The tension was palpable. After a year of construction, the “Malizia 3”, the new toy of Boris Herrmann and his team, was launched on Tuesday. Like its predecessor, it will be called “Seaexplorer” at the start of upcoming races. The first of these will start in November as a solo regatta across the Atlantic, followed by the Ocean Race, which will lead around the world in several stages and with five people on board.
In initially rainy conditions, the brightly painted new building was placed in the harbor basin in Lorient by a crane. Next, the 29 meter high mast is erected and the obligatory capsizing test is carried out. The 60-foot yacht is pushed flat on the water to measure the righting moment that gives the boat stability.
Boris Herrmann had previously said that you only get the chance once in a lifetime to help develop a new Imoca yacht and to create it according to your own wishes. The new construction, penned by the leading design office VPLP, clearly shows the lessons Herrmann learned from the last Vendée Globe.
Most notable is the curved “spoon” bow, which is set to become the hallmark of this latest Imoca generation. Other new buildings also show it. It should prevent diving into the waves at high speeds. Because it was from this effect that Herrmann suffered the most at the Vendée Globe. The strong braking effect, which resulted in the undercutting of the waves, repeatedly pushed the rig of the “Seaexplorer” to its limit, which is why the sailor had to slow down.
This should now be prevented by more volume in the bow section. A step that numerous teams take, as a look at Jérémie Beyous “Charal” or Yannick Bestaven’s “Maitre Coq V” shows.
The cockpit design of the Malizia, which provides for a narrow, closed hut on the aft deck, is idiosyncratic. In this form, it is a novelty among the many concepts that are intended to make life on board these racing yachts more or less bearable. However, since the yacht is to be sailed both solo and with a crew, more space had to be created below deck than was previously the case. At 1.90 meters tall, Boris Herrmann should even be able to stand upright.
In the front part of the cockpit there are two exposed plexiglass canopies that allow a view in all directions. From here the sailor can control the device and – it is hoped – sit comfortably for hours. Although the many ideas that went into the construction of the new “Seaexplorer” are not yet apparent this Tuesday, the boat is proof that a “German” campaign can also take part in the technological competition of this avant-garde class.
The money for this is provided by Herrmann’s old sponsor, the logistics group Kuehne und Nagel, as well as a number of new partners, such as Zurich Versicherung and Schütz, a German medium-sized company that specializes in the production of innovative honeycomb core materials and the deck of the “Seaexplorer “ has produced. For a long time now it has no longer been about increasing performance by reducing weight, but also about sustainable solutions. They have to meet the highest quality criteria. After all, what is the use of building a bio-boat if it cannot withstand the challenges of the sea?
Of course, a celebratory day like this is not just about the launching ceremony, but about the opportunity to stage oneself as a large team. In fact, Herrmann has successively expanded his proven regular crew. Those who entered the Imoca business with him six years ago can now continue to grow with him, while additional capacities are invested in communication and external representation.
The christening of Malizia on September 7th in Hamburg is likely to be a first spectacle. It was Herrmann’s express wish to present this milestone in his career in his adopted country. Although the schedule is tight, the transfer trip gives him the opportunity to collect important sailing lessons on the brand new craft. The 41-year-old is expected to be accompanied by the crew, who will take part in the Ocean Race from January – in addition to co-skipper Will Harris, 28, these are Rosalin Kuiper, 27, and on-board reporter Antoine Auriol, 37.
A “golden age” has dawned for the Imoca culture with its innovative spirit. The “Seaexplorer” could be one of those yachts that keep its technological promise.
