Multiplast. Sporting prowess across the Atlantic !
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What an incredible cavalcade the maxi catamaran Orange II put on across the North Atlantic. Multiplast and the Gilles Ollier Design Team can add another prestigious trophy to their achievements board. They now hold all of the major sailing records possible with the Atlantic record, the round the world record, the greatest distance covered in 24 hours and the Mediterranean.
4 days 8 hours 23 minutes and 54 seconds*, an average speed of 28.02 knots ! Bruno Peyron and his crew of 11 sailed full blast across the Atlantic, relegating another maxi catamaran by the name of PlayStation (38 m) helmed by American Steve Fossett to a time of 9 hours behind. Ever since 2004 it has been evident that both the boat and the crew were up to the challenge, although they did in fact fail in their attempt

by 31 minutes, after a crossing which took them on a much longer route than the theoretical orthodromic route, and with condition which were only just favourable. Today, in spite of concerns over the rudders arising from a collision with a non-identified floating object during the first half of the course, Orange II never the less pushed the speedo to its limits. Bruno Peyron: "...we're not surprised by the boat's performance. She is the result of a wide range of experience accumulated over the previous generations of boats designed and built by the same architects and yard (Commodore Explorer in 1993 and the three sister ships for The Race - Club Med, Innovation Explorer and Team Adventure in 2001).But she is also and particularly the result of development arising out of the work with Gilles Ollier's team and the Multiplast yard. We have never aimed at a revolutionary design for this boat. What we did aim to achieve however, was to climb the steps one by one, so that we would have a healthy and reliable boat. As if any proof were needed, since being launched, with almost two circumnavigations on her log book, we have never had any major trouble."

Unrivalled achievements

In the past 25 years during which the firm of architects and the shipyard have been building ocean-racing catamarans, the Team from Vannes has established a unique record of its own. There top places on transatlantic events, races and records round the world, 24 hour records, crewed, two-handed or solo are almost too numerous to mention ! (cf. list of achievements). But what is certainly worth pointing out in respect of the latest times recorded is the versatility of the Multiplast catamarans. Gilles Ollier : "...in spite of the fact that we design and build extremely high-tech carbon boats, where we are permanently seeking to keep weight down, it has often been pointed out that our boats are not the lightest. What counts it the weight/power ratio. Our experienced in building this type of machine means that we can produce safe, comfortable and reliable boats. It goes to show that we can make boats which perform very well on a 24 hour sprint, middle distance on the Atlantic or endurance around the world. Orange II's background confirms this..".
In each of Orange II's record attempts, her potential was evident. In her victorious circumnavigation last year, Bruno Peyron sailed round the planet in just 50 days, knocking 8 days off the previous record. Not much was needed to bring the record down under the 50 day mark. For the 24 hour record, the French skipper announced that he could better the extraordinary world record of 765 miles which he had just clocked up (the 800 mile barrier !). Over the Atlantic, had it not been for the damage to the rudder, with a little more luck bringing the Atlantic record down to under four days is not altruistic...

Catamaran. The perfect arm

In the maxi-multihull category, the trimaran / catamaran debate is still ongoing But there is no denying the facts. Yann Penfornis : "...For equal power, a catamaran is much longer. And as length is an essential factor in average speed, it is easy to understand why we went for the option we did. We now have a great deal of experience of this type of multihull. All of the simulations carried out prove that catamarans are more suitable. And if Orange II gives us so much satisfaction in terms of performance, the next generation on from Orange II is already on the drawing boar ; an. She is bigger, about 41 m, more powerful still and with performance enhanced by about 8%. ". we are ready to build her.
To back up the what is being maintained, note that the 24 hour single-handed record, (which Multiplast no longer holds) is also held by a catamaran, the Mediatis held by Frenchman Yves Parlier, with 586 miles.
Without contest, Multiplast and the Gilles Ollier Design Team can be proud to have produced the fastest ocean racing sail boat in the world.

Benchmarks / Records held by Multiplast

The Atlantic records

2006 – Orange II – catamaran 37 m, 04j 08h 23mn 54s Plan Gilles Ollier Design Team
2001 – PlayStation – catamaran de 38 m, 4j 17h 28 mn 06s Plan Morrelli & Melvin
1990 – Jet Services V, catamaran de 22m85, 6j 13h 3mn 32s Plan Ollier
1988 – Jet Services V, catamaran de 22m85, 7j 6h 30mn Plan Ollier
1987 – Fleury Michon VIII, trimaran de 22,50 m, 7j 12h 49 mn 34s Plan Irens
1985 – Royale II, catamaran de 25 m, 7j 21h 5mn 42s Plan Graal (construction Multiplast)
1984 – Jet Services II, cata de 18,28 m, 8j 16h 36mn Plan Ollier
1981 – Elf Aquitaine I, catamaran de 20 m, 9j 10h 6mn 34s Plan Langevin
1980 - Paul Ricard, tri-foiler de 17 m, 10j 5h 14mn 20s Plan De Berg
1905 - Atlantic, goélette de 56 m, 12j 04h 01mn 19s Plan Gardner

24-hour world record

Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Bruno Peyron/ juillet 2006 / 766,8 milles, moyenne de 31,95 nœuds

Anciens records
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Bruno Peyron/ août 2004 / 706,2 milles, moyenne de 29,42 nœuds
Maiden II / Catamaran de 33,50 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Brian Thomson & Helena Darvelid / juin 2002 / 694,78 milles, moyenne 28,95 nœuds
Club Med / Catamaran 33 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Grant Dalton & Franck Proffit / Février 2001 / 655,2 milles, moyenne 27
Innovation Explorer / Catamaran 32,5 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Loïck Peyron & Skip Novak / Février 2001 / 629,19 milles, moyenne 26,21 nœuds
Club Med / Catamaran 33 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Grant Dalton & Bruno Peyron/ juin 2000 / 625,7 milles, moyenne 26,07 nœuds.

Round the world record and Trophée Jules Verne

Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron / 16 mars 2005 / 50j 16h 20mn 04s
Anciens records
Record du tour du monde / Cheyenne / Catamaran 38 m / Steve Fossett / 5 avril 2004 / 58j 09h 32mn
Trophée Jules Verne/ Geronimo/ Olivier de Kersauson / 29 avril 2004 / 63j 13h 59mn (construction Multiplast)

8 attempts on the round the world record

1993 / Commodore Explorer / Catamaran 85 pieds Ollier-Multiplast / 79j 06h 15' 56"
1994 / Enza New Zealand / Catamaran 89 pieds Irens–Bombardier / 74j 22h 17' 22"
1997 / Sport-Elec / Trimaran 85 pieds / Van Peteghem-Lauriot Prévost–CDK / 71j 14h 18' 08"
2002 / Orange / Catamaran 109 pieds / Gilles Ollier Design Team–Multiplast / 64j 08h 37' 24"
2003 / Geronimo / Trimaran 112 pieds / Van Peteghem-Lauriot-Prevost –Multiplast / 68j 01h 58' 02"
2004 / Geronimo / Trimaran 112 pieds / Van Peteghem-Lauriot-Prevost –Multiplast / 63j 13h 59mn
2004 / Cheyenne / Catamaran 125 pieds / Morrelli-Melvin – Cookson / 58j 09h 32mn
2005 / Orange II / Catamaran 121 pieds / Gilles Ollier Design Team–Multiplast / 50j 16h 20mn 04s

Mediterranean record

Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron/ septembre 2004 / 17h 56' 13'', moyenne 25,53 nœuds

References

Premier à Passer la barre des 500 milles / Crédit Agricole / Catamaran 20,50 m / Gilles Ollier-Multiplast
Premier à passer la barre des 600 milles / Club Med / Catamaran 33,50 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast
Premier à passer la barre des 700 milles / Catamaran Orange II 37 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast