![[Newsletter #5] Maggio – Allagrande Mapei Racing : Verso la prima regata in solitario](http://www.allagranderacing.com/cdn/shop/articles/20260515_ALLAGRANDE_EP6_ABEAUGE__72A4037-lr_copiewebmobile_ee6f046a-2804-44f6-a562-cddc93356ba0.jpg?v=1780394583&width=1500)
Towards the first
solo race
May has arrived. The month we had been waiting for five months. The boat in the water, the first sails, the qualification completed, and the Vendée Arctique getting closer. In just a few weeks, everything became real.
01
The last shipyard weekend
The month started on Friday, May 1st, Labor Day. It's hard to imagine a less appropriate date for a team that still had everything to finish. Three days before launch, after a five-month refit, the intensity was at its peak. Saturday and Sunday included, of course: just like before any major exam, the last few days are when you work until midnight.
02
The weighing
On Monday, May 4th, everything began with the weighing of the platform — the boat without keel or mast. The night before, the team had placed bets: how many kilos had it lost? On the day itself, there was tension in the air, everyone's eyes fixed on the measurer as the numbers appeared on the display.
The result exceeded our expectations. The boat had had a good winter diet. So light that the team tried to lift it themselves.
©Anne Beaugé
03
The launching
Then the moment arrived. Emerging from the hangar, "Allagrande Mapei" was approached by a crane that lifted the boat and placed it on a cradle to install the keel. A few hours later, the boat was lifted again — this time with the keel — and placed in the water. This was followed by the installation of the mast and outriggers.
©Anne Beaugé
«I am very proud of the team's work and confident in the technical choices we have made. The first results are impressive, especially the weight reduction. But the most incredible thing is the energy the team put into this refit. I have never had a large team working for me, at most one or two people. Here, however, there are many of us, and I feel a truly beautiful energy, today and for the future. We will be able to count on this in the coming years, and it will clearly be one of our team's strengths.»
— Ambrogio Beccaria
04
The self-righting test
We rested very little because the next morning at dawn it was already time for the 90° self-righting test. A procedure that resembles more a measurement than a real test, as Gianluca Guelfi, the team's performance manager, explains.
«The self-righting test is a procedure that allows for precise determination of the vertical position of the center of gravity. It involves tilting the boat on the water until it reaches a heel angle of 90 degrees, with the mast in a horizontal position, to measure the forces that ensure its balance. Using a dynamometer placed at the masthead, the righting force is measured. From this measurement, along with all other known characteristics of the boat, the last unknown is derived: the vertical position of the center of gravity of the empty boat. This parameter is fundamental for evaluating overall stability. Beyond the regulatory aspect, it is also a fundamental lever for performance: precise knowledge of the center of gravity allows for optimizing the boat's overall balance.»
— Gianluca Guelfi, Performance Manager
©Anne Beaugé
During these two days of maintenance, Rebecca Geiger, a journalist from Giornale della Vela, was also with us, and she made a beautiful and explanatory video-report.
Rebecca Geiger for Giornale della Vela
05
Foil installation
In the following days, with the boat in the water, it was time to make it sailable: sail installation, waterproofing finishes, and especially the fitting of the foils.
©Anne Beaugé
Please note: these are still the old foils, the V1s of the boat. The new foils will only be installed after the Vendée Arctique. This is not ideal, as the new foil casing position was not designed for these old appendages. But for now, it works, and that's the main thing.
06
Load test on new foils
Speaking of the new foils: one of the two appendages was subjected to a test bench to verify the conformity of the piece and calibrate the optical fiber. The foil is fixed at both ends and, thanks to hydraulic pistons, subjected to a controlled load and deformation.
«Avel, which is the manufacturer of our foil, put the foil in the test bench. Our foil is equipped with two optical fiber lines on both sides. The goal is the calibration of the optical fiber: we verify that the theoretical values correspond to reality. Avel also installed microphones that record the acoustic emissions of the foil's composite, to check for any breakages. They record the settlements of the fiber and the resin matrix — noises not perceptible to the ear, but which the microphones pick up. If during the load increase we hear loud noises and, going back up, we find the same noises, then it means that there might be a problem. But in this case, everything went well.»
— Enrico Bandiera, Technical Director
©Anne Beaugé
07
First sail
Friday, May 15th. The day we had all been waiting for. On board: Ambrogio, Bastian (boat captain), Carlos (rigger), Clément (electronics manager), Enrico (technical director) and Anne (photographer and videographer).
On the dock, before leaving, the excitement was palpable. Bastian immediately dampened the enthusiasm a little, saying that the first sail after a refit is very important, the boat has undergone numerous modifications, you don't push it, you tension the elements, you go slow, you take it easy.
Two hours later the boat was flying at 35 knots.
©Anne Beaugé · Bastian's face upon arrival at the dock
©Anne Beaugé
Jokes aside, the sail went very well. The team was able to test many things, felt confident, and finally let themselves be persuaded to push it a little.
08
Technical sails and Albi
In the following days, a lot of work was done on the boat to make it reliable and prepare it for the Vendée Arctique. Alberto “Albi” Riva, Ambrogio’s close friend and team member, also arrived in Lorient to help us with the onboard electronics.
Speaking of electronics: on May 18th, Ambrogio was a guest on the BFM Business stage, where he spoke at length about this topic and all the onboard computer systems of a racing boat. A fascinating discussion, going into detail on the subject.
On May 20th, the two friends were able to sail together, to the great pleasure of both. A sail for technical validation, of course, but also the joy of being back at sea together.
©Anne Beaugé
09
Qualification for the Vendée Arctique
On May 22nd, Ambrogio departed for the mandatory qualification: 800 solo miles from Lorient to Cape Finisterre in Spain and back. "Allagrande Mapei" returned to Lorient on the evening of Monday, May 25th.
The sail began with light winds in the Bay of Biscay, then the wind picked up and the boat responded: an entire day with averages around 25 knots, the first concrete sensations of how it performs solo.
Three important days for the entire team, full of valuable data. However, there was also a more personal dimension: it was Ambrogio's first solo sail on "Allagrande Mapei," and his first solo sail on any boat in two years, since arriving in New York.
"Qualification done. The conditions were interesting: there was no wind on arrival, but it was a good way to learn, to spend some time alone. I hadn't sailed solo for two years, since arriving in New York for The Transat CIC. And on this boat, which is very peculiar - IMOCAs are not exactly normal, so it was absolutely necessary. Now I feel much more ready to set off towards the Arctic Circle. I must say there's still a lot of work for me to do to truly become the skipper of this boat, but for now, we're getting to know each other."
— Ambrogio Beccaria, on arrival in Lorient
10
Departure for Les Sables d'Olonne
On Thursday, May 28, Ambrogio and "Allagrande Mapei" leave Lorient to reach Les Sables d'Olonne, along with Riccardo, Bastian, Gianluca, and Clément. A last night at sea before experiencing the departure village and launching into the first solo race of this season.
11
The webseries — Episode 6
The latest episode of the webseries is available.
Webseries — Episode 6
