Rescue of Ikone sailboats
Following the bankruptcy of the Espace Vag shipyard, all the equipment and tools used to build its boats were auctioned off in November 2019. Philippe Goyat bought the molds for the Ikone 5.50, Ikone 6.0, Ikone 6.50 and Ikone 7.50 sailboats through his company Francophil, with the ambition of putting them back into service . "Since then, I've also bought back at auction the only Ikone 6.50 produced by the shipyard. (Editor's note: this is the model that was being launched when Espace Vag went into liquidation)" explains the entrepreneur, who continues to invest in the brand.
Bagou Boats to produce Ikone sailboats
After considering offering different boatyards to produce each Ikone model, Philippe Goyat finally reached an agreement with Jérôme Clément's Bagou Boats yard in Lorient. "I had contacts with craftsmen, but no buildings to build the boats, whereas Bagou Boats has its own premises. I was attracted by what Jérôme Clément had already done, and the working relationship with him. There's a demand for boats," explains Philippe Goyat.
The shipyard's founder explains: "We were put in touch by Julien Marin, who is the architect of the Bagou Boats and several Ikone boats. The tooling for the Ikone 5.50 and Ikone 6.50 is already on our premises in Lorient, so we can start building boats. Marketing will be done in partnership with Philippe Goyat."
E-kone: an electric boat project under development
The two partners don't just want to relaunch Ikone sailboats. A project for an electric motorboat based on the Ikone 6.0 is also in the pipeline. "The initial boat was already designed as a sail and motor model. The hull is suitable for speeds between 5 and 15 knots. By modifying it slightly, we'll be able to offer smaller electric boats at affordable prices to complement the 7-meter Bagou Boats catamaran. The catamaran is difficult to build at a reasonable price in smaller sizes. The motorization will allow a top speed of around 20 knots, enabling a little wake-boarding. We'll also be working on the biocomposite hulls with Julien Marin, and completely reworking the exterior design," explains Jérôme Clément.
Philippe Goyat also sees this as a 1st step. "I have my boat in Marseille. An electric boat where we can go to Frioul seems logical, as does going to the Glénan from the Odet. We'll start with a fast boat, the Ikone 6.0, and see what happens," he concludes.
