Transat Europe 1- Newman Star: Golding is 3rd
(Alone Transat from Plymouth (GB) to Newport (USA), Départure: 4th of june)

There, the 8 involved Finot-Conq plans in this transat, within the 19 60' Open monohulls:

And within the 6 of the 50' Open class:

Much of 60'Open participated to this Transat to test their boat before Vendee Globe 2000. For a some number, finishing this race was an obligation of qualification.
In this spirit, the boats were not pushed by the runners to the limits of their potential.

During the race, there was three dismastings.

Further to the new reglementation of Vendee Globe 2000, which asks for an improvement of the stability of the boats, a lot of efforts were invested from the builders of masts and from runners to obtain riggings lighter .
So several masts had been worked out and built from a new building material: the carbon fiber in very high module.

A convenient: this rigid material is more breakable to chocs. Until now the resistance in the shocks had not been a problem. This aspect of the things was doubtless minimized.

On the other hand the improvement of the stability of the boats asked by the rules comes also along with an increase in the weight of the ballast. The stresses on masts are then raised.

For the future, we participate actively in a better definition of the stresses, in the new methods of the calculation of the masts according to this experience at present. We do not want that these problems repeat.

In spite of the breakage of these masts, carbon in classical fiber which have one more important reliability than the aluminum, improve the stability of the boat and returns the more simple rigging, stays the best material for mast.

It is logical that the developments engenders new constraints and lead to measure the limit of it.

And within this framework we are in favour of testing with more moderations the novelties.

Pascal Conq, Guillaume Verdier, Jean-Marie Finot

You will find news on the official site www.europe1newmanstar.com, and also on the runner's sites.