Arkéa Ultim Challenge Brest 2024: a tremendous showcase for composites

The Arkéa Ultim Challenge Brest 2024 presents itself as the event of all superlatives. It features 6 « sea giants », Ultim 32/23, embarking on a non-stop around-the-world journey with a route from Brest to Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and back to Brest. The Ultim Class is relatively recent, emerging in 2010 on the Route du Rhum, aiming to open up to large multihulls and give them a new impetus. For the joy of Franck Cammas and his maxi-trimaran Groupama, designed by VPLP, and then Loïck Peyron on the same boat now named Banque Populaire VII. These were the glory days of the Ultim Collective (Banque Populaire, Macif, Sodebo, etc.), which chose boats ranging from 23 m to 32 m (with a height limit of 37 m). This decision was officially recognised by the French Sailing Federation early 2018.

A dream team composed of VPLP Design, GSEA Design, CDK Technologies, and MerConcept came to the aid of the Ultim SVR Lazartigue

The Ultim class represents a fantastic showcase for composite materials, with its gigantic boats, carefully weighted, flying over the sea on the tips of their foils. After much suspense, the Ultim SVR Lazartigue will indeed take part in the race, as it was relaunched on January 4, 2023, in Concarneau. A month and a half ago, returning from the Transat Jacques Vabre, the boat, as usual, underwent tests that turned out to be more alarming than expected. Indeed, the ultrasonic tests revealed a structural failure in the starboard front arm. In other words, a crack that absolutely needed repair. The experts from VPLP Design, GSEA Design, CDK Technologies, and MerConcept rose to the challenge, allowing Tom Laperche, the youngest in the race at twenty-six years old, to take part. He will be accompanied by Charles Caudrelier (maxi Edmond de Rothschild), Eric Péron (Ultim Adagio), Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3), Armel Le Cléac’h (maxi Banque Populaire XI), and Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3).

A kind of ultimate stress test for the boat components

The latest-generation Ultim boats benefit from a significantly optimised load-bearing structure, allowing them to take flight from 12 knots and up to approximately 25 knots in real wind conditions with 3 m of waves. Beyond that, it is referred to as « skimming ». Under the most favorable wind conditions for performance, Ultim boats can achieve an average speed of 35 knots, about 65 km/h, with peaks at 45 knots, which is more than 80 km/h!

Needless to say, the safety of the skippers is a key concern from the boat’s design phase. Additionally, Ultim boat components are subjected to extreme stresses, explaining why these giants of the sea often suffer from damages. At this level of performance, even with significant technical advancements and improvements in skipper and team risk management during races, the boats are always pushing the limits, especially in a competitive setting.