Route du Rhum 2026: a second life for legendary boats
In 2026, the Rhum Multi and Rhum Mono categories give way to Vintage Multi and Vintage Mono. The organisers' idea: rather than letting the boats that shaped offshore racing end their days ashore or leave Europe, give them a second racing career (Route du Rhum). Twenty-six skippers are entered (Figaro Nautisme).
The rules
- Vintage Multi: multihulls from 38 to 79 feet.
- Vintage Mono: monohulls of at least 39 feet, often former IMOCAs from the 2000s.
- A boat modified by more than 50% of its mass must meet eco-design criteria; reused parts (used for more than four years on other boats) do not count towards that quota.
The argument is environmental: building is the most polluting phase of a boat's life. According to Reboat, quoted by the organisers, a monohull refit extends its life by 10 to 15 years, with a carbon footprint about 60% lower than a new boat. Francis Joyon, the 2018 winner, sums it up: taking over an old boat that has been around for thirty years is more respectful of the ocean (Route du Rhum).
The return of the ORMAs
The 60-foot ORMA trimarans were the "Formula 1 of the seas" in the 1990s and 2000s. Several are back on the water, sailed by Francis Joyon, Damien Seguin, Éric Péron and Gilles Lamiré. According to race director Francis Le Goff, "the first ones could arrive between the Ultims and the Ocean Fifties" (Figaro Nautisme).
The one with the most history is Damien Seguin's. Launched in 1990 as Velvia de Fujichrome for Mike Birch, this 18.28-metre Nigel Irens trimaran became Fujicolor II in 1992. With Loïck Peyron it won the Transat anglaise (OSTAR) in 1992 and 1996 and several ORMA championships. The Eole Performance yard spent 2,500 hours on it, keeping the original mast and appendages: no foils (Mers et Bateaux).
Other multihulls play the reuse card. Marc Guillemot races Dazeilad, built with a mast from one of Jean Le Cam's old IMOCAs, daggerboards from Damien Seguin and rudders from an old Jérémie Beyou boat. The oldest skipper in the race, Charlie Capelle, 71, is sailing his seventh Route du Rhum on a 38-foot trimaran, the minimum size, inspired by Mike Birch's 1978 boat (Figaro Nautisme).
Legendary monohulls
- The ex-PRB, the only IMOCA to have won two Vendée Globes, with Michel Desjoyeaux (2000-2001) then Vincent Riou (2004-2005). Kieran Le Borgne has renovated it and races it in Armor-Lux - Le Finistère Assurance colours. "Kieran is a pioneer in his own way," says Francis Le Goff.
- The ex-Adrien, now Grain de Sable, sailed by Christophe Bachmann: on it, Jean-Luc Van den Heede set the solo round-the-world record against the prevailing winds in 2004.
- Echo Mer, Wilfrid Clerton's ex-Kriter VIII, built in 1980: the oldest boat in the race (Wikipedia FR, Route du Rhum 2026).
And Jean Le Cam, with five Vendée Globes behind him and second in the 2006 Route du Rhum, treats himself to a different crossing: he races Alegria - Gustave Roussy, a Swan 59 built in 1986 by Nautor Swan and fully restored under his direction over four years (Figaro Nautisme). He says he wants to write a different story aboard slower boats (Route du Rhum).
The full entry lists are in the Vintage Multis and the Vintage Monos. Damien Seguin's story with this trimaran is also told in the heirs of the race. PRB's wins are part of the story of the Vendée Globe record.