The Artemis Transat

Arnaud Boissières (FRA)
Akena Vérandas

Arnaud Boissières (aka “Cali”) has been steering his professional sailing career with determination for 13 years. After an A-Level specializing in literature and a degree in geography in 1995, Arnaud moves on to yacht deliveries, and enters the Figaro circuit where he races alongside Pascal Bidégorry. On the technical front, he integrates the Team Aquitaine shore crew, and becomes Catherine Chabaud’s “preparateur”. Working as a skipper in the West Indies from 1996 to 1998, Cali nevertheless stays in touch with Yves Parlier and manages to deliver his Open 60’ back to Europe on three occasions. Naturally, that type of experience does nothing to tame Arnaud’s desire to become a professional offshore racer! Meeting an old friend who has just competed in the Mini Transat seals his fate, and in 1999 he is on the starting line of that same grueling race. Finishing 11th in the second leg after having dismasted in the first, he decides to have another shot at the event and puts together a structure with his friend Yannick Bestaven: the two skippers manage to build two brand new boats, and in 2001, Yannick wins the Mini Transat while Arnaud finishes 3rd! He then takes an active part in the Figaro circuit (competing in the Solitaire and AG2R Transat), and becomes skipper of Solune (60-ft racer). After several seasons in Great-Britain and a few records broken (Round Ireland…), he now enters The Artemis Transat aboard Seb Josse’s former VMI, renamed Akena Vérandas, on which he aims to take part in the next Vendée Globe.

Profile
35, lives in La Teste (SW France)

Sailing CV – Key moments
2007 – 9th place in the B2B Transat
2007 – 12th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre
2006 – 2nd place in the RORC championship
2005 – Round Ireland record aboard Solune
2005 – 1st place, Route de l’Equateur, 50-ft division
2003 – 3rd place in the Mini Transat

The boat
Name: Akena vérandas
Design: Architects Finot-Concq
Build: Thierry Eluère (Arcachon)
Launch date: June 1998

Track Record
6th place, Vendée Globe 2000-01
5th place, Vendée Globe 2004-05
10th place, Calais Round Britain Race 2007

Key figures
Length: 18,28 m (60’)
Beam: 5,40 m
Weight: 8,8t
Draft : 4,50 m
Sail area upwind: 275 square metres (2960 sq.ft.)
Sail area downwind: 515 square metres (5540 sq.ft.)

http://www.akenaverandas.com/voile/index.html