Status: 03/14/2023 1:55 p.m
Boris Herrmann’s Malizia – Seaexplorer is finally in her element. On the king’s stage of the Ocean Race, she plows through the rough Southern Ocean at high speed and chases the Swiss Holcim – PRB. The deliberately chosen robustness of the new building has proven itself.
“We built a boat with which we can get through these waves better and safer. That finally came true. We had to wait a bit for it…” explained the Hamburg skipper and added: “I built the boat for the south. “
The new high-tech yacht, which was developed according to the wishes of the 41-year-old with the Vendée Globe 2024 in mind, had already attracted attention when it was launched on July 19, 2022 in Lorient, Brittany. Its robust look and voluminous bow made the Malizia look bulky compared to the competition. The deckhouse of the 28-meter-long Imoca has headroom, while the competition has to move and work hunched over at just 1.45 meters.
Competition looks enviously at the Malizia
Herrmann’s boat pays for this robustness with disadvantages in weaker winds. The lighter rivals often make quicker progress. But now the German yacht, which resembles more of an all-wheel drive powerhouse than a Formula 1 missile, is in its element. “The shape of her hull carries her over the waves where we drill our way in,” not only Amory Ross from the US team 11th Hour Racing observed enviously.
“Half Lorient made fun of the boat at first but I’m sure it’s hard to swallow now.”
Guyot-Skipper Robert Stanjek
Robert Stanjek, der mit der Guyot Environment Pausing because of hull damage and only getting back into the race in Brazil, Malizia had attested the best prospects even before the start of the queen stage: “I think that Boris’ boat will perform well. They drive a blatant boot when it’s windy. I’m guessing that some people are now looking at the boat with more humility,” said the Berliner, referring to the mockery at the launch in July.
7,000 nautical miles to the stage destination Itajai
The Imoca fleet has covered more than 5,000 nautical miles since Cape Town, where the third and longest leg of the crew’s circumnavigation of the world began. Around 7,000 nautical miles and Cape Horn still have to be mastered to reach the port of destination in Itajai, Brazil. After the record days at the end of the second week of the stage, in which the Swiss team Holcim – PRB achieved a 24-hour record of 595.26 nautical miles (1,102.4 kilometers), the damage lists on board are also growing.
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A solar panel caught fire at Holcim, which was extinguished by South Sea waves coming over deck. More dramatic is the situation aboard the Mālama, where US team 11th Hour Racing considered stopping for repairs due to a huge tear in the mainsail, but have since decided to continue the stage.
Herrmann’s crew also had to overcome further repair challenges: the suspension of a headsail broke, the alternator had to be restarted over 20 hours. Finally, a loose attachment of the hydraulic cylinder from the foil box had to be repaired. However, this did not detract from the valuable knowledge that the Malizia sails well in the Southern Ocean.
VIDEO: Malizia – Seaexplorer: Herrmann’s high-tech yacht for the circumnavigation (3 min)
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