Banque Populaire launches new giant

Maxitrimaran BP XI Photo Vincent Curutchet : BPCE

The Maxi Trimaran XI, launched this week, is the result of intense collective work mixing high technology and craftsmanship, says Banque Populaire.

One hundred and fifty companies have been involved in its creation, the majority of whom were French and local to the company’s Lorient base.

Weighing 16 tonnes, and at 32m long, 23m wide, her creators describe her as ‘a carbon juggernaut’. Banque Populaire says extensive research has been carried out to improve aerodynamics; the foils are about twice as large as those of previous iterations. They have been designed to increase flight stability, in order to maintain a high average speed and to adapt as well as possible to the changing conditions of the open sea.

“With the end of the construction of this boat which involved so much talent and know-how, it is the end of a first chapter,” says Armel Le Cléac’h, Maxi Banque Populaire XI. “Now we are starting a new one: navigation. We will carry out the first tests in Lorient before focusing on the sporting aspect by going offshore to take it in hand.

“We have been able to imagine and visualise the potential of Banque Populaire XI in the simulator for several months. But now, it is on the real playground that we want to demonstrate all its abilities.”

“We are very proud of the work accomplished during these two years,” says Ronan Lucas, team director. “We’ve launched a boat that’s extremely successful in its smallest details. Compared to the old version, we have made progress in all areas with this Maxi Banque Populaire XI. We know it will be faster, more efficient, more seaworthy. In addition, we can only be very satisfied and grateful for the investment of all the companies and all the members of the team who took part in this construction. For many years, Banque Populaire has thus demonstrated its enthusiasm and motivation to passionately design boats at the cutting edge of technology. Now we are all looking forward to making the first legs and seeing the real potential of this new giant.”

Images courtesy of Vincent Curutchet / BPCE and Easy Ride / BPCE.

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