Multihulls as precursors
Hervé Devaux was a pioneer in the application of modern calculation methods to the design of pleasure boats and ocean racing boats . He has been a key player in numerous projects related to landmark yachts, from the America's Cup to the Volvo Ocean Race, and his interest in multihulls invites us to delve into their evolution.
If today's cruising catamarans apply the now proven composite processes, it is pleasant to go back to the archive images of the construction of the first Lagoon . The artisanal means and the resourcefulness cohabit with vacuum bonding and the use of exotic fibers.
Ongoing materials research
To the quest for performance at all costs for the race was added an expectation of environmental responsibility. As the renowned designer passed away, Outremer and Roland Jourdain launched their first flax fiber catamaran intended to race the Route du Rhum.
The coincidence is perhaps not insignificant. The integration of these new data is probably the challenge of today's designer who must use computing power to think about the boat's resistance, but also to consider the analysis of its life cycle (LCA) and evaluate the environmental impact of the boat. From the resistance/weight compromise, we are moving towards a resistance/weight/pollution triangle. In the meantime, recognition goes to the pioneers of this new type of boating.
