Mini Transat: Interview with top favourite Benoit Marie - "It's pure magic!"
Jochen Rieker
· 21.09.2025
Seven starts, seven wins. That is the unblemished record of the 38-year-old Frenchman, who has already won the Mini Transat in 2013 on a conventional boat. Now he is competing with the best foiler ever built. As an engineer, he worked with Sam Manuard on the design, which is good for distances of around 400 nautical miles in ideal conditions. In this interview, Benoit Marie explains what it took to make the Mini 6.50 seaworthy, what it feels like to fly over the water at 25 knots and why he believes that one day cruising boats will also sail on foils.
Read more about the 25th Mini Transat:
Benoit, you have dominated this season like no other. That makes you the top favourite to win the Mini Transat. Do you see it that way too?
Well, statistically speaking, that's certainly true. I've won all the races so far, many of them very clearly. But I would never enter a race with the feeling that I'm a sure winner, especially as I have very strong rivals. First and foremost Alexandre Démange from DMG Mori and Julien Letissier on Frerots. Or Mathis Bourgnon and Basile Gautier.
Why so reserved?
I really pushed myself to the limit in qualifying and pushed hard to be able to recognise and correct any weaknesses in the boat in good time. But I won't be sailing transatlantic like this, I have to reach the finish line first to win. That's why I don't think I'll be able to show the same superiority. But of course I hope to win.
It would be the first victory for a foiler in the Mini Transat. About time, right?
Of course! On paper, the matter is clear: the foilers are superior, simply because the resistance does not increase but decreases with increasing speed. This gives us a great advantage, but also presents us with a challenge. The advantage is the enormous speed potential. In ideal conditions, in moderate winds and flat seas or very long swells, we are up to ten knots faster than the other prototypes. But this also increases the risk of the boat breaking up in short, steep waves. That's the dilemma that makes things so tricky.
How do you find the right balance?
I believe that we have now found it. There are three prerequisites for this. We didn't have them two years ago when Caro was at the start (Caroline Boule, his partner, who only managed 15th place overall in the previous Mini Transat; editor's note).. First of all, a good design is important; a foiling Mini has to be very light, but at the same time very robust in order to cope well with rough seas. The second success factor is the autopilot; we worked with Mad-in-Tech for almost two years on the fine-tuning, we have the same technology as a modern Imoca, we have our own system engineer for programming all the parameters. There's no other way. And finally, as a skipper, you have to know when and how to slow down - via the position of the foils, the trim of the sails and the manual settings for the autopilot. This requires a long coordination process. We started almost four years ago with "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau" and we have never stopped developing it further.
What exactly did you change on the boat to make it so much faster than on the last Transat?
For example, we now have a different computer for controlling the autopilot as well as some new sensors. And we have much more precise parameters and different modes according to which the autopilot works. That alone makes a huge difference. With the new control unit, Caroline set the world record for Mini 6.50 in the SAS Race last year: 322.7 nautical miles in 24 hours, single-handed! That was unthinkable before.
How is the new computer different?
One of the main differences is that Mad-in-Tech can also compensate for the temporary failure of sensors in the control system. So if the sensor for speed through the water or the compass sensor fails, this does not immediately lead to a sunshot. The computer then switches to sensors that provide similar data, for example the GPS for course and speed. Or it works with the average of the last values if there are no other sensors with comparable information. The autopilot switches to a "failsave" mode at lightning speed and warns us acoustically. Otherwise we would be lost at speeds of over 20 knots. That's what happened to Caro on the Mini Transat 2023. Since then, we've really improved everything and replaced some of it; we've even optimised the cable routes.
What makes it so difficult to make the autopilot really seaworthy?
We operate in an extremely wide speed range. The system must be able to function in displacement mode at four or five knots, but also in flight mode at over 30 knots. That was the challenge. In the meantime, the autopilot works excellently. We have already sailed at 31 knots under autopilot without it getting hairy - almost as fast as with the tiller.
It's hard to imagine when you stand in front of "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau", this tiny experimental object.
We are still at a pioneering stage, but we have already come a long way. It's amazing! I'm so lucky to be able to sail "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau". For me, it's one of the most exciting things there is.
"We've already sailed 31 knots under autopilot without it getting hairy!"
What was the key factor that led to the breakthrough?
That's a good question. I would say that there are several reasons that work together. This year, for example, with the arrival of Petit Bateau as a sponsor, for the first time we really have the budget we had always hoped for. The first few years we were really at the limit. Now we have been able to significantly optimise the autopilot and have new sails built. And we could afford to break things because we knew we would have the money to repair them and make the boat more reliable. That makes a huge difference compared to always living with the worry that you might not be able to compete in the next qualifying regatta.
What changes have you made to the sails?
Ah, they were far too small! Especially the mainsail. We were unhappy about it from the start, but didn't have the budget for a new set. Now we're also with another sailmaker, X Voiles, who fitted me out twelve years ago on my first Mini Transat. The sails are not only bigger, but also stand up better and are more robust. Previously, we were under-rigged in light winds, which really hurt us. Now we have completely eradicated this weakness.
That actually surprised us, because you have achieved some successes in very light conditions.
Yes, absolutely. We hardly ever foiled in the Mini Fastnet and still won. That shows what a clever design we have. That was also the aim of our further development: no matter what the conditions are, the boat must not be at a disadvantage. And when everything is right, we can utilise the potential of the foils to gain a decisive advantage. That's what has made us so strong this season. And there's something else I can't emphasise enough: This campaign is a team effort. I am the skipper and responsible on board. But without Caro, we wouldn't be where we are now. She is a key factor in our success. She leads the team, manages the budget, finds and looks after the sponsors. We wouldn't exist without her!
Take us on board: During the return leg of the Transgascogne race in July, you maintained extremely high speeds: an average of 19.7 knots over five hours. Did you steer by hand the whole time?
(laughs) Oh no! Not at all!
You were completely on autopilot at that speed?
Not for the first two hours, as the swell was still too rough. But from then on, I was no longer at the tiller. I think I slept for twelve hours.
Are you serious ...?!
But yes! Of course you don't sleep for hours at a time, but in short intervals of ten or fifteen minutes. But that was only for safety reasons, to look out. The boat didn't need me there.
Where do you sleep at such speeds?
I always sleep below deck. When you're in the cockpit, you have to be tucked in all the time because it would simply be too dangerous to go overboard if the boat were to founder or dip its bow into the sea. It would also be too wet on deck. And when we accelerate, it shakes and vibrates so much that even sitting is uncomfortable because you have to constantly wedge yourself in. So you really only find peace and quiet lying down in the cabin. We even have quite a comfortable bed, if you can call it that: a carbon fibre tube bunk with a beanbag as a support, which I can angle so that I am completely wedged in between the deck, hull wall and carbon frame. Just like on the Imocas and Class 40.
How does it feel on "Nicomatic" in relatively flat seas and four Beaufort? Does it crash and rattle?
It all depends on the sea state. If it's right, then everything is super relaxed and super stable. The boat hardly heels and you really float above the waves, especially as the foils act as shock absorbers. I can walk across the deck unhindered and change sails on the foredeck. But it's not always like that. On the second leg of the Mini Transat from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, for example, we'll have much tougher conditions in the trade winds, with relatively confused, steep seas. You have to slow down if you don't want to risk being catapulted over the waves. But sailing slower also harbours risks because it increases the danger of falling off the foils. I might not be able to stand upright on deck and stretch out for days on end.
And how do you cook yourself something to eat or a cup of tea?
Not at all!
Nothing warm for a fortnight?
I certainly won't be taking a gas cooker on board; that would be far too dangerous. I'll mostly eat cold ready-made food and maybe four or five bags of expedition meals that are self-heating.
What speeds do you expect on average with the Mini Transat?
I think we'll log around 15 knots on the long leg from the Canary Islands onwards.
That's a lot. But of course far from the full potential of a foiler.
It will be about sailing smart. What would I gain from taking high risks and suffering mast breakage or structural damage to the hull or foils? After all, I only have to cross the finish line one second ahead of second place. My aim will be not to be too far behind on the first leg in light winds and then to pull away when the opportunity arises. I only need a few hours on the foils and then I'll be away. For example, before the passage of a front, when the sea is still flat and the wind picks up. Then I can sail ten knots faster than everyone else. That will be the case one, two or three times per leg. That's when I can make the difference. Otherwise, I'll try to keep a good average, but not do anything crazy.
"We have designed a kind of SUV - not as fast as possible in shallow water, but stable in waves."
So the foils and the trim tab on the rudders are a kind of superpower?
That was exactly the idea when we designed the boat together with Sam Manuard. We would also have had the option of building smaller foils, like Carlos Manera on his Mini "Xucla". But we went "all in". In my first Mini Transat victory, I had a lead of 2 hours and 15 minutes at the finish. This time I should be able to do much better.
"Nicomatic - Petit Bateau" is by no means the first Mini with foils. Why did it take a decade before the concept was really ready to win?
I think it was mainly down to the budget. It's really difficult to find the necessary funds for a mini. And then the foils simply add a lot of weight, which is why the early boats had no chance in light winds. This also applied to "Arkéa", for example, probably the most radical concept to date. And then it took time for the necessary evolutions in foil design. Our wings are virtually self-regulating and much more seaworthy than those of the "Pogo Foiler" from 2018, for example. In comparison, we have designed a kind of SUV - not as fast as possible in flat water, but more stable in waves. I think that was the key decision because we can now always use the foils.
Will all minis have foils one day?
For sure. In five years we will see five boats with the potential of "Nicomatic", in ten years 15. Then the Mini 6.50 will be the most exciting class in ocean racing. I remember a regatta where I was sitting in the cockpit at night, we were flying across the sea in the moonlight at a speed of 25 knots. When you experience that, you never want to go back. It's pure magic!
What kind of budget is needed for a boat like yours? And will there ever be a reasonably affordable mini-foiler?
To answer the second question first: Yes, I am sure that one day we will be able to build foiling minis in small series for 350,000 euros. With "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau" it was a little different because we invested a lot in the construction. Kilian Goldbach, a German composite expert who is one of the best in the world and otherwise works in the America's Cup and Formula 1, was instrumental in building it. We didn't want to make any compromises. That's why our Mini cost about half the price of a Class 40. If I carefully factor in my and Caro's hours, we're talking about a total value of around 600,000 euros. Of course, we didn't pay that much because we worked for free and also received a lot of material as a gift. It was probably 400,000 euros in hard costs so far. By comparison, a Proto without foils costs between 300,000 and 330,000 euros today.
You and your wife have long since started another project, this time a commercial one: the Skaw Paradise - a kind of Class 40 for fast cruising with a scow bow and C-foils. How much of your mini experience has gone into it?
Everything! Even though it is a much bigger boat and will have a complete extension, all our expertise is in it. It also gives us a better economic basis to support our family, as we will soon be parents. Incidentally, it's interesting how much interest we've had in the meantime, how many enquiries we've received - even from large series shipyards.
Do you think that the hydrofoil technology can be transferred to the broader market in the medium to long term?
I am firmly convinced of this. We can already see it in motorboats, where foils can bring more efficiency and ride comfort. And one day we will also see performance cruisers that fly. The Skaw Paradise, which is already taking to the water this winter, is a harbinger of things to come. We are already working on this future.
What actually got you into foiling?
Oh, that was a long time ago. When I was six years old, I saw the first pictures of "L'Hydroptère". I was so fascinated by it that I asked my parents to get in touch with Alain Thébault, the skipper. I really wanted to sail on this boat. Of course it didn't work out, but I never forgot the pictures of this flying giant. And when the America's Cup was broadcast live in San Francisco in 2013, my old love was rekindled. With the AC 72, there were now boats that could even foil downwind. I realised immediately that there was no going back from there. That's why I switched to the Moth class after my first Mini Transat. I even came seventh at the Moth Worlds once. The experience and knowledge I gained there ultimately led to "Nicomatic".
What are you doing now until the mini-transat start?
I'm going to do a bit of weather routing, but otherwise I'm going to switch off and relax. We've worked our socks off over the past few years. Now I'm recharging my batteries. You have to be fired up for the race, for the exertions that come with it. It's important for me to have fun as well, otherwise I'm no good.
Technical data "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau"
- Design: Sam Manuard
- Torso length: 6,50 m
- Length over everything: 10,27 m
- LWL: 5,23 m
- Hull width/with foils: 3,0/6,76 m
- Depth: 1,99 m
- Weight: approx. 0.85 t
- Sail area on the wind: 44,3 m²
- Sail carrying capacity: 7,0
- Costs: approx. 600,000 euros
