News Around the World
No Paris 2024, it seems for the Figaro 3… We had a striking modern shorthanded design on offer from Bénéteau and the best sailors on site and available once the rest of the Olympic sailing programme was complete. On the table we also had an event that precisely reflected the only form of sailing that we know really does engage the general public. Yet somehow we blew it. How crass was that?
GG: Not as we see them today, but I’m sure the use of transverse appendages could become interesting for the cruising boats. Today we are working to lighten all our boats while also making them more comfortable and for this the ‘chistera’ foils do appear useful. A transverse foil could also act as a useful stabiliser to cut rolling under power. That’s one reason we are also studying their value on some of our motorboats. SH: Would the chimera on the Figaro not work even better with a canting keel? GG: This is a matter of homologation. The Figaro 3 is a production boat that has to meet Cat A and a canting keel that moves over 10° would prevent certification. In any case, reliability and safety are essential for us –50 yachts must be delivered on time to ‘draw’ the boats within the next few months. Canting keels are also very expensive – especially if they are to be reliable for long periods. The Figaro 3 is a high-performance boat but it is an entry-level
high-performance boat – it must be accessible for solo ocean racing. This is also the general philosophy of Bénéteau, building boats for the largest possible user base, whether it is the first boat for a cruising sailor or a first racing yacht. Remember that 60 per cent of all Vendée Globe participants have competed in the Solitaire du Figaro, and all the top sailors, with the sole exception of [Alex] Thomson, have won this regatta or at least some of the stages. SH: Where have the biggest gains been found in development? GG: In reducing weight. The construction can be lighter and stiffer thanks to the unusual shapes, particularly the chines which add great rigidity and allow us to use less material. The hull and main structure are produced in one single infusion – the only secondary bonding is the addition of the bulkheads. The like-for-like weight savings compared to building the Figaro 2 are of the order of 10-15 per cent. This boat will be 10-15 per cent faster too! But this is not an easy project. I do not think there is another
shipyard in the world that has tried to create a production one- design with large foils, demanding very tight tolerances, at a price that allows access to a wide audience. Do not forget that to make 50 boats in a year you have to be able to finish one every five days! SH: Could this boat also win offshore races in IRC against boats
26 SEAHORSE
such as the JPK 10.80, Offcet 32 and the new Grand Soleil 34? GG: Actually, we are studying the feasibility of an IRC version; the boat was created for offshore races so it will obviously be interesting if we can make it competitive enough for open-type events. SH: Have you now finalised how the pricing works! GG: The boat will be sold to the first 50 skippers – to be drawn by lots – at 155,000 euros excluding VAT. All those boats are being sold through the class association. For boat no51 onwards the price will become 175,000 euros and distribution will be in the hands of Bénéteau’s own sales network. Because of this arrange- ment we hope the boat will find a lot of interest outside France – especially of course if it races well under IRC. As you know we have had a lot of success competing in IRC regattas and I hope this will be useful in developing another interest for Figaro 3 owners. SH: It was a big disappointment to many sailors that the World Sailing meetings in May appeared to shut the door on a two-handed offshore discipline at the Paris 2024 Olympics… GG: This story is not finished. The organisers of the 2024 Olympics are still pushing for this event and we are working hard to support them with equipment. Remember that the final vote at the World Sailing council was just 22-19 and many delegates from other parts of the world – including the USA – are still pushing hard. There is one more chance at the November World Sailing meetings in Sarasota but after that we will have to try again in 2028. Believe me when I say that the French delegates to World Sailing are working very hard for an offshore race at Paris 2024! If it does happen, whether in 2024 or 2028, then the Figaro 3
is the ideal yacht to make this wonderful initiative possible and I hope that politics does not have the upper hand when it comes to choosing the equipment. Of course I am biased but this boat is ready to go for such an event. Having a mixed-crew, 48-hour offshore race at the Olympic Games, with live streaming off the boats, would offer the best launch possible for a new generation of skippers to access the Volvo race, Imoca 60 and the gigantic Ultim multihulls. Plus of course the new foilers of the 2021 America’s Cup! q
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