Choosing Our Vendée Globe IMOCA
- Mar 24
- 5 min read
Performance and reliability — why this IMOCA is the perfect match for our campaign.
In the IMOCA class, no two boats are the same. Although each boat must conform to certain Class rules and specifications, there is plenty of scope for design variation. Each IMOCA reflects the design philosophy of the architects who created it and the development choices of the team who raced it.
When Oliver Heer Ocean Racing decided to do a second campaign, we knew we wanted to have a pre-owned foiling IMOCA. But which one?
During 2025, Ollie and the technical team visited several different locations to look at available boat options. Some were older and some were newer. Each boat had its strengths, but also its compromises – whether that was budget, repair history, level of development or how well it suited our programme.
In the end one boat met all our parameters and clearly stood out, we knew it was the right boat for us at the right time.
“When you’re preparing for a Vendée Globe campaign, it’s not just about finding the fastest boat. You need a platform you can trust — something with the right balance of performance, reliability and development potential for the campaign ahead.” – Oliver Heer, Skipper
A boat with a known history
One of the most important factors when evaluating our options was to understand the history and provenance of the boat.
Our boat was launched in 2018 under the name ‘Charal’, and was owned by Charal Sailing and managed by Vincent Beyou of Team Beyou Racing ever since, supported by a hugely experienced and respected technical programme.
Much like seeing “one owner from new” in a car advert, this gave us immediate confidence that the boat has benefitted from consistent care, development and attention from a skilled team who understood the boat.
In a class where boats are regularly pushed hard, this continuity is rare – and valuable.
Continuous development
Designed by one of the leading IMOCA yacht designers, VPLP, this boat is widely considered to be one of the first generation designed specifically as a foiling boat, rather than a conventional hull with added foils.
The hull shape and internal structures were designed to reflect the different stressors and aerodynamics created when the boat lifts out of the water on its foils.
Like all competitive IMOCA programmes, the boat has been continuously refined, from structural upgrades to regular updates in onboard systems such as the electronics.
One visible example of this development is the bow modification. The scooped bow helps the boat ride over waves rather than crashing into them, helping to keep moving forward rather than losing speed with every impact.
In long-distance ocean racing, maintaining speed consistently over thousands of miles is often more important than achieving spectacular peak speeds.
Designed for versatility
Another important factor in our decision was the boat’s balanced design philosophy.
Some IMOCA designs are heavily optimised for particular conditions or points of sail, for example maximising performance downwind where foiling speeds can be extremely high.
This boat was designed with a slightly different approach.
The VPLP architects developed it around the concept of polyvalence — aiming for strong performance across a broad range of conditions rather than focusing on a single area of optimisation.
For a campaign such as the Vendée Globe, where skippers compete in a variety of races and encounter everything from the light winds of the Doldrums to the powerful storms of the Southern Ocean, that versatility is a major advantage.
The goal isn’t to achieve the top speed in a single moment, it’s to be consistently quick, day after day, for thousands of miles.
“When we were evaluating the boats, we weren’t just looking at peak performance numbers. We were looking at the overall design philosophy – how the hull, foils, systems work together to deliver a consistent performance over longer distances. VPLPs balanced design approach in this boat aligns perfectly with our racing calendar and long-term campaign objectives.” - Pete Hobson, Technical Manager
Fits the skipper
Another important consideration was how the boat fits the person who will be sailing it.
Modern IMOCA cockpits have become increasingly compact as designers focus on weight reduction and aerodynamic efficiency. But cockpit layout also needs to work for a 6ft-plus skipper!
Ollie is one of the taller skippers in the fleet. Being able to move comfortably and efficiently around the cockpit during long periods of solo sailing is a vital consideration.
This boat offers a well-protected enclosed cockpit, which will help keep Ollie dry, while still providing enough space to operate the boat in demanding offshore conditions.
Proven performance
The boat has completed two circumnavigations, most recently finishing 8th in the 2024 Vendée Globe, skippered by Justine Mettraux under the team Teamwork – Team-Snef name.
That provides a strong performance benchmark for our team. We have a good understanding of what the boat is capable of and now it is our job to maximise the boat and see what we can achieve with it.
We are excited that Justine Mettraux will be joining Ollie for a 2-week handover period sharing valuable insight into the boat she knows so well.
“This boat already has a strong performance history. Now it’s our turn to take on the responsibility, keep developing it and see what we can achieve over the next few years.” – Oliver Heer, Skipper
Preparing the boat for its next campaign
The boat is currently undergoing a full refit with Team Beyou Racing, the organisation that has cared for the boat since it was first launched. Their deep familiarity with the boat makes them uniquely placed to prepare it for the next stage of its life.
During the refit the boat is being completely stripped down, inspected and serviced to ensure every system is race ready for another season of offshore racing. Although no major customisation is being carried out at this stage, the work ensures the boat is thoroughly prepared for the next phase of the campaign.
The hull will be stripped back and repainted in Oliver Heer Ocean Racing colours, ready for its first appearance on the water with the team.
The start of a new chapter
Choosing this IMOCA was about much more than simply acquiring a new (to us) boat, it was about finding a boat with the right combination of performance, reliability and development potential, while building on the knowledge and experience already invested in the boat.
The more we learned about the boat and the team, the more we realised this was exactly the right boat for us and we’re excited to begin the next chapter of the campaign.
We will continue to share our story and provide more behind-the-scenes insight into the refit process and the level of preparation required to run a competitive IMOCA campaign.
Before the boat has even touched the water, the hard work is already underway.
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