The Vendée Globe 2028
starts now !
Drawing on the lessons learned from The Ocean Race and the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie–Le Havre, the architects at VPLP Design continue to research and refine their vision of the ideal IMOCA for the next but one edition of the Vendée Globe. Partner naval architects Quentin Lucet and Antoine Lauriot-Prévost, the latter having sailed on Justine Mettraux’s Teamwork.net for the boat’s return […]
XAVIER GUILBAUD:
“Ultims can go fast
and stay damage-free”
Following the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie–Le Havre, Xavier Guilbaud joined the crew of SVR Lazartigue for the return trip to Concarneau. VPLP Design’s partner naval architect talks about this two-handed transatlantic crossing and gives his assessment of the Arkea Ultim Challenge–Brest, the first solo round-the-world race for Ultims which starts out from Brest on […]
Sun Fast 30 One Design,
yacht of the year 2024
Currently in mass production at the Jeanneau yard in Nantes Cheviré, the Sun Fast 30 One Design has been named 2024 sailboat of the year by French sailing monthly Voile Magazine during the Journées de la Régate et de la Course au large, an event organized by Yacht Club de France on 15–16 December to […]
GUNBOAT 80,
a conspicuous racing debut
Launched in early June for Irvine Laidlaw, a Scottish baron, the first Gunboat 80 made her regatta debut in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup (3–9 September, Porto Cervo). Xavier Guilbaud, Partner Naval Architect at VPLP Design, and Benoît Lebizay, Managing Partner at Gunboat, were aboard to present this exceptional catamaran. She’s the eighth Gunboat to be launched since the brand was picked up […]
CANOPÉE:
founding a new direction for
VPLP Design
Canopée, a cargo ship designed by VPLP Design for transporting sections of the Ariane 6 rocket, had her official launching ceremony on 5 October in Bordeaux and is now getting ready to start sailing between ports in Europe and French Guiana. Her magnificent wing sails were fitted in late August. This innovative vessel has been a catalyst for several […]
How VPLP developed an innovative shipping concept for VELA
Looking to develop a fast sailing ship to provide a shipping service between Europe and the USA, the French start-up VELA asked VPLP Design to explore the range of possibilities in the fledgling sector of zero-carbon transport of goods by sea. This led to the design of a 65 m schooner-rigged trimaran which can carry 350 […]
Paragon: When foiling meets cruising
How about giving the superyachts that regularly compete in Mediterranean regattas – and whose owners cross the Atlantic in early winter to take part in the best Caribbean events – the chance to benefit from the design innovations generated by the offshore racing circuit? Inspired by this exciting premise, VPLP Design developed a concept called […]
The Ocean Race special edition
QUENTIN LUCET: “THE MALIZIA CONCEPT IS VALIDATED” After 35 days at sea, Team Malizia won the third leg of The Ocean Race , the longest ever in the crewed round the world race (12,750 miles). A great success for Boris Herrmann and his crew, which confirms VPLP Design in the innovative architectural choices that presided over the design of this new generation Imoca. Explanations with Quentin Lucet , associate architect […]
The secrets of a very typical hull
Architect at VPLP Design since 2010, specializing in the design of monohull hulls (Imoca, Figaro Beneteau 3, Comanche , etc.), Daniele Capua deciphers the bias of the Malizia hull . Following the difficulties encountered by skippers in heavy seas during the 2020 Vendée Globe, many Imoca bows have been planed and some 2022 generation boats have opted for less stretched shapes. “ Working […]
WIND FOR GOODS
