GENTOO SAILING TEAM

Country GB

GBR 88

Baptismal nameBlack Sambuca
ArchitectFinot - Conq
Construction2007, Neville HUTTON, Southampton
Launch date6/19/07
Former namesHUGO BOSS, ENERGA, La Compagnie du Lit – Boulogne Billancourt, Boulogne Billancourt, Time For Oceans

Presentation

Building on its previous successes in singlehanded round the worlds (four victories between 1992 and 2004 in the Vendée Globe and three in the BOC Challenge), the Finot-Conq Group became a reference, despite an announced breakthrough by naval architects Farr Yacht Design.

Briton Alex Thomson turned to the French architects in 2007 to design him what proved to be a very original IMOCA with a double cuddy and flush deck, which enabled all the manoeuvres to be centred between the two companionways to save weight and centre it. The beamy and powerful Hugo Boss finished 2nd in the Barcelona World Race in 2008 (with Andrew Cape), but the boat then collided with a trawler at the entrance to Les Sables d’Olonne as the skipper was making for the Vendée Globe start. Despite the repair work, the boat was subsequently forced to retire from the race due to delamination of the hull. It was time to go again in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Ross Daniel). Having switched to a Polish flag, Zbigniew Gutkowski also had to retire after suffering keel issues. Energa took the boat back to France again in the hands of Stéphane Le Diraison, who began preparing her for the Vendée Globe 2016-2017 in late 2015 in the new colours of the Compagnie du lit-Boulogne Billancourt. Unfortunately, she dismasted to the south of Australia two days before Christmas… The boat was then revamped in Caen before taking on the Route du Rhum 2018 (8th), then in 2019 the Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race (10th) and the Transat Jacques Vabre with François Guiffant (20th). For his second Vendée Globe, Stéphane Le Diraison made his dream come true, finishing 18th on this boat, renamed Time For Ocean. The boat was then taken on by a young Briton, James Harayda (24), who has already participated in a number of races in various parts of the globe and has compatriots Dee Caffari and Alex Thomson as his key mentors. Now known as Gentoo, the boat has undergone a substantial refit, depriving her of races in 2022. The ‘relief’ sailor will compete in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and very much hopes to base the boat in Gosport, the UK’s IMOCA stronghold, to prepare for the Vendée Globe 2024 in the tradition of his British peers.

Length18,28 m
Beam5,50 m
Draught4,50 m
Weight8,5 tonnes
Mast height29 m
Mast typeMât Classique
FoilsYes
Sail area max.
Upwind340 m2
Downwind550 m2

Sailing Highlights

2023 : Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 28th
2023 : Rolex Fastnet Race - 24th
2022 : Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe - 14th
2022 : Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 19th
2021 : Transat Jacques Vabre - 15th
2020-2021 : Vendée Globe - 18th
2020 : Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 16th
2019 : Transat Jacques Vabre - 20th
2019 : Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 20th
2019 : Rolex Fastnet Race - 12th
2019 : ArMen Race - Abandon
2019 : Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race - 10th
2018 : Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe - 8th
2018 : Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 9th
2018 : Drheam-Cup 700 - 7th
2018 : Monaco Globe Series - 5th
2016-2017 : Vendée Globe - Abandon le 23/12/2016
2013 : Transat Jacques Vabre - 7th
2012-2013 : Vendée Globe - Abandon le 21/11/2012
2009 : Transat Jacques Vabre - Abandon
2008-2009 : Vendée Globe - Abandon le 13/11/08
2007-2008 : Barcelona World Race - 2nd
© COPYRIGHT MARITIME FILMING UK LTD. CONTACT 07538263685
© Vincent Curutchet / Défi Azimut - Lorient Agglomération
© James Tomlinson / Gentoo
© COPYRIGHT MARITIME FILMING UK LTD. CONTACT 07538263685