Since its launch on 6 July, the new “Malizia 4” has already completed two Atlantic crossings and its first major regatta. It hasn’t been without its problems: during the Ocean Race Atlantic, a collision damaged the foil system, and further damage to the hull structure was discovered upon her return. During the most recent high-wind training session, the mainsail also tore.
Team Malizia offers an unusually detailed insight into the technical issues and the work taking place on board, as well as at the base in Lorient. It becomes clear just how extensively the new vessel needs to be revised following its first stress tests, and the time pressure under which preparations for Boris Herrmann’s first solo Atlantic race aboard the ‘Malizia 4’ are taking place.
The ‘Malizia 4’ is still in the early stages of development
Despite the difficulties he has faced so far, Boris Herrmann is enthusiastic about his new IMOCA. “It’s a fantastic boat. I’m absolutely in love with it,” says the skipper, looking back on the first three months. At the same time, he admits that he is still right at the start of the learning curve when it comes to unlocking the boat’s speed potential.
The polar diagrams illustrate just how significant the differences are compared with the previous boat. They describe the speeds that should be achievable at different wind speeds and wind angles. Some of the performance data known to date will need to be significantly revised for the new vessel. For certain combinations of wind strength and wind angle, the team is talking about adjustments of up to 150 per cent compared with previous figures.
The fact that the ‘Malizia 4’ is already very fast was demonstrated by the Ocean Race Atlantic from New York to Lorient. Despite technical problems, the crew finished fourth, just around five minutes behind ‘DMG Mori Global One’. Our Analysis of tracker data showed that, in many comparable situations, the new yacht had the best speed profile amongst the leading group.
However, in order to be able to harness this potential in the long term, the technology must also function reliably. And the team encountered a number of difficulties in this regard during their first Atlantic regatta.
Four broken screws have rendered the foil adjustment inoperable
The technical details behind the foil damage sustained during the Ocean Race Atlantic are particularly revealing. After the port foil collided with an object at high speed, four bolts securing the hydraulic cylinder broke. The cylinder, which is used to adjust the foil’s angle of attack, was therefore no longer securely attached to its mounting.
“If you hit something at 30 knots, enormous forces are exerted on the foil system,” explains a member of the technical team. He sums up the consequences succinctly: “All four bolts have snapped.” This rendered a key adjustment mechanism on the foil inoperable. “We could no longer adjust the rake and the angle of attack of the foil.”
The crew had to secure the mechanism with rope and keep the foil in a fixed position. It was an improvised solution which, whilst enabling them to continue their journey, came with significant limitations.
Normally, the foil rake can be adjusted within a range of zero to five degrees. This allows the crew to generate more or less lift, depending on the wind, sea state and speed, and to influence the boat’s flying height.
Following the emergency repair, the angle was set at approximately 1.3 to 1.5 degrees. Under certain conditions, this meant the foil generated too little lift. “The boat was then significantly slower than the competition,” explains the technician.
The damage therefore not only affected the maximum speed, but also the ability to adjust the boat to changing conditions. This is a serious disadvantage, particularly for a foiling IMOCA, whose performance depends heavily on the correct flight attitude.
To address similar situations, the team is now developing an additional mechanical safety mechanism for the foil system. This is intended to prevent a fault in the standard adjustment mechanism from causing such a significant restriction again.
Two broken stringers discovered in the fuselage
However, the foil system was not the only area requiring attention following the Ocean Race Atlantic. Even during the Atlantic crossing, a damaged inspection hatch on the forward ballast tank had led to water ingress in the foredeck.
On returning to Lorient, the ‘Malizia 4’ was hauled out of the water and thoroughly inspected. During the inspection, the technicians also discovered two broken stringers – the longitudinal stiffeners in the hull structure.
The repairs involved working in confined spaces deep in the bow. In the affected areas, the carbon structure had to be prepared and reinforced with additional fibre material. The stringers serve to stiffen the hull shell and absorb any stresses that may arise.
It is not clear whether the damage is directly linked to the foil collision or is the result of other stresses incurred during the Atlantic regatta.
The affected foil was also removed and examined in detail. Additional non-destructive material tests were carried out to ensure that there was no undetected damage to the composite structure.
The technical team then set to work reinforcing the damaged areas and rectifying the weaknesses that had emerged. The aim is to make the boat more reliable in preparation for the next major stress tests.
A tear in the mainsail during high-wind training
However, even after the repairs, the development work is far from over. During one of the last extended training runs ahead of the Route du Rhum, the crew once again had to repair significant damage.
The plan was for a voyage of around 24 hours in strong winds, initially covering a long stretch downwind and then returning to Lorient on a close-hauled course. The team wanted to put the new yacht through its paces once again under heavy load. During the trip, the ‘Malizia 4’ reached speeds of up to 35 knots.
Then the mainsail tore. The crew had to stop the voyage, lower the sail and inspect the damage.
“We’ve torn a hole in the mainsail,” reports a crew member. “Now we’re trying to repair it so that we can sail close to the wind again.”
The damaged area is located in a reinforced section of the sail. Initially, the crew attempted to seal the tear using a sailmaker’s awl and thread. It became apparent that even a seemingly simple emergency repair on an IMOCA can require a considerable amount of effort. Not all the necessary sewing equipment was on board in the required form, so the sailors had to improvise.
Just how uncertain success seemed at first is made clear by one crew member’s assessment: “At the moment, I’m not particularly confident, but we haven’t found a better solution yet.”
Additional reinforcements and repair materials were then applied. Several crew members worked together to prepare the damaged area, align the materials and secure the repair. This required meticulous work, as the mainsail needed to be able to withstand considerable forces again on the return journey.
In the meantime, we had to wait until the material we’d applied had set sufficiently. Only then could we attempt to hoist the sail again and set off on the return journey.
The work went on for several hours. Eventually, the crew decided to call off the training session and return to Lorient.
Emergency repairs are intended to enable Boris Herrmann to train on his own
At the base, the mainsail was inspected once again. Staff from North Sails checked the damaged area and the repair carried out at sea. Additional repair material was prepared, cut to size and applied to provide further temporary reinforcement to the damaged area.
After all, the schedule leaves little room for manoeuvre. Boris Herrmann is due to complete one final solo training session before the Route du Rhum. For that to happen, the mainsail must be fit for use again, at least temporarily.
According to the team, the repair should initially be sufficient for this training session only. The plan is then to take the sail to North Sails to have it permanently repaired there.
This means the team is facing a typical problem when developing a new IMOCA: on the one hand, they need to make the most of the final training opportunities to get to know the boat better under real-world conditions. On the other hand, the damage incurred during these sessions requires further workshop work, which puts additional strain on the already tight schedule.
After the Route du Rhum, the action continues straight away
For Boris Herrmann, the Route du Rhum on 1 November will be his next major test. For the first time, he will be sailing the new “Malizia 4” solo across the Atlantic.
This will require further modifications to the boat. The yacht, which has so far been set up for crewed operation, is being converted for single-handed sailing. A number of minor changes are intended to ensure that Herrmann can operate and control the boat as efficiently as possible on his own.
Following the final preparations and training sessions in Lorient, the ‘Malizia 4’ is due to be transferred to Saint-Malo. From there, the Route du Rhum will take her to Guadeloupe.
After that, another crew will take over the boat and sail it directly to Alicante. There, further preparations, a refit and additional training sessions are on the agenda before the next round-the-world race, The Ocean Race, begins in January 2027.
The first three months have already demonstrated the speed potential of the new ‘Malizia 4’. However, experience has also made it clear just how much development work is still required to ensure that the new yacht can reliably deliver its performance under the extreme conditions of a solo Atlantic race and, later, a round-the-world voyage.
Book recommendations
Boris Herrmann and the race around the world describes Team Malizia’s participation in the previous Ocean Race. The book chronicles the preparations for what was then known as the ‘Malizia Seaexplorer’, the crew’s bonding and the race itself. It also covers setbacks such as a broken foil and a crack in the mast. Anyone wishing to put the current damage to the ‘Malizia 4’ into perspective will thus gain an insight into the team’s experiences with a previous boat – not into the repairs to the new vessel.
Hull and deck repairs Don Casey uses a series of images to explain work carried out on fibreglass yachts, including laminate and hull repairs, leaks and damage to the deck. This helps to understand the terminology and basic steps involved in the structural repairs shown in the video. However, this practical guide does not provide repair instructions for a heavily stressed IMOCA hull; the work on the ‘Malizia 4’ must be assessed and carried out by a specialist technical team.
In your view, which of the damage shown poses the greatest challenge to Team Malizia ahead of the Route du Rhum?
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital