MerConcept and CDK Technologies, a decade-long entwinement

Created and designed by Guillaume Verdier's naval architecture firm, then built by the CDK Technologies teams in close collaboration with MerConcept's engineers, just like his first Imoca APIVIA, Charlie Dalin's new60-foot monohull MACIF Santé Prévoyance (CDK-I(F)18-2023) left CDK Technologies'workshops on Friday 23 June, in Port-la-Forêt, Brittany, before being launchedon 24 June in Concarneau in front of the MerConcept premises. The deck and hullforms as well as the ergonomics have all been updated. This particularly honed machine is a development of the previous boat, with the formula bolstered bythe wealth of experience garnered over the past four years on the circuit. She is actually the fifth IMOCA to be built at the Breton yard since the Vendée Globe 2020 (a record!), something that makes Franck Lorriaux, Project Manager, RomainCachia, Technical Director, and all their teams especially proud.

Commencing in June 2022 at the CDK Technologies yard in Port-la-Forêt, construction of Charlin Dalin's Imoca MACIF Santé Prévoyance is now complete. "This latest design is a development of APIVIA, which is unquestionably a reference boat on the IMOCA circuit. The earlier design has given her skipper a great deal of satisfaction, but he was keen to take things to the next level, armed with the experience of sailing the equivalent of nearly two circumnavigations of the globe," notes Romain Cachia, the company's Technical Director, to whom the teams from MerConcept and the C3 Technologies subsidiary entrusted construction of the hull, the deck and the majority of the bulkheads, whilst they took charge of the project management and fabrication of parts like the winch furniture and foil casings. "The idea was not to undertake anything hugely revolutionary, rather it was to develop the boat and hence enhance certain details by working on the ergonomics, especially when she's slipping through the waves," explains Romain Cachia. Ensuring the boat is less brutal and has less water washing over the deck by shifting the cockpit aft: such were Charlie Dalin's prerequisites during his work with the naval architects prior to construction. Particular attention went into building the hull bottom to make the 60-foot monohull reliable, especially when taking on the extreme conditions of the Deep South, with a special focus on performing well during the next edition of the Vendée Globe, which is due to set sail in November 2024.

"Built on our Lorient site and launched in the summerof 2019, APIVIA had precious few tweaking issues and went on to become thereference of the IMOCA 2020 generation. As such, we haven't revolutionised theway we do things, however we have logically sought to optimise certain implementation techniques," says the technician, proud that there is lasting trust between the teams at CDK Technologies and MerConcept, whose entwinement already spans over a decade. Their shared history  began with the construction of the 60-footer MACIF skippered by François Gabart, the victorious pairing in the 2012-2013 editionof the Vendée Globe. "MerConcept is a demanding client, which really pushes usto our limits with regards to the implementation of innovative solutions and acompany with whom we're constantly raising our game and channelling our versatility," explains the representative from CDKTechnologies, a yard that has now completed its third IMOCA build incollaboration with the Concarneau-based offshore racing stable, which alsohappens to be the yard's fifth 60-footer since the last round the world raceand its 44th boat since its launch in 1984. "It has been a very smooth collaboration with Charlie and his team. They've brought their expertise intoplay and we've brought ours. Each of us has focused on our own field of knowledge, with high technical standards required by both, whilst accepting that certain risks need to be taken through the use of new material and newprocesses. MACIF Santé Prévoyance is a boat we're especially proud of withinthe company. We have no doubt whatsoever about her ability to excel intomorrow's most demanding events!"

CHARLIE DALIN – Skipper: "Once again, our collaboration with the CDK Technologies yard has run like clockwork. To my mind, the boat has been extremely well built and CDK has further raised its game in terms of the implementation of composites. This yard boasts expert know-how regarding the construction of IMOCA, particularly so with the latest boats, which have very complex structures. I visited the yard on a regular basis and it was very nice to be able to chat and discuss ideas with their teams and technicians. I'd like to thank them all for their commitment to the construction of the Imoca MACIF Santé Prévoyance!"

GUILLAUME COMBESCURE- Project Manager - MerConcept: "I've greatly appreciated the obvious synergy between the CDK Technologies and MerConcept teams. The numerous constructive exchanges and the constant transparency between both our teams have once again enabled us to produce very high quality work."

JEAN-LUC NELIAS – Team Manager - MerConcept: "It's a long-term collaboration between CDK and MerConcept. Our geographical proximity further facilitates this collaboration. The quality of the work produced by the CDK and MerConcept teams will hopefully deliver a high-performance boat capable of winning races on the IMOCA circuit."

STEPHANE DIGARD – CEO – CDK Technologies: "It's been a real pleasure to support Charlie Dalin and his team once again with this latest construction. The project went very smoothly, bolstered by a long-standing collaboration with MerConcept. The combination of CDK Technologies' know-how and MerConcept's experience has enabled us to launch an IMOCA, which is another step up in terms of build quality and we expect great things of her. I would like to thank all the yard's associates for their commitment to this project, which has been second to none."

FRANCK LORRIAUX – Project Manager – CDK Technologies: "It's been a very busy year for this project, which we've been involved in from the start of the project through to the launch. This is a complex IMOCA, in the tradition of the most high-performance Verdier designs. Thanks to what has always been a constructive and pleasant relationship with the team since the start of the build process, together we've managed to construct a very clean boat. The build quality by the CDK and MerConcept teams is exceptional."