Designing the boats of tomorrow

Nautical industry
Designing
the boats of
tomorrow
Niche markets
with high added-value
The nautical industry in Brittany, made up of many complementary sectors,
has its foundations in a culture that focuses on the sea and an economic
and environmental approach driven by sustainable development objectives.
From naval shipbuilding and repair yards to marinas, not to mention apprentice
training centres, players in the water sports industry are developing
interdependently in a worldwide sector with awareness of the economic
situation. Given these challenges, the nautical industry in Brittany provides
a 360° offer and has made itself stand out by deploying high-quality services
and designing the boats of tomorrow using the very latest technology.
With its ability to innovate and adapt, the nautical industry draws on the energy
it needs for its renewal, with a constant desire to support all its partners
in achieving excellence.
The nautical industry
dynamic in Brittany
La dynamique de la filière nautique en Bretagne
INDUSTRIES
5000 jobs
1100 companies
Turnover of €500 M
IN PRACTICE
581 service providers
847 000 people
practising water sports
per year
Turnover of €111 M
1950 FTE jobs
PORTS
192 marinas
and moorings
79 000 places
Turnover of €40 M
365 FTE jobs
© Y. Zedda
Sources: www.bretagne-info-nautisme.fr / DREAL / Nautisme en Bretagne / CRMA de
Bretagne / Bretagne Développement Innovation
Innovation in the nautical
offer
From initiation to competition, from
exhilarating experiences to peaceful sailing,
from the sea to the seashore, Brittany has 630
sites to suit all tastes. And as far as innovation
is concerned, water sports are not to be
outdone: kite surfing, Stand Up Paddle surfing,
water walking, coastal rescue school, etc.
© D. Leroux
Technological innovations
So the water sports companies in Brittany
benefit from a network of partners and subcontractors facilitating synergy and providing
innovation at all stages of the industry.
Technical innovation
The development of the water sports
companies in Brittany has led to their
expansion or to making their contribution to
projects which have completely changed the
way water sports are practised today.
The giant trimaran, Banque Populaire,
the MOD 70s or the 60-foot IMOCA monohulls
are all evidence of the Breton nautical
industry’s state-of-the-art expertise.
The water sports industry in Brittany
is positioned in niche markets with high
added-value, with a rich network of SMEs and
emblematic companies (Guy Cotton, Plastimo,
Bic Sport, NKE, Structure, etc.) as its symbols.
For its dynamism, the Breton industry relies
on solid competencies in Research and
Development combined with a fabric
of innovative SMEs and very small companies,
which are building the boats of tomorrow
either for yachting or ocean racing. Among
the latest innovations to come from the yards
in Brittany are electrically propelled ships
(the Costo from the E3H shipyard in Lorient),
innovative lamination techniques with
infusion and injection (IDB Marine)
or competition prototypes (Multiplast and
CDK for the MOD 70s).
Finding the best skills
In Brittany laboratories, schools, universities
and training centres work with fibre, simulate
navigation in 3D, model sea states and develop
new propulsion systems. From the BEP
(secondary school vocational qualification)
to universities, here there is complete training
in all the water sports professions.
Training for the water sports professions, both
initial training and in-service training, enables
the companies established in Brittany to take
advantage of the best human resources in the
field of future boat design, particularly in the
field of materials and onboard electronics.
Pôle mer bretagne
The objective of Pôle Mer Bretagne is to
contribute to the emergence of a safe,
sustainable maritime world. The Pôle is
the nucleus of a network where large
groups, SMEs, and research and higher
education centres combine ideas and
skills to develop innovative collaborative
projects in the maritime industry.
Water sports strategy
in Brittany
Brittany’s vision for the nautical industry
is to increase the conditions for the success
of companies:
• Supporting them by professionalising
the industry in terms of human resources,
increasing their competitiveness by
optimising their production tools
and by assistance with the integration
of sustainable development.
© D. Leroux
• Making available an internet tool designed
to increase their visibility and facilitate access
to information: www.bretagne-info-nautisme.fr
• Improving leadership in Brittany in the
high-tech field by a management programme
devoted to innovation and the technology
industry for ocean racing. This programme
is run by Eurolarge Innovation.
• Making available specific financial tools
for tangible and intangible investment.
Ocean racing technology
Environment,
sustainable development
The dynamic nature of the Breton ecosystem
facilitates integration of sustainable
development such as boat design, the use
of eco-materials and waste treatment.
Two Pôle Mer labelled projects are evidence
of this: “Voilier du Futur” sponsored by Ephèse
and “Beyond the Sea” by Océa, which offer
eco-innovative solutions in the fields of
materials, energy, safety, etc. for the invention
of tomorrow’s vessels for leisure use and also
fishing, the merchant navy, etc.
Ocean racing has always been a combination
of human adventure and technological
challenges. From the design of the boats
to the conduct of the races, the spread
of technologies employed is impressive:
composite materials, onboard electronics,
precision mechanics, etc.
This race for performance, a real source
of innovation, also benefits companies directly
well beyond the scope of ocean racing. In
fact it is not unusual to find technological
developments, originally for ocean racing,
in the markets for water sports for the general
public and also in markets for building, home
automation, aeronautics or armaments.
Hervé Devaux, founder of HDS*
“Sailors, designers, and shipyards, we are all a team
to which HDS brings its expertise.”
HDS has taken part in the design of the most prestigious ocean racing yachts, Groupama
3 and 4, BMW Oracle Racing, Banque Populaire, the Hydroptère, Foncia (IMOCA), Race For
Water (MOD 70), etc. The great racing stables throughout the world are knocking at the
door of Hervé Devaux and his team to conceptualise and design the future “Formula 1”
of the seas.
Brittany has a special place in water
sports, especially ocean racing. What are
the reasons for such dynamism?
Hervé Devaux: Brittany is a land that has
traditionally always focussed on the sea.
Today the reason for its wide recognition
in the field of ocean racing is because
of great sailors like Eric Tabarly, Olivier
de Kersauson, and Michel Desjoyaux,
and also because of the innovative
shipyards like CDK in Port-la-Forêt and
Multiplast in Vannes. Brittany plays a role
as a forerunner in the design of racing
multihulls. There is always a slightly
mad project at the origin of these great
productions.
This is probably why Port-La-Forêt Bay
is known as the “Vallée des Fous”
(Madman’s Valley) amongst yachtsmen!
What do you think the boats of tomorrow
will look like?
H.D.: The first important thing is that a
boat is conceptualised and designed as a
team. For short ocean races, it is already
foreseen that the boats will be equipped
with a wing, the image of the wing on the
America’s Cup winner, USA 17, for which
*Company from Brest of international renown
specialising in the design of ocean racing yachts,
calculations and study of structures.
HDS took a part in the design of the hull
and the rigging. As another example,
if you look at the Hydroptère project, the
origins of which go back nearly 20 years
and which still holds the speed record
over a mile, it is possible to visualise
the design of a new, more versatile
Hydroptère. This concept of “flying” on
the sea has seen huge developments and
benefitted from the overlapping of two
technologies: aerodynamics (for the foils)
and naval construction.
As far as water sports and high
technology are concerned, is it necessary
to be daring?
H.D.: Yes, you have to go beyond
preconceived ideas. And to achieve
the aims, team work and responsiveness
are essential. Proof of this is the USA
17 project. The idea of fitting it with a
wing came in February 2009 and we then
produced an initial study in two months.
The final decision was taken at the
beginning of April. The yacht, fitted with
its wing, sailed on the 7th of November
2009. A project involves innovation,
responsiveness and enthusiasm.
Brittany,
the leading region
for ocean racing
In the extremely competitive field
of ocean racing, Brittany is a reference
on an international level. It draws its riches
from its generous natural assets and its
people with strong characters, who fiercely
defend the emblems of their region.
• Brittany has racing areas of exceptional
quality and is a region with a predilection
for the great regattas (the Route du Rhum,
the Volvo Ocean Race, the single-handed
Figaro, the Jules Verne Trophy, the Transat
AG2R, etc.). It is also the home port for the
largest “stables”: Groupama Sailing Team,
Maxi Banque Populaire V and Prince
de Bretagne in Lorient, Géronimo in Brest,
Gitana Team in La Trinité, and so on.
• The most experienced sailors
© Alexis Courcoux
(Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux, Armel
Le Cléac’h, Jean Le Cam, etc.) who contribute
to Brittany’s fame and arouse a desire in new
generations to follow in their footsteps.
• A breeding ground in terms of detecting
and training young talent. From their
initiation to taking part in competitions, the
future ambassadors of Brittany benefit from
the best training organisations: Pôle France
© Y. Zedda
Voile Olympique in Brest (training of France
de Voile teams for the Olympic Games), Ecole
nationale de voile et des sports nautique
in Quiberon (training for ocean racing in one
design class boat teams) and the Pôle France
Finistère Course au Large in Port-la-Forêt.
• Breton shipyards are typified by a
strong entrepreneurial spirit and a
constant search for performance using
technological innovations.
Racing prototypes, design of new materials,
electronic equipment and state-of-the-art
deadworks, revolutionary riggings, so many
fields of application for which Brittany has
gathered its resources to create a support and
management structure for the ocean racing
technology business: Eurolarge Innovation.
By bringing together companies (nearly 110
in total with a turnover of 265 million Euros
per year and 1500 jobs) in collaborative
projects, this structure provides the business
with national and international visibility.
www.eurolarge.com
Pôle Finistère
Course au Large.
Objective: excellence
This Pôle France, approved by the Sports
Ministry since 1995, is a unique tool in
Europe with the task of training and
monitoring high level sportsmen and
women in the field of ocean racing.
The sailors, who are chosen on sports
and professional criteria, have effective
infrastructures. Training takes place
on Figaro Bénéteau II, the IMOCA
monohull or the MOD 70. At the same
time this centre of excellence joins
forces with many experienced sailors
(Franck Cammas, Roland Jourdain,
Michel Desjoyeaux, Armel Le Cléac’h,
etc.) and therefore has the advantage of
formidable feedback from experience.
Bretagne Développement Innovation
1bis, route de Fougères
35510 Cesson-Sévigné - France
T. +33 (0)2 99 84 53 00
www.invest-in-bretagne.org
[email protected]
© Design: www.pollenstudio.fr © Cover photo: Y. Zedda - PEFC paper
© D. Leroux
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