The boat
Building
Safran chose the Chantier Naval de Larros (CNL) shipyard, headed by Thierry Eluère, to build the Safran Open 60 racing boat. Construction kicked off in June 2006 and was completed 13 months later, with the boat launched on August 6, 2007.
Portrait of Thierry Eluère
After learning the ropes with Gilles Ollier and Jeanneau Techniques Avancées, Thierry Eluère teamed up with José Lamazou in 1988 to create his own company, “Captain Flint”. Their first boat, Ecureuil II, won the first Vendée Globe, establishing a reputation in the demanding world of ocean racing that has continued to grow over the years. A dozen years and boats later, he started working with Yves Parlier on the impressive Hydroplane project. To handle the construction of this high-speed boat, in 2001 he teamed up with Didier Cazaux (Guy Couach) to create the Larros shipyard in Gujan-Mestras, on the Arcachon basin not far from Bordeaux.
Highlights
Ecureuil II for Titouan Lamazou, Fleury Michon, Jet Services I, Aquitaine Innovations, Fujicolor, VMI (ex-Sodebo), Médiatis–Région Aquitaine, and more.
Major steps
Hull and deck
The very first step is to make a preform shaped exactly like the hull, to serve as the foundation for the hull mold. Larros started work on this preform in 2006 by building a full-scale frame for the hull, along with the oven needed to cure the hull. In mid-September, the mold of carbon-fiber composite and vinyl-ester resin was released from its preform for treatment and oven curing.
The hull then underwent four successive curing stages, each time adding a new layer of material: carbon, honeycomb, another carbon layer to form the sandwich, then carbon reinforcements. The curing process was finished in early January 2007. The deck was being produced at the same time, using a similar but shorter process.
Assembly of hull and deck
Once the hull and all its structural reinforcements were completed, and interior partitions installed, the hull and deck were successfully mated. The Open 60 racing class requires six watertight bulkheads, along with structural reinforcement and ballast bulkheads. To enhance the installation of the carbon ballast “plumbing”, Erwan Conan designed a very simple water circuit.
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