This is an admirable, inspiring challenge which we hope will be a huge success. Three ENSTA Bretagne engineering students specializing in naval architecture have just joined this fantastic challenge which biologist Emmanuelle Guillerm has set herself: to row across the Atlantic as a duo with Patrick Favre in the boat ReVenge: a carbon fiber vessel given to her by her friend Hervé Lalanne, who has since passed away. The goal? To set a new world record!
Contacted early last summer by IMPACT, ENSTA Bretagne’s junior enterprise, ann, Rémy and Bastien immediately expressed their interest in the challenge. Yann, a co-operative engineer, explains:
This is an ocean-going vessel of carbon fiber design, which is lightweight and streamlined, so it is fast. But there is a risk it could overturn in choppy conditions. We were set the brief of finding the best mechanical solution for stabilizing the vessel whilst maintaining its hydrodynamic properties. This is a hugely interesting project on both a technical and human level as the safety of the two rowers must be ensured.
To accomplish the task, the future engineers first have to model the boat and determine its center of gravity to enter these characteristics into a software program. They then have to test out different solutions and identify the best one for putting into practice.
Bastien, student engineer:
To determine the boat’s center of gravity, we developed several test protocols, which we shared with Emmanuelle Guillerm. She asked us to run them all to collect a maximum amount of data and thus supplement our knowledge. So we visited a shipyard and then went to the French marine research institute, Ifremer, to conduct all of the tests.
At the KVK shipyard, Yann, Bastien and Rémy came up with an original experiment. With two telescopic poles holding the boat up at each end, the students were first able to determine the longitudinal value of the center of gravity. Then, by tilting the boat, they were able to work out the latter’s height.
These initial estimations were rounded off by tests during a morning session at Ifremer’s test pool. They particularly studied the impact of moving water masses on the boat and its roll period.
The students will be able to use all of these results to obtain reliable modeling of the boat and test out solutions on it..
We are in very regular contact with the two rowers as we have to factor in their conditions and take their experiences into account to find the most fitting solution, which will enable them to set a new record.
Yann, Bastien and Rémy still have several evenings and weekends of work ahead of them as they are carrying out this IMPACT project in their own time. Yann is returning to his company in the South of France as part of his co-operative engineering course, but will continue to participate alongside Bastien and Rémy with, as their shared objective: a reliable vessel ready to depart in 2025!
* The 3 ENSTA Bretagne students involved: Rémy Hedde, general engineering course(2025 cohort), Bastien Lohezic, co-operative mechanical engineering course (2025 cohort), Yann Tardé, co-operative mechanical engineering course (2026 cohort),
