The new Hugo Boss is a VPLP plan designed for skipper Alex Thomson, with the stated and claimed objective of winning the Vendée Globe. Thus, the navigator and his technical team, in collaboration with the project architects, created a 60-foot Open that stands out from the rest. As much for its design - glossy black and fluorescent pink shell - as for its architecture. Indeed, the manoeuvring area has been fully integrated into the heart of the boat.
A living area and a technical area
From the cockpit, you can access the enclosed living area. Here, Alex Thomson will consult his computer files from his computer installed against the descent wall. There is also the diesel generator in this area, which will be used as a last resort, as the skipper has equipped his boat with solar panels, which will be the first suppliers of on-board energy.
Watermaker for fresh water - Alex Thomson keeps only one water jerrycan on board - and sophoscope valve are part of the equipment found in this living area. The latter is used to fill the ballast tanks, as explained by the skipper: "When the boat heels, the water is pumped from the side at the top and the boat comes back flat and accelerates. I know it's a strange concept to put water in the boat and go faster, but believe me, it works vraiment?!"
A living area to live in too
It is in this space that the skipper will prepare his meals - a simple jetboil to heat the water and pour it into freeze-dried food - will sleep, but not only... The Anglo-Saxon skipper who does nothing like everyone else will have on board a custom-made carbon molded toilet please plait?! " Probably the most popular toilet chers?!"
A manoeuvring area in the centre of the boat
This provision is at least originale?! The manoeuvring area is at the front of the living area, at the bottom of the hold and quite close to the mast base. There are four winches lined up next to each other, but also the coffee grinder column, the bar, etc.
Installing this manoeuvring area at this point - quite far forward in the boat - allows the weights to be moved as close as possible to the centre of gravity and thus to lower it. It's very clever and original when you know that winch, winch and rope structures represent a considerable weight and it's new in IMOCA.
Apart from the weight gain, this closed manoeuvring area allows you to sail in a dry environment, thus saving precious time during manoeuvres. All halyards arrive through the tunnel in front of the winches, which can be used with the coffee grinder column.
It is a very ergonomic layout in a small space, which will allow you to navigate much more comfortably.
To be able to steer from this space, the architects inserted front roof windows (on the front), but also lateral and zenithal windows.
On the other hand, structurally the sides of the cockpit help to support the keel forces. Finally, installing the manoeuvring area in this area offers more solar panel surface area and more roof volume for inverted instability (in case of capsizing), which will make it easier to straighten up.
