New Owen-Clarke 60 for Dominique Wavre

Temenos extend their deal with the Swiss ocean racing veteran

In Geneva today Dominique Wavre and his sponsor, the banking software group Temenos, announced Owen Clarke Design and Southern Ocean Marine as the designers and builders of their new Open 60 for the Vendee Globe.

Owen Clarke Design, as well as the all-important extended team of design consultants and associates they have had the good fortune to work with over the years, are very excited to be working with Dominique and Temenos. Designing with a sailor who has such a depth of knowledge not just of Open 60s but of grand prix sailing in the Whitbread and Americas Cup has already had its effect and influence on the design of the boat. Dominique’s second place in the 2004 Transat and fourth place in the last Vendee Globe were impressive performances.

The Vendee Globe is still three years away and there will be a number of key races along the way to whet the appetite. Temenos, however, will be designed for the Vendee Globe and so the team’s design focus and objectives are based on the goal of winning that race. In order to achieve this Temenos will have to be above all else reliable and capable of being driven hard, day in and day out, alone and as close to her maximum potential as possible. The ability of their designs to be driven hard when sailed solo has been a major factor in Owen Clarke’s successes on the water. The aim of the designers and Dominique working together will be to push the limits further than ever before.

Since completing Mike Golding’s Ecover, Owen Clarke Design have been carrying out design on their next generation of Open 60s since before the start of the last Vendee Globe. Derek Hatfield’s new boat, Spirit of Canada, started construction in April this year in time for the Velux 5 Oceans Race in 2006. Owen Clarke has been working on this development design for Dominique since early summer. The result of the prompt start is that this week they commence tank testing with the Wolfson Unit in Southampton aimed at taking the performance of their fourth generation Open 60s to the next level. The test program involves studies based around two entirely different completed designs that have both been fully developed, mass audited and optimised to the IMOCA box rule.

A rig and appendage package has been completed in order to make full use of the possibilities of the tank test programme and work has commenced utilising CFD (computational fluid dynamics) in the further development of rudder, daggerboard and keel packages. As part of an ongoing review from the experiences of the last Vendee Globe a number of keels are being studied. An independent finite elements analysis (FEA) study is being undertaken on the different options and a materials assessment and a laboratory test program will be completed before selecting the final design.

Computer modelling is also being undertaken as part of the design of the boat’s composite structures, with design partners SP Technologies also utilising FEA. This is part of a complete review of the structure of the new sixty in order to win some weight with a structure which is somewhat different to the way it has been done in the past. SP’s brief also includes a material testing program that commences this week from test panels that have already been designed and manufactured. Within practical limits, no stone is being left unturned in the quest for higher performance and ultimate reliability.

Finally, in accordance with their previous practice, while not project managing this program as they did with Ecover, Owen Clarke Design will be closely involved with the project team and the builder during the construction, trials and the ongoing sailing program. Among other goals, the aim is to ensure design conformity, ensuring the maximum gains are achieved along with helping the sailing team develop the full potential of the design as quickly as possible.

Lead designer Merfyn Owen commenting in Geneva today said: “We are all really looking forward to this project. All of us know what we’ve got to do and what the end goal is. The design and process by which we’ll arrive with Temenos on the water next year is well underway. The feedback we’ve had already from our colleagues and suppliers in New Zealand regarding Dominique’s visit has been great and I myself had a very worthwhile six days recently in France, which included sailing with Dominique on his old boat. It’s going to be an exciting and rewarding project for all of us. She’s going to be quite different. I can’t wait to go sailing on her!”

More images of the boat on the following pages...