April 25 News

Gold Race,

New York San Francisco

1er Aquitaine Innovations mars 15, 98
2ème PRB mars 21, 98
3ème Geodis mars23, 98

Bravo to these 3 Finot-Conq boats who sail a beautiful race, witout problem.

Yves Parlier	Lalou Roucayrol, Thomas Coville, Hervé Jan	57 days 3h 21 mn racing. He improves the record of Ecureuil Poitou Charente (94) with 5 days 2h 10 m n , average speed 9.6 knots.
Isabelle Autissier	David Adams, Luc Bartissol, Lionel Lemonchois, Jean Saucet	62 days 13h.19 mn
Christophe Auguin	Stéphane Auguin, Jacques Caraës, Marc Fontaine, Yves Le Bouvier	64 days 11h 54 mn .

We discuss with the racers when they come back, it seems they are very content with this race.
The most difficult passage was the Cape Horn, the longest was the end of the race.

Jean Marie Finot's comments about the construction of these 3 boats.

Fila, Italian Telecom de Giovanni Soldini

After the boat repaired in David Scully shipyard in Charleston, she stats again for New York Mars 26, with 4 team members, She leaves New York for Lizard cape in England in order to try to beat the record of the crossing of the Atlantic (11d, 13h, 22mn, 5s).
	photo Carlo Bolenghi, Sea & See

After a very fast crossing (3 days in advance on the preceeding record), Fila meets a very strong gale (40 hours with 65 knots, gusts 80-85 knots)
After the wind decraese(40 - 45 nds), Fila is turned over by a wave.
Giovanni operate the swing keel and the boat right up for 10 mn approximatively.
In spite of this effective operation by the crew, one of the two team-members who were in the cockpit, Andréa Romanelli, is lost.

For 2 years, we had worked with Andréa, an aeronautical engineer, 34 years old, initially onFox 50, then on Fila.
We got along very well with Andréa and Finot'Group wanted to continue to work in partnership with him.

With all his family and all his friends,we regret much his disappearance.

Sécurity of the boats

After these various incidents or accidents, the security of the boats is more and more in the agenda.
It is necessary to think out conclusions to decrease the risks indeed.
It seems that it is quite impossible to prevent the waves from turning over the boat.

This security is linked:

to the design :	to the safety systems :
stability , capability to right up as soon as possible device to be protected and come back easely inside the boat	hanging to the boat beacon especially, process and entertainement for thes cases extreme.

About the construction of the new boats

JMV industries

Group 4 de Mike Golding is launched on April 28,l 98

Gartmore to Josh Hall had the structure of the hull and the deck advanced well and the boat must be closes soon..

At Kirié

Sodebo for Raphaël Dinelli .

building the hull..

At JPS Production

le 7.5 m Open was launched on April 9, 98 in La Trinité

Without preparation, she race a first regatta, Avril 10, in a wind 20 - 25 knots.

Tacking, the boat was correct, interposing between the same category boat : 9m and 8m , Light Sport .
Actually, the battens, the hollow and the round of the sail are not completely adapted to the mast.
After development, her speed could be improve appreciably.

Running, the boat was amazing, she was the fastest boat of the fleet..

After the first tests, a development is necessary for deck fittings and good harmony of the mast and the sail..

site de Jaques Vapillon http://www.vapillon.com/