Our new mast has arrived in Lorient!

Eleven days after dismasting during the Défi Azimut, we found a replacement mast for the IMOCA Fortinet – Best Western. I owe this small miracle to Maxime Sorel, skipper of V and B – Monbana – Mayenne, and his partners, who spontaneously offered to help me by making their spare mast available. A very generous gesture, in the image of Maxime and the solidarity of seafarers.

Handed over to the Fortinet – Best Western team on Tuesday September 24, the precious spar left Concarneau by special road convoy for the project’s base in Lorient that very afternoon. Now it’s up to the technical team to get everything together in a short space of time, before fitting the mast to the IMOCA. This involves a lot of composite, rope and electrical work to fit the halyards, shrouds, lower shrouds, hooks, various sensors and other components that make up the mast. Everything had to be up and running quickly. On October 18, the Fortinet – Best Western boat will be moored at the pontoon in Les Sables d’Olonne for the opening of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe.

While the technical and hardware solutions seem well on the way to being resolved in time, the question of financing this replacement operation still remains. To date, thanks to the support of Fortinet, Best Western and members of the partner club, as well as the deployment of an online fund-raising campaign, half of the sum has been raised. To make up the remaining €250,000, we’re continuing our search for partners, and I’d like to appeal to all company directors and communications managers who’d like to take part in the Vendée Globe adventure, or give sailing sponsorship a try. Now’s the time to join the Fortinet – Best Western team!