Official Big Day for Onet/Fabrice Amedeo Partnership to Protect Oceans
After several weeks of waiting, Fabrice Amedeo’s IMOCA was finally able to return to its natural element following upgrades undertaken in this complex healthcare environment. The presentation of the monohull signifies the official launch of a partnership between Onet and Fabrice Amedeo.
To provide some background, Onet decided to enter into a 3-year partnership with Fabrice Amedeo primarily to finance an oceanographic recorder. Seafarer, journalist, and participant in multiple races of international fame, such as Vendée Globe, Fabrice enables the Group to become actively involved in combatting global warming.
- Friday 27 November 2020
- - Onet
The recorder installed on the mariner’s vessel is made up of several modules enabling it to collect data on water salinity, water CO2 or phytoplankton content on a hitherto unprecedented scale given that they are obtained on the high seas in locations where research vessels are seen but once in a decade.
These samples will make it significantly easier to model climate change and study oceanic pollution levels, thus maintaining biodiversity.
Fabrice Amedeo tells us about the latest innovations before the big moment
Upgrade completed, yacht re-launched, Onet logo applied, first race of the season announced: all systems are go as far as Fabrice Amedeo is concerned, and he is anxious to resume the contest and the data collection on our seas starting July 4 with Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d’Olonne. This new 3,600-mile ocean race across the Arctic Circle beginning and ending at Sables d’Olonne will be a dress rehearsal for Vendée Globe 2020-2021 scheduled for November 8 next from Sables d’Olonne.
With the various upgrades, the yacht is a model of performance, reliability, and comfort. The roof, already fairly long, has been extended all the way aft to enable the mariner to be indoors and to take shelter from the icy spray of the southern seas.
The yacht’s rudders and the oceanographic recorder are expected next week in Lorient.
“The rudders are still at the Persico yard in Bergamo in Northern Italy. We have decided not to change the launch date to continue making progress with the preparation of the vessel. We are also waiting for components for the oceanographic recorder which will be arriving from Germany next Thursday. Once the rudders and the recorder are in place, we will be able to start sailing, resume training, and perform the first tests of the microplastic module”, says Fabrice excitedly.
Focus on Oceanographic Recorder Development
The oceanographic recorder has been fitted with a new module. This module which helps measure CO2, salinity, and temperature at the ocean surface will now also help collect microplastics!
An advantage for the research partners going with us on our analysis and preservation tour. Fabrice’s travels take him into areas which they have access to only on very rare occasions.
This oceanographic project initiated last year by the Skipper with the Group’s support is gaining momentum as the Vendée Globe challenge draws near to help gather valuable data. These measurements will be made available to the international research community to provide better insight into the effect climate change and pollution are having on the oceans.
Find out more about testing to demonstrate that the yacht meets the IMOCA requirements: