Presentation
Launched in September 2019 amidst an array of new IMOCA monohulls intended to take the start of the Vendée Globe 2020-2021, Advens for Cybersecurity rechristened LinkedOut, is a design by Guillaume Verdier’s team for Thomas Ruyant and, somewhat unusually, the build was launched at the Persico yard before the sailor from northern France found any partners.
A few hull points and above all the ergonomics for solo sailing slightly differ from the original concept, which was also intended to contest The Ocean Race – the Super Sixty concept did not succeed. LinkedOut is the virtual sistership to APIVIA designed by the same architectural firm. The boat is narrower than those in the previous Vendée Globe, with more volume up forward. The freeboard has been reduced to lower the centre of gravity. Set back further, the sail plan has taken inspiration from multihulls. The headsails are smaller and flatter.
The boat immediately showed great potential, because despite a pit stop in Cherbourg, Thomas Ruyant and Antoine Koch secured a 5th place for their IMOCA in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019. The boat was sailed back from Brazil singlehanded and then with her shore team, so the latter could see what life was like on the IMOCA before her skipper put the boat in for another refit to optimise her. Adaptations for a singlehanded round the world were undertaken and notably included a reverse watch seat and improved visibility from the cockpit cuddy…
After bagging third place in the Vendée Arctique in 2020 Thomas Ruyant took the start of his second singlehanded round the world as race favourite. He spent two thirds of the race in the top trio, despite lamenting a broken foil from the Cape of Good Hope, which he had to cut up mid-ocean. He was 4th over the finish line, dropping to 6th in the overall ranking after other time bonuses were added. In November 2021, Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière confirmed that the boat (and the sailors) had real potential. They took the win in the Transat Jacques Vabre in Martinique ahead of APIVIA.
In 2022, Thomas Ruyant had to retire from the Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race after breaking the rudder system whilst battling it out in the top trio, but went on to finish 3rd in the Vendée Arctique. Labelled as one of the favourites for the Route du Rhum, LinkedOut 1 will be up for sale or charter as LinkedOut 2 (Koch-Finot-Conq) is currently in build.
In 2023, Sam Goodchild takes over the helm of the best IMOCA in the current fleet with a view to the next Vendée Globe. Having raced the first three legs of The Ocean Race with the Holcim-PRB team, the British sailor doesn't stop there, and follows up with his first race on his new IMOCA in the Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race, where he finishes 3rd with Antoine Koch. This first podium finish wasn't to be the only one, as the British sailor went on to achieve further successes, finishing as champion of the IMOCA Globe Series 2023.
