Launching of Vitalia II (ex-Orange 2), François Bich's catamaran

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After more than a year and 30,000 hours of work, Vitalia II is to be launched on Friday 17th of April from 16h30 in front of the Multiplast yard.

A real renaissance

In February 2014, François Bich purchased Orange 2 with the vision of transforming it from a racing boat into one a cruiser.

A year later, the Multiplast team will proceed to the launch of this catamaran which - lest it be forgotten - has broken the Atlantic and Mediterranean records, the 24-hour distance record, as well as won the prestigious Jules Verne Trophy with Bruno Peyron and his team. Thus, this tranformation is a real renaissance for a boat, which, 10 years later, still holds the third fastest time for the mythical journey around the world.

An exceptional boat

It has been a difficult exercise to convert a multihull built and designed to beat records into a cruising catamaran. One has to keep in mind the spirit of the original boat, retaining its DNA while, of course, making the necessary changes. It was therefore out of question to overweigh the boat by adding an oversized central pod between the two hulls. It was important to find a compromise that would allow the boat to keep its speed.

For Yann Penfornis : "Our work was concerned with inserting a living space without disturbing - too much - the line of the boat. The space contains a kitchen-bar, the main cabin and an outdoor living area, with all the equipment of comfort you can expect on a cruising boat of this size without increasing - again, too much - the weight"

General view/ Vitalia II/Photo Narrative

To sail safely under the original righting moment all of the standing rigging has been equipped with load cells. In this way the crew members are aware at all-times of the loads applied to the yacht structure and can sail safely at high speed. The project's unique interest lies, says Jack Michal, one of the architects involved in the building of the original boat with Gilles Ollier and Franck Martin, in "creating an exceptional boat, the fastest cruising boat in the world."

Vitalia II's programme

The sea trials will start just after the launch and will run over one month. The boat captain, Vladimir Dzalba Lyndis, a former Bruno Peyron crew member who sailed on both Orange catamarans in the year 2000, will take the boat to the Mediterranean sea. A website has just been created and will be online on the 15th of april that will allow everyone to know in detail the story of the refit, and follow the boat around the world.

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New Vitalia II's web site

Caractéristiques

Design and Building : MULTIPLAST - Groupe Carboman
Exterior Design : Daniel Domergue - Narrative - Montreuil
Interior Design : Stéphane Lauro - Domicile Fixe - Vannes
Interior fittings : Gilbert Foucault et Antoine Lottin - Golfe Agencement - Vannes
Year : 2015
Lenght overall : 120 ft
Width : 55 ft
Air Draft : 157 ft
Displacement : 50 tonnes
Sail area up wind : 7534 ft²
Sail area down wind : 10 764 ft²

For more information :

Contacts : 

Yann Penfornis : + 33 2 97 40 98 44 / + 33 6 12 05 86 97

"If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough"