Busy time for Groupama

Franck Cammas' team is repairing their 60ft trimaran while their new maxi-tri is five months from launch

The winter period is a busy time for Team Groupama with currently two boats to work on - the 60ft trimaran Groupama II and their brand new 105ft Groupama III.

For the 60 footer there is urgent repair work to be carried out following her capsize in November's Transat Jacques Vabre and some evolution to ready the boat for next year's big event - the Route du Rhum. The capsize of Groupama 2 damaged the port float and one of the crossbeams. Fortunately the team have female moulds for the whole boat, so creating new panels and even entire beams is entirely possible. At present the new beam is complete, but the new float is still a few weeks away.

Meanwhile the final stages of construction are under way for Franck Cammas' new 105ft maxi-trimaran Groupama 3. While work is being carried out on the former at the teams base among the submarine silos in Lorient, so construction of the maxi-tri is taking place 45 minutes south at Chantier Multiplast in Vannes.

Construction started on this brand new boat (read more about her here) just over a year ago and she should be complete at the beginning of June. The central hull was part assembled in September and has since had just over half its internal structure is now complete. The connection of the cross beams to the main hull is now underway, the front beam nearly complete, while the rear crossbeam which was finished in December is soon to start. Meanwhile the two floats are complete and ready to be painted. Once the two crossbeams are attached to the main hull then the floats will be added. The semi-circular crossbeam for the main sheet track, running over the aft part of the central hull and joining to the aft crossbeam is in the process of being built.

Construction of the mast is also underway at specialist carbon fibre spar manufacturer Lorima. This is being built in two halves with the top and bottom sections manufactured in the same mould. These two sections will then be scarfed together. At present the two upper panels are the most advanced while the bottom panels start this week. The boom meanwhile is already complete.