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BYM: Discuss the speed potential of Orange II in a perfect world BP: It’s not the case today with the weather system we are expecting for this week, but I am pretty convinced that this generation of G-Class, even this one that we can get under 4 days. I can bet that we are there in the coming five years. BYM: What is the likelihood of a 24hr record during the crossing? BP: That is honestly our second goal here. Our first goal is to achieve the best time possible [across the Atlantic.] The second goal is to try to break our own record of 706 miles in 24 hours, but to be honest, we are not going to break our route to go chasing the 24 hour record. We know we are able to improve it, by 15 or 20 miles if we choose to do so, if we keep the right angle, but that’s another game. |
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BYM: Orange has been a loyal sponsor for you, but do the increasing number of races and record attempts make it harder for a new team to obtain funding? BP: Actually, I feel the contrary. The more experience we all get together and the more it’s easy. It seems logical to learn how to sell a project. I mean you don’t sell a project for a stupid reason; you just sell a project because it is interesting. Take this time, it’s like a 1 million project and we have to build a global environment for the project in order to give them impact; a reason to invest, otherwise it isn’t very strong to ask for the money upfront. I don’t know, I guess you can do that, but that’s not the point. The point is to build and create a real proficient environment and that’s a lot easier now than it was 20 years ago. |
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BYM: Does the apparent lack of American interest in ocean records make it harder for you to base your campaign here for a period of time? BP: Yes and no. You see it’s very easy to say that, and I know that scene pretty well and when I decided to stay here for 3 months in 1986 for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty with my catamaran whose name was Liberty, everybody was saying the same thing that there would be no coverage whatsoever, but in reality the coverage was amazing and we spent 3 months here with crowds everywhere. Now it’s a little bit different because the main market for Orange is Europe and Orange just launched a new subsidiary in the US, but it’s not for 5 or 6 weeks and not too many people are aware of a global project and so on. I know that if one day we have to create a specific program for the American market, I know how to do it. I’ve done it twice, once on the East Coast and once on the West Coast with a transpacific. When we went for the transpacific record in 1997, people were saying the same thing about the Japanese, but we had their most important magazine come aboard and when we crossed the finish line at the Golden Gate, there were seven Japanese TV stations waiting. So no, it’s just a different methodology [here in the US] and we’re professionals to know how to sell sailing properly and everybody’s the same. Curiosity is not just a French trait and there’s a story out there, you just have to go get it. BYM: Thank you and best of luck on your record attempt. |
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Photo. Ryan O’Grady/BYMNews |
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It was soon time for the French crew to leave; the departure, from Newport Shipyard, was more difficult than originally planned due to 13 knots of breeze pushing Orange II on to the dock. Various work boats and tenders were collected, to form a makeshift tug armada, and soon Orange II was away from the docks and being towed out towards Narragansett Bay. A small, but eager, spectator fleet waited patiently for the mainsail to be raised to the second reef point. Orange II then slipped the lines from her tender and hoisted the small staysail for a quick pass around the Bay before heading out to sea and the start of the Transatlantic Record. Even with a minimal amount of sail, Orange II was soon flying a hull and accelerating to 20 knots. By the time she cleared Castle Hill, most of the spectator fleet was unable to keep up. A quick pass of the US Women’s Open was the final obligation, before Orange II raced off to the horizon, heading west towards the start. |
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More pictures of maxi-catamarans & trimarans, including Orange II’s preparation and departure, can by found HERE. |
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