Guo Chuan acquires IDEC

The famous red maxi-trimaran finds a new home

China's leading offshore sailor Guo Chuan, who completed a solo circumnavigation aboard a Class 40 starting and finishing in China, has taken delivery of Francis Joyon's maxi trimaran IDEC.

In a simple ceremony held in La Trinite sur Mer, Chairman of IDEC Group, Patrice Lafargue, and Francis Joyon handed over the trimaran to Chuan. The boat will be renamed later this month as Qingdao, after the Chinese eastern coastal city in Shandong Province where Chuan is based.

IDEC will be Chuan's vehicle for his latest adventure (TBA). He said: “I am proud to receive this legendary boat. My boat has changed from a small one to a big one. I also have changed from a solo skipper to the skipper of a trimaran. Our next target needs also to be more ambitious and exciting.”

IDEC is famous for its simplicity, efficiency and solidness, qualities of her former skipper, Francis Joyon who famously established a solo non-stop circumnavigation voyage aboard his red Irens-Cabaret design of just 57 days 13 hours 34 minutes and 6 seconds in 2008.

Chuan has already spent a few days training on maxi the trimaran in la Trinite sur Mer, which he has used as a training base in France since 2007. He fondly recalls his earlier acquaintance with the red maxi-trimaran eight years ago: “I often came to enjoy the moment of looking at this trimaran and had no idea one day I would become her skipper. I believe la Trinite sur Mer is my lucky place; and today I have my lucky boat. ”

Guo Chuan will continue training with Joyon in the coming weeks.

Joyon said: “I have been sailing with Guo in the last couple of days. He is a good learner as well as a good sailor. I am sure this trimaran will be in his safe hands. And I wish him fair winds for his new challenge.”