Kite power to the Canaries

Lalou Roucayrol has employed Yves Parlier to help him get the Multi50 Arkema - Region Aquitaine to the Canaries

Lalou Roucayrol's Multi50 trimaran Arkema - Region Aquitaine has been berthed in Caniçal in Madeira since November 2013 following her capsize in the Transat Jacques Vabre.

However in an attempt to repatriate his crippled yacht, which now no longer has a mast, the former ORMA 60 skipper Roucoyrol has a cunning plan to transport his trimaran to the Canary Islands, som 300 miles downwind.

With Roucayrol's usual creativity and innovation, he has joined forces with Aquitaine skipper Yves Parlier who will equip his trimaran with a short mast and a kite to make the passage. Accompanied by Parlier and three other crew, Roucayrol hopes to reach the Canary Islands in three days.

"Since my return to France in late November, I've only been able to think about getting my boat back in shape but Madeira is not the easiest to access, or done it have the best facilities. So I thought about the quickest and least expensive way to get the boat to a port where it would be possible to repair her.

"To deliver the boat, we do stepping into the unknown - a few years ago we experimented with Marc Thiercelin on DCNS pulled by a kite. This idea has established itself as one that is not expensive and is easy to implement. The Canary Islands are a perfect destination. Jorge Cantero, Royal Nautic Club Las Palmas, is going to provide us with a berth and access to all the Club's facilities. His help has been invaluable to our logistics.

"We will leave with the monofilament kite, but also with two other prototype systems developed by Yves Parlier. We still take 100lt of diesel just in case, but the wind should be well set up in the east enabling us to reach the Canaries in three days at about four knots. We will work further on this with my router Eric Mas of Meteo Consult.

"Taking into account the logistical constraints, and we will make the entire repair to the boat in the Canary Islands. Two members of my technical team will arrive there with a vehicle and all the hardware we need on around 4 April, then I will get the new mast shipped from Lorient, to arrive around mid-April. The trimaran should be ready to sail by early May. Then I'll carry out sea trials for a few weeks, enjoying great weather in Canaries to sail. I will finally return to France at the end of May, sailing singlehanded, as my first real training for the Route du Rhum, which is the key objective of the 2014 season."

Arkema - Region Aquitaine was due to set sail on Saturday