Passing through Paris on Wednesday on the occasion of the release of his biography * and to discuss with the readers of the daily
L'Equipe
, Jean Le Cam announced that he would be well at the start of the next Vendée Globe in 2024. Hero of the last edition during which he had recovered Kevin Escoffier in his liferaft, the 62-year-old Breton sailor will set off for his 6th round the world trip. He currently co-holds the record for participations (5) with Alex Thomson. Arriving 4th in Les Sables d'Olonne last January, Le Cam will not set off again on its faithful Hubert even if the latter is “
in great shape, completely repaired with a coefficient of 1.5 or 1.8 times stronger.
"King John" is currently working on a project to build several monohulls - including one for him - "
simpler and more accessible, without foils but with more modern hulls, ”he
explains to
Le Figaro
.
Boats at 4 million euros
“
We are in the phase of looking for investors and partners. We are already well advanced on the concept. It's a project that aims to be efficient,
”continues the skipper, who hopes to be able to remove at least three boats from the yard. “
It's something completely different from what exists, which will bring a choice that is not present today. It's obviously super exciting and it suits us well: identical boats, efficient, easier with less risk and less expensive necessarily, about half of the biggest budgets today
, continues Le Cam.
A new boat today costs around 7-7.5 million euros. It depends on how much we get out of it but we will be around 3.8-4 million
”,he specifies.
"
We went to see several sites, we are looking at it very closely,
" adds Jean Le Cam, whose speech has not changed since his arrival in the last Vendée Globe, he who is campaigning for greater accessibility to offshore racing. in general and at Imoca in particular. After helping Damien Seguin prepare for his last round the world trip, the three-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro is supporting Benjamin Ferré (30), who has bought Banque Populaire from Clarisse Crémer. “
Transmission is not just how you tack, what you have to put on board your boat. It also means providing a different choice and providing accessibility
, believes Le Cam, confident in its ability to carry out this ambitious project.
We will have to find the funding but with my experience and the age that I have, I am able to carry a project like that.
Who's going to tell me that I can't do this?
I can give figures, dates, explain why the boats were not quick in the Vendée Globe this year.
So, here we go
. "
* All sails outside (Solar Editions-L'Equipe)
