Eric Letellier

The Jolokia aluminium Open 50, used for research on nanoplastics

Around 2020, Eric Letellier and Pierre Bardoux acquired the sailboat Jolokia, an aluminium Open 50 (Rhum 50 class) designed by Eric Baranger and built in 2003 by Grand Large Shipyard. The goal is not pure racing: the boat serves as a platform for La Voix de l'Océan, a project led with the Longitude 181 association, combining public awareness and water sample collection for university laboratories.

An Open 50 with multiple lives

Jolokia has already competed in two Route du Rhum races under Eric Jail (2014 and 2018, Rhum and Rhum Mono classes), and has held the Lorient–Mauritius record via the Cape of Good Hope (68 days 22 hours 52 minutes 2 seconds) set by Eric Bellion as part of the Défi Intégration — the first WSSRC-certified oceanic record for a mixed crew of able-bodied and disabled sailors. Letellier and Bardoux took over around 2020 to turn it into a long-distance scientific research vessel.

⚠️ Do not confuse with the ex-Djuice Dragons VO60 based in Lorient, sailed since 2012 by the Team Jolokia association led by Eric Bellion and Pierre Meisel — two distinct boats sharing the name Jolokia.

La Voix de l'Océan with Longitude 181

The program relies on collecting seawater samples for nanoplastics research, in collaboration with Stony Brook SoMAS (USA) and Staffordshire University (UK). The boat sails targeted routes to gather data that labs cannot collect themselves, alongside public awareness actions led by Longitude 181.

Key points

• Co-owner and skipper of the aluminium Open 50 Jolokia with Pierre Bardoux since around 2020.
• Project lead for La Voix de l'Océan in partnership with the Longitude 181 association.
• Sample collection for Stony Brook SoMAS (USA) and Staffordshire University (UK) on nanoplastics.