New Open 60 unveiled

Skipper Yann Elies and French football star Zinedine Zidane show off the new Generali

Building got underway in May 2006 of the new Generali IMOCA Open 60 monohull for the French skipper Yann Elies. The boat is one of two Groupe Finot designs being built by Chantier Multiplast in Vannes, France (the other is Armel Le Cleac'h's new Brit Air).

Yesterday at a press function the semi-complete black carbon fibre hull of the new Generali was presented to the press in the presence of French former football captain Zinedine Zidane, who is also sponsored by the French insurance giant and will be the boat's 'godfather'. Zidane has been interested in sailing for a long time and we suspect won't find it hard to blag a ride on Elies' new steed once it is launched.



"I will be present in la Trinite-sur-Mer on May 11 for the baptism of the Generali boat," announced Zidane, “and I hope very much to sail with Yann who has promised to let me sail with him for a day on board his boat. I am very happy and proud to be the godfather of the Generali boat."

"This boat represents a new stage in the evolution of the monohulls intended to race around the world solo,” said skipper Yann Eliès. The design by Finot, who have penned the last four Vendee Globe winners, has the now obligatory chine in the hull and is expected to have a semi-enclosed cockpit offering considerably more protection on deck than other Open 60s.

“Given the conditions we'll experience in south, there is no question of having to take some risks," says Elies who has twice sailed non-stop around the world, on both occasions on Bruno Peyron's Orange-sponsored maxi catmarans. "Ergonomics is crucial, and I intend to spend much time on the helm and trimming, it was thus necessary to develop this aspect.”

The main parts of Generali are now complete. All of the hull’s interior structure has been fitted. Although the major components have been finished, a lot of work still remains to be done. Composite parts still to be made include the rudders, the keel fin, the daggerboard housing, chain plates and the bowsprit. Afterwards, the hardware and engine will be fitted as Yann Elies’ team will take charge of the remainder of the fit-out and the onboard systems. Multiplast will have to assemble the keel bulb and fin before proceeding with the traction tests ashore on all of the fixture points. The boat will then be delivered to Lorient, west of Vannes, where her mast will be stepped.

Yann Penfornis, Generali’s Project Manager at Multiplast says "… Generali’s hull remained in her mould as her internal structure was fitted which meant that we could carry out the work with extreme precision as the whole was perfectly stiff. The hull of the Groupe Finot design is up to our usual standard, measurement tolerances have been complied with to within a millimetre..."