Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre 2019: Full house for CDK Technologies!

Apivia was the first IMOCA60 to finish in the 2019 Transat Jacques Vabre © Jean-Marie Liot / Alea / Apivia

Sunday 27 October 2019 heralded the start in Le Havre of the double-handed transatlantic race also known as the "Coffee Route". For the first time, this edition of the longest double-handed transatlantic race was reserved solely for IMOCAs, MULTI50s and Class 40s.

Competing in the two leading classes (IMOCA and MULTI50), the boats manufactured by the fast-expanding Breton SME, CDK Technologies, completely monopolised the podium places.

MULTI50: the extraordinary saga of the ex-Crêpes Whaou 3 continues

A development of FenêtréA, the former Crêpes Whaou 3 that was built in 2009 by CDK Technologies, this boat now sports the colours of GCA - Milles et Un Sourires and took victory in her fourth Transat Jacques Vabre in the hands of Gilles Lamiré and Antoine Carpentier. Evidently, she is a boat of noble birth and has been very well built.

Launched ten years ago according to a VPLP design for Franck-Yves Escoffier, this legendary boat continues to unite the CDK Technologies' teams, which have played an active role in her constant evolution.

Receiving new floats in 2014 and the addition of foils in 2017, each yard operator can boast that they too have added their stamp to the construction of this medal hunter!

IMOCA: all the boats built by CDK Technologies since 2006 take the race start

IMOCA goes hand in hand with CDK: four-time Vendée Globe winner, the Breton yard has pulled off the amazing feat of having all the boats built behind its doors since 2006 take the start line of this Transat Jacques Vabre, prompting observers to announce that "a boat built at CDK never really dies".

• Former generation boats with classic straight daggerboards (Banque Populaire X, Corum, Fortil),
• First generation foiling boats (Bureau Vallée, Maitre Coq), Former generation boats with daggerboards transformed into foilers (PRB, Initiatives Cœur),
• Latest generation foilers (Charal, Apivia, Arkea),

It was the 10 IMOCAs built in Port la Forêt and Lorient since 2006 that took the start of this race. And what results they posted!

A 100% CDK Technologies podium - APIVIA shows everyone how it's done!

Though the ill-fated crew on FORTIL was not able to take the start of this transatlantic race following a fire of electrical origin, the other 9 crews competing on the yard's steeds have certainly coloured this ranking, constantly making headway according to the rather unusual weather situation over this course.

Launched in 2018, CHARAL was the outright favourite in this race, really showing off her potential in terms of speed. Meantime, prior to the race start, questions were flying around about possible teething issues on the last boat to be launched, APIVIA, from CDK Technologies' workshops in Lorient back in early August: what a masterful demonstration by skippers Charlie Dalin and Yann Elies!

However, in order to really exploit the potential of these machines to full effect, it was vital to count on their reliability: these 2 latest-generation foilers fought bitterly right the way to the finish line, with older generation boat PRB built by the yard and equipped with CDK Technologies' foils that did not lament the slightest damage.

In taking the win, Apivia repeated MACIF's feat in 2015, she too taking the win in the Transat Jacques Vabre on her first attempt upon her launch by the yard.

And so it is a 100% CDK Technologies podium at the finish in Salvador de Bahia. To further bolster this result, the 9 CDK boats that took the start all made it to the finish in Brazil.

Technology and Passion, the core values of a leading yard

Created over 35 years ago, CDK has been enjoying steady growth for the past five years thanks to the recognition of its main clients and its standing as a global builder in the domain of large-scale high-performance composite parts.

An historical specialist in composite structures, CDK has now firmly established itself with regards to the manufacture of all the high-performance technical parts that make up a racing yacht: multihull and monohull platforms, masts, booms and now foils for the ULTIMs and IMOCAs. Its extraordinary cooking tools (50m autoclaves and a 36m oven) are the key elements that set the yard apart.

CDK Technologies continues the development of its Lorient-based site

Following its investment in a vast autoclave in 2018, the company is investing in new production means: a machine for cutting out pre-preg materials, a processing machine, as well as a large-scale oven.

These means will be operational in early 2020.

CDK Technologies: 75 people, 2 production sites (Lorient and Port La Forêt), managed by Philippe Facque.