Of Volvo and beyond...

With the success that he is currently enjoying in the Volvo Ocean Race it is no surprise that designer Juan Kouyoumdjian is attracting growing interest in other areas of work. Poised to take particular advantage of his Volvo 70 research for ABN Amro are several potential new Open 60 customers

Background
Having lived in France for many years and after designing two VO70s, it felt very natural to keep the design momentum going into this fantastic world of Open 60s and shorthanded sailing.

I originally moved to La Rochelle, France, in 1993 just after completing university to work on the America's Cup. When I got there, even though the America's Cup was the Holy Grail for me and the main focus of my work, I immediately felt the immense presence and culture of long-distance solo sailing that France has long enjoyed. The old maxicat Charente Maritime was moored at the entrance of the port, Joshua was on display in the Maritime Museum and reminders of successful and not so successful raceboats were littered around the many boatyards of La Rochelle.

I could not stop wondering about the kind of planet that these people lived on ­ why would they bother spending so much energy on this kind of boat when they could be doing the America's Cup? Why have several hulls when you could have only one? Then I met Laurent Bourgnon - and his trimaran Primagaz - and soon I understood: this is sailing at its purest. No trade-offs. Simply performance.

To read the remainder of this and many other articles, please purchase your copy of the May 2006 edition of Seahorse International Sailing available at selected newsstands or by calling: + 44 (0) 1590 671899 or by email at: info@seahorse.co.uk

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