Mercato: a new cycle is launched

IMOCA

Five months after the finish of the Vendée Globe, the IMOCA class is entering a phase of intense transition. Boat sales, construction launches, projects in gestation… As we enter the 2025-2029 cycle, things are gradually shifting. A dozen new boats are already scheduled, some under construction, others on the verge of completion. In this more spread-out mercato, the redesigned qualification system and the quest for innovation are outlining the contours of the next generation.

“Vendée Globe returns mark the end of a cycle. Some see it as a period of rest, but in reality it’s a very active phase,” sums up Thomas Ruyant, 7th in the last round-the-world race. “There’s a lot of movement: in the technical teams, among the partners, among the skippers. There’s movement at every level – we need to get the momentum going again for what’s to come.” He himself has already turned the page on his previous 60-footer, Vulnerable, which will be taken over in July by Italian Ambrogio Beccaria, backed by Mapei.

A redesigned selection framework to drive the market

The new Vendée Globe qualification system, now based on rankings rather than miles sailed, is changing the game. Gone are the long marathons: from now on, it’s the accuracy of the shot that counts, not the number of rounds. This system favours solid projects, even late ones, and has a direct influence on the tempo of the mercato. “It values performance more than participation, then reduces the pressure on projects, allows campaigns to be better structured and pushes back the deadline to freeze the line-up,” explains Antoine Mermod, president of the IMOCA class. In this context, the 60-foot boats of the 2020 generation, particularly the foilers, are highly sought-after. Trading at between 2.5 and 4 million euros, they are of particular interest to Gaston Morvan, Benoît Marie and Tom Dolan. Daggerboard models, although available in large numbers, are more questionable.

Between transmissions and ambitions

There are no fewer than 30 IMOCA boats on the market today, which is about average according to Antoine Mermod: “In the Vendée Globe 2024, only five skippers out of thirty-three took the start with the same boat. This illustrates the high renewal rate between two editions, both among sailors and in fleets.” A number of transactions have already been concluded: Francesca Clapcich will take over Malizia – Seaexplorer (ex-Herrmann) in the autumn, while Canadian Scott Shawyer and Canada Ocean Racing made official in May the purchase of Sébastien Simon’s ex-Groupe Dubreuil, which for its part is preparing a new unit. “When you decide to launch a new boat, it’s not to repeat the previous one. You have to innovate and aim for higher performance,” explains Sébastien Simon, 3rd in the last round-the-world race. “But without denying what works. One of the keys to our success has been our ability to prioritize. That’s a line of conduct I want to keep.” Reliability remains at the heart of his approach: “He who spends the least time tinkering, advances. This requires a great deal of optimization and ergonomic work right from the design stage.” Other sales are in progress: Paprec Arkéa is due to be sold to MACSF by the end of the year, with Corentin Horeau to succeed Isabelle Joschke. Manuel Cousin is targeting La Mie Câline (ex-Boissières), while Arnaud Boissières has acquired Benjamin Dutreux’s VPLP plan.

Trajectories still unclear

While some projects are advancing rapidly, others are still at the brainstorming stage. Franck Cammas is looking for partners to take on The Ocean Race 2027 and the Vendée Globe 2028-2029. Louis Burton, once committed to a Manuard design, is continuing his discussions with Bureau Vallée. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal) will extend the use of their current boats until the Route du Rhum 2026, without having revealed their intentions for the future.

A new generation of boats in the making

Some ten new IMOCA boats are planned for the next cycle, reflecting a strategy that is now based on the long term. “What’s impressive is that all this was started even before the Vendée Globe,” Thomas Ruyant points out. “Campaigns are now designed over four or five years, with the time needed to imagine, test and make the boats reliable.” The first launches have already taken place. Horizon 29, sistership of Macif Santé Prévoyance, was launched in February for Élodie Bonafous. In June, Les P’tits Doudous, Armel Tripon’s VPLP design, took over. Three Antoine Koch-designed IMOCAs were launched at CDK Technologies, in shared molds: Thomas Ruyant and Boris Herrmann’s boats are due in 2026, Loïs Berrehar’s (Banque Populaire) at the beginning of the following year. At Multiplast, DMG Mori, the future Verdier design destined for Kōjirō Shiraishi, is currently under construction. Yoann Richomme has ordered another Koch IMOCA, separate from the previous three, while a slot has been reserved for Sam Goodchild, awaiting the green light from his sponsor Leyton. Sébastien Simon, for his part, has entrusted the construction of his next Verdier design to the British shipyard Carrington Boats, with a launch scheduled for May 2026. Finally, Justine Mettraux has announced the launch of an IMOCA Verdier in the TeamWork – Team Snef livery: construction will start in April next year at CDK, with a launch scheduled for spring 2027.

Focus on innovation

“In terms of hulls and foils, the choices have not yet been made, but certain directions are becoming clearer,” explains Sébastien Simon. “One of today’s major challenges concerns the longitudinal control of the boat, made more complex by the absence of an aft bearing surface on IMOCA boats. Architects are therefore exploring effective alternatives to ensure consistent behavior over time, without compromising performance. Hull shapes play a central role here. An essential adjustment, in his view, given the speeds now being reached: “We need to be able to live aboard at 25 knots. This calls for a real evolution in design. Antoine Mermod agrees: “The start of this cycle is anything but calm. It marks the real kick-off for a new generation of boats, sailors and stories to come around the Vendée Globe.”