On June 15, 2018, Sébastien Roubinet, accompanied by two teammates - Éric André and Vincent Colliard - will sail across the Atlantic in 3 months. This expedition, called the Pole Route, consists of connecting Alaska to Spitzbergen, over 3,000 km (1,750 miles), all without assistance, without engines and only by the force of the wind, the sea and men. After two first attempts interrupted - 2011 due to technical problems and 2013 due to bad weather conditions - the adventurer and his crew are now ready!
For four years, Sébastien has been working on his project, building his new sailboat - a new hybrid catamaran/ice tank prototype capable of sailing on the water, but also on the ice floes - and preparing for this new challenge. To do this, he spent a year and a half on the east coast of Greenland.
"I've been preparing this crossing for 10 years." explains Sébastien Roubinet at the head of the expedition. "After two attempts, in 2011 and 2013, I designed a new ultra-light catamaran capable of sailing on water and ice, more autonomous and more resistant."
Designing a hybrid catamaran/ice tank
To meet the specifications of this particular project, it was necessary to build a boat capable of sailing on the water, but also of moving forward on the ice. Sébastien Roubinet has therefore designed hulls equipped with skis, both very light and very strong at impact, as well as a pedal system to produce the energy necessary for the skippers' autonomy (heating water for food for example).
Studying the Arctic environment
Lightweight and above all driven solely by human or sailing energy, this prototype will make it possible to study the Arctic environment without impacting the environment. Laboratories are also involved in this research project through various protocols for measuring, collecting, imaging and counting animals and plankton. Indeed, the Arctic ice pack has been significantly reduced over the past 30 years. Its surface area at the end of the summer decreased by 40% and its average thickness by 50%, from 3 m to 1.5 m. If this continues, the summer ice pack could disappear completely by 2030, with drastic consequences for the global global climate.
Sébastien Roubinet will therefore be able to carry out field studies on the ice of the Arctic Ocean, by taking samples and taking measurements according to a transect (field observation device, along a linear path and according to the vertical dimension). This will give us an idea of the thickness of the current ice pack and analyse its evolution.
This adventure will also study the human impact (pollution) on the Arctic environment through the analysis of organic matter, metals and other pollutants present in Cryoconite: these fine particles transported by the wind accumulate on the surface of the ice pack and are partly responsible for the accelerated melting of the ice.
Finally, a final part of the research will consist of studying human physiology and psychology in a polar environment. See how the body reacts to fatigue, stress or sleep in a hostile and cold environment.
Participatory financing, objective achieved!
Supported by the Association La Guilde, La Voie du Pôle launched a crowdfunding campaign on HelloAsso, the first funding platform dedicated to associations.
"It is very important for us to support expeditions like La Voie du Pôle. If we have chosen to include Sébastien's project among our "Pilot Projects", it is mainly because it is an example of initiative, creativity, tenacity and perseverance in the accomplishment of a very authentic project. But also because, beyond the achievement, it is above all a very human adventure that offers, as generously as discreetly, innovative techniques for navigation.
What we were looking for to finance our projects was above all a platform that was easy to use, free of charge, and that would be able to support us. HelloAsso has established itself from the beginning as a true partner, going far beyond the simple technical solution" explains Cléo Poussier-Cottel, Head of the Adventure Division at La Guilde.
