, having it with me on the discovery phase and understanding of the boat, it was a big plus, "added the skipper of the North after several days at sea.

"For a month, we really finished the boat, including the cockpit equipment, the ergonomics, because it is quite violent to live, we realized during the first navigations.This was not a surprise because with the foils it goes faster, when there is sea, it is even harder for the boat and for the sailors ".

- "Hallucinating speeds" -

When the design of Advensforcybersecurity was launched two years ago by TR Racing, Ruyant did not have the means to finance it yet. But he had so impressed his many sponsors of "Souffle du Nord", during the last Vendée Globe, that he convinced them to continue the adventure.

"Before giving up in New Zealand, Thomas tried everything to fix it, we saw it on incredible videos, it was MacGyver," Sonia smiles, the wife of an industrialist who continues to support him. Suddenly, for the sailor of 37 years, this Jacques-Vabre is only a step towards the next Vendée Globe, in 2020.

"We're in a technical transition with these big foils and incredible speeds, I'm happy to be part of it and I think it's going to make a lot of people dream ... I'm not from the multihull school, I'm not is the Vendée Globe that keeps my guts in. I want to finish this world tour ... ", insists Ruyant.

After arriving in Cartagena, Ruyant will resume his job VRP entrepreneur tightrope, to prepare the future. Because a new generation IMOCA is expensive, not just design and manufacturing.

"Until now, people were not well aware of the work done for two years, and to see the images of the boat that flies, it can finally convince people who are close to take the step. objective, it is especially to complete the budget to arrive until Vendée, so that one can relate this adventure on the duration ".

The next episode of the saga "Breath of the North" begins Sunday in Le Havre. With a "multi-purpose" boat that will "have a favorite pace, upwind, on which he can make big differences.For example on the first three days of this Transat Jacques-Vabre," says Ruyant. A super sailor and maybe a good tipster ...

© 2019 AFP