Newsletter de 10-2023

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COMPETITION

The Sun Fast 30 OD is already proving a big attraction

After being shown first in Cherbourg in July as part of the Rolex Fastnet Race, the first example of the Sun Fast 30 One Design, developed in collaboration with Jeanneau, made some test sails in August in La Trinité-sur-Mer, before being christened at the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle. This VPLP designed One Design, which was project managed by Multiplast, seems to be keeping all of its promises in terms of performance. More than 40 firm orders have already been placed.

The Sun Fast 30 One Design is clearly on the right track. Even before it was properly launched, the first example of the new one-design piqued the curiosity of sailors who saw it in the heart of the finish village of the Rolex Fastnet Race at the end of July in Cherbourg. “This gave us very good visibility, many sailors stopped to learn more,” says Louis Vaquier, co-project manager for Multiplast, in charge of the commercial aspects.

At the same time, the VPLP design made some first test sails off the coast of La Trinité-sur-Mer, with most of the suppliers coming on board in turn to validate all the equipment: sails, rigging, engine, electronics, fittings..... This phase of adjustments and optimizations sees Philippe Roulin, the architect in charge of the project at Multiplast, reporting: “The boat is extraordinary, it is a real pleasure to sail. It is lively and well balanced, at all speeds. It works well in light airs because it is very light and properly canvassed. It is sensitive to the slightest puff. It also goes well in strong winds and choppy conditions. Under spinnaker, it planes evenly and smoothly and you can accelerate while maintaining good control, even under pilot. With a crew of four people, we managed to exploit all the key performance aspects of the boat, whatever the speed and conditions, which is quite rare. And we think this really bodes well for the future.”

The Sun Fast 30 One Design seems to live up to all expectations and the modifications made after the test sailings are pretty marginal by all accounts, “just small, certain detail points, as always when we launch a new boat”, assures Philippe Roulin.

Christine Briand and Dee Caffari are the godmothers

Officially launched at the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle, Sun Fast 30 OD number 1was christened on on September 20 by Christine Briand, the La Rochelle sailor remarking: “I jumped at the chance when I was offered to be godmother of the boat, because one design is what I love. I wish a very long life for the Sun Fast 30 One Design, I hope that it will go on to be one of the first French one-designs to truly establish itself internationally.”

The second example built was presented at the Southampton International Boat Show a week earlier. “Her godmother is the British sailor Dee Caffari. This illustrates our desire not to be a Franco-French one design. We want to develop a circuit in England, complementing that in France,” explains Louis Vaquier.

In the wake of these two shows, the specialized press was then able to sail and learn the potential of the one-design not least within the framework of the European Yacht of the Year 2023 whose winner will be announced in January during the Boot in Düsseldorf, and of the Boat of the Year 2024 for Voile Magazine, for which the boat is also nominated. Other sails with suppliers are also scheduled to continue to optimize support, while future customers will have the opportunity to test the Sun Fast 30 OD from the beginning of October in South Brittany.

Already 40 firm orders

And mass production will then start in the Nantes-Cheviré yard of Jeanneau, which Multiplast has partnered with (see our December newsletter). “Before the end of the year, we will have built around ten boats. Today we have a little more than 40 orders, spread around the coasts of the Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean,” says Louis Vaquier. A partnership has been set up with the French company Cap Regatta. “We placed an order with Multiplast for 21 boats,” explains Foad Zahedi, founder of the company, “We will provide three fleets of seven boats at our bases in Marseille, Lorient and Cowes. The objective being to create offshore racing training bases for committed amateurs: individuals, clubs and companies.”

Why did they choose the Sun Fast 30 OD? “Because it is a VPLP design, which is a guarantee of quality,” answers Foad Zahedi. “But generally, all the stakeholders in this project inspire confidence in me and I believe in the philosophy of this inexpensive one-design which allows young people to race. The boat is magnificent and simple, in the tradition of those which made the great times of the Tour de France à la Voile. I like it. And there is the one-design side, where it is the crew that makes the difference.”

The Sun Fast 30 OD should compete in its first races in spring 2024 with the Sun Fast World Cup and the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest in La Trinité-sur-Mer, as well as the SNIM in Marseille, on the program. The boat is also a candidate to become the class for the mixed doubles world championship. In short a bright future is assured.

EN BREF

• SOLIDSAIL. A prototype rigid jib was delivered in mid-September by Multiplast to Chantiers de l’Atlantique as part of the SolidSail project. This sail will be tested on the mast erected last January on the Saint-Nazaire port platform.
  
  
• TRANSPORT MARITIME. The Neoline project is in full swing near Vannes. The second mast of the ro-ro sailing cargo ship is currently being draped, Multiplast are in charge of manufacturing the central section, and also that of the second mainsail for which the production will start mid-october. Ultimately, these masts will be produced in the new SolidSail Mast Factory of which Multiplast is one of six partners - expected at the beginning of 2025 in Lanester.

• IMOCA. Launched last February, Paprec Arkéa, built by Multiplast, once again showed its high potential during the Défi Azimut Lorient Agglomération raced from September 20 to 24: fourth in the 48-hour race with Yoann Richomme and Yann Eliès at the helm, the Imoca then set the best time on the speed runs run in the Courreaux de Groix, with a run of 1.2 miles (a reef in the mainsail and J2 headsail) at 29.3 knots.

• ULTIM The second edition of the 24H Ultim took place from September 29 to October 1 in Lorient. The 24-hour race was won by Banque Populaire XI (which Multiplast manufactured the floats for), sailed by the duo Armel Le Cléac'h-Sébastien Josse, only 3 minutes 20 seconds ahead of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (Charles Caudrelier/Erwan Israel), built in Vannes.

• INDUSTRIE. Multiplast continues to produce radomes for Sea Fire 500 de Thales, which are mounted on the French Navy's defense and intervention frigates.
  
• SEABUBBLES. The Taxibubble, a flying foil taxi, the hull of which Multiplast built, carried outits very first rotations this summer as part of the Greater Annecy line. At the same time, tests continued on the Smartbubble, with a larger capacity (8-12 people).

• OCEAN FIFTY. Primonial, Sébastien Rogues' new Ocean Fifty built by Multiplast, was launched on August 17 in Vannes, before starting the test sailing phase in La Baule, which she completed on September 7. The skipper also invited Nicolas Le Duc, a composites technician who worked for six months on the trimaran, and Maeg Lehoux, business manager at Multiplast, on one of these outings.

• TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE. As in every edition, Multiplast will be well represented, in the four competing classes, during the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie-Le Havre which will start on October 29. In the Ultims, the yard built the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and Sodebo Ultim 3, as well as the central hulls of Actual Ultim 3 and SVR Lazartigue and the floats of Banque Populaire XI. In the Imoca class, Paprec Arkéa, Malizia-Seaexplorer, DMG Mori Global One, Fortinet-Best Western, Lazare, Prysmian Group, Singchain Team Haikou, as well as the hull and deck of V and B-Monbana-Mayenne. In the Ocean Fifty, the most recent boat Primonial left the Vannes facility (see above), as Dékuple, William Mathelin-Moreaux's Class40 boat.

• PROTOTYPE. Jaro, the 60-foot day boat built by Multiplast for Jack Setton (see newsletter d'october 2022), was delivered at the beginning of July to the client who sails on board every day off the coast of Porto Cervo and between the islands of Maddalena in Sardinia.

• RECRUTEMENT. Working on multiple projects, both in racing, in industry or in the aerospace field, Multiplast and the Carboman group are recruitingnew talents (men and women) for the following positions, on long-term fixed-term contracts or permanent contracts: milling machine digital control engineer, composite project manager, design office technician, composite sales engineer. Multiplast will also be present on Tuesday October 10 (9-4 p.m.) at the training center of the Rugby Club Vannetais (current leader of Pro D2), on the occasion of one of the Job Dating days From stadium to employment, organisées sous l’égide de plusieurs fédérations sportives avec Pôle Emploi.

© Damien Harlé (à droite), avec Jean-Denis Bargibant (© Jean-Marie Liot)

IN THE CARBOMAN GROUP

Damien Harlé: "We saw the potentiel to create a composite champion"

With childhood friend, Jean-Denis Bargibant, Damien Harlé launched into the world of industrial entrepreneurship in 2017 by taking over Ouest Composites Industries in Auray (Morbihan). Five years later, the duo reached a new milestone by purchasing the groupe Carboman, which brings together Multiplast, but also Plastinov and Plasteol. The associate director looks back on his journey.

Can you tell us about your personal and professional journey?

I was born in Quimper, to a father who was a merchant navy officer and a mother who devoted her life to her family, then I grew up in the Paris region. At 17, I was diagnosed with a serious illness and I got through it thanks to a bone marrow transplant. This has inevitably influenced my character: I have a tough, fighting side, I like a challenge. After a Bac STI, I did math sup and math spé, then ESTP, an engineering school specializing in public works. What I already liked about building was the notion of a project. I started in the Colas group, then moved into real estate development at BNP Paribas. Then, I joined Philia, an SME of around ten people. I immediately liked this human dimension.

How did the big leap into entrepreneurship take place?

By breaking my leg in rugby! My childhood friend, Jean-Denis Bargibant, called me to ask for news... and we ended up buying Ouest Composites! There were a few steps in between, but it had always been in the back of my mind. Being a business manager is not learned. For me, it was a big step into the unknown. The industry was opaque. But using common sense, nothing is insurmountable. It goes best when we maintain the human perspective.

In 2022, you took over the Carboman group. How did this takeover happen?

We were looking to grow with some external growth. The Carboman opportunity arrived a little earlier than expected! At first it seemed a bit big, but we thrive on a challenge. Above all, we saw the potential for complementary aspects which could allow us to create a composite champion, with nearby sites which allows resources to be pooled.

“Offshore racing arouses
admiration and apprehension”

What link do you have with the world of boats and ocean racing?

I have always sailed, sailing is very important in my family (his great-uncle, Philippe Harlé, is the famous naval architect, designer of more than 220 boats, including the legendary Muscadet and Armagnac). With Jean-Denis in 2009, we did a return transatlantic aboard a Pogo 8.50, on which his father and my uncle had finished the Transquadra. But working today in connection with boating is more of a coincidence than a desire or need.

What development do you want for the Carboman group?

We are in constantly working to achieve continuity. We are trying to industrialize projects that were already on the table while adding our own touch, whether with SolidSail or the Flying Whales…airships... We are also developing aeronautics and into space projects, where the industrial challenges are hugel. And we are always looking to attract talent!

How do you view the ocean racing world today?

The dynamism is incredible. It is a subject that arouses admiration and a measure of apprehension. We approach it with composure and perspective. What our customers are looking for is our industrial value: our reliability, as well as complying with deadlines and costs. The difficulty in this environment is not letting yourself be guided too much by personal passion. You have to maintain this distance to remain efficient.

VOS CONTACTS PRESSE

MULTIPLAST : Yann Penfornis This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / +33 (0)6 12 05 86 97

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