IMOCA decisions

At their AGM in Barcelona Class President Dominique Wavre announces amendments to the Open 60 rule

Membership of the Open 60 class association, IMOCA, have been in Barcelona for a two day long AGM, deciding their future. The decisions made have been done so with the aim of ensuring reliability of the boats, skipper safety and maintaining a competitive level within the older generation of boats. They have also been made within the context of the global economic crisis.

Dominique Wavre, President of IMOCA commented: “The resolutions that have been adopted are very important and I can assure you that it has been an extraordinary assembly.” Wavre was pleased with the two intense days of hard work that the IMOCA members undertook in Barcelona. Since the gruelling Vendée Globe there have been high expectations regarding the new rule changes adopted by the Class, a Class made up of many of the best sailors in the world.

“All members are in agreement that the Class needs to continue evolving in order to ensure the success of the Vendée Globe and to offer all skippers, sponsors and followers a good race programme, as we have done up until now. We also need to confront the present economic crisis with a spirit that will ensure the highest possible number of boats at the starts of races.”

Safety and reliability

With the above aims in mind, the assembly considered it very important to limit the differences in speed of new boats to be built over the next four year cycle and the large, valuable existing fleet (there were 20 new builds between the last two Vendees). As a result three measures were voted and agreed on:

- To limit the number of sails to 10 (no matter how many crew onboard)
- To limit the number of appendages to 5 (1 keel, 2 rudders, and 2 dagger boards.
- To establish a maximum mast height. This last resolution will also improve safety as it is aimed at increasing the strength of the masts and has been made as a direct result of the number of breakages in the Vendée Globe. Additional studies are to be made over making the boom easier when setting up a jury rig. This will also allow for more options in the case of a dismasting.

The problem of keels has also led to a decision to introduce new mandatory tests of tortion, bending and vibration, which will help to prevent further foil breakages.

With regard to the safety of the skippers, Wavre reminded us all of the experience of Generali skipper Yann Elies who broke his femur while to the south of Australia during the last Vendee Globe and was unable to reach his first aid kit and other emergency equipment.

“We are going to try to make it easier for wounded sailors to have improved access to this and will adapt the rules accordingly."

In the case of Jean le Cam and his VM Materiaux which capsizing following the loss of her keel bulb - an issue came to light that the boat being trimmed for downwind sailing at the time with all her water ballast and sails aft, meant that in her inverted state the escape hatch in her transom (mandatory fit under existing IMOCA class rules) was underwater. As a result technical measures are also be evaluated to find a way to ensure boats float horizontally fore and aft in the event of an inversion so that the transom escape hatch remains usable.

The members of the assembly also agreed that there is a need to develop new technology especially with regard to sustainable energy systems. One of the future rules will permit the development of electrical engines that will function through wind, solar or hydrodynamic generators, with which the IMOCA boats are already equipped.

The race calendar has also been defined. The most awaited decision was confirmation of the European Pro Tour starting from Istanbul with stopovers in Nice, Barcelona, a UK port (to be confirmed) and Brest. The other regattas in the calendar will be the Transat Jacques Vabre this year, and in 2010 the Route du Rhum and Barcelona World Race followed by the Vendée Globe in 2012.

A new Executive committee of IMOCA was also voted in as follows:

President Dominique Wavre
Vice Presidents Pascal Chadail and Jacques Guilbaud
Secretary General: Bernard Stamm.
Technical committee: President Pascal Chadail.
Events Committee: President Jean Le Cam.

To complete the Executive Committee Yann Eliès and Alex Thomson.
Treasurer Luc Talbourdet.

IMOCA would like to extend its sincere gratitude to F.N.O.B. for hosting the meetings and providing such warm Catalonian hospitality, which culminated in a celebration party to honour the newly appointed IMOCA World Champion Armel le Cleac’h