IMOCA Open 60 - Vendée Globe 2016/17 - Les Sables d'Olonne FRA - the foilers

For decades, the Open 60s have been pushing the envelope in oceanic yacht racing ever and ever: water tanks, movable keels, auto pilots .... and the Vendée Globe has always been the endurance test field for new developments. The curbed foils as appendage to the Open 60s set a new standard at the 2016/7 Vendée Globe. In appropriate wind conditions, they are up to 2 kn faster than the conventional boats. Only in light winds, they seem to be slower as the predecessors. See a video explaining the technology. In high speeds, the foils produce an uplift of up to 2,5 t, and the wet surface of the hull is substantially reduced. See the video of 'Safran' and the video of 'Banque Populaire'. Impressive also the videos shot during trainings of Sébastien Josse FRA ('Edmond de Rothschild') in a 30 kn wind. Six yachts are equipped with foils and they will be the ones fighting for victory ... provided they will finish. Morgan La Gravière FRA ('Safran'), Armel Le Cléac'h FRA ('Banque Populaire'), Jean-Pierre Dick FRA ('Virbac'), Sébastien Josse FRA ('Edmond de Rothschild'), Alex Thompson GBR ('Hugo Boss') and Jérémy Béyou FRA ('Maître Coq').
The Vendée Globe website.