Video of sunken yacht, legendary Route du Rhum competitor, surfaces

Amazing footage released by Chantier naval étoile marine shows Kriter V about six metres deep in the port of Saint-Malo (where it had been moored before sinking).

Reports suggest the legendary 21-metre-long monohull sank after storm Gérard hit the region (15-16 January 2023).

Click image below to start video.

The monohull made a name for itself by finishing second in the mythical first single-handed transatlantic race. According to local media, Kriter V was beaten by 98 seconds in the 1978 Route du Rhum but, skippered by Michel Malinovsky, has nevertheless contributed to the legend of the transatlantic race.

On several occasions, the monohull lined up at the start of the Route du Rhum and until recently, Kriter V had been available for rentals. Kriter V retired from the Route du Rhum following water damage during the race in 2014 with Benjamin Hardouin, and again in 2018 with Bob Escoffier.

The boat had been at anchor in Saint-Malo for several years and was moored next to a 1938 cutter which was damaged in the incident.

According to the French press, the harbour master’s office and the owner of the boat are struggling to find the best way to recover the boat as quickly as possible.

The urgency is to get the Kriter V out of the water but Thomas De La Broise, deputy commander of the Harbour Master’s Office, says the risk would be to do it too quickly and badly.

“We have been working since yesterday with port officials, the owner and local businesses to find the best solution, but it is certain that we have to act quickly, because underwater, the boat is damaged and suffers the water pressure,” De La Broise said shortly after the incident occurred.

The hope was to get it raised at the tail-end of last week, but MIN is awaiting confirmation as to whether this was achieved.

Several solutions were being mooted such as using parachutes, or using a crane to raise it (although the worry was the excess weight of the water in the boat would cause further damage) or lifting it while pumping water inside to empty it.

Images above courtesy of Chantier naval étoile marine, image below courtesy of clickandboat.com.

A remarkable salvage operation was undertaken in October 2022, of Schooner Eleonora E, which was left half submerged in the port of Tarragona on 10 June 2022 after a maritime supply vessel collision.