The IMOCA Persico-VPLP that carried four identities in seven years
IMOCA 60 foiler designed by VPLP Design and Guillaume Verdier, built by Persico Marine in Nembro (Italy) and launched in August 2015. The boat measures 18.28 m in length, 5.85 m in beam, with a 4.50 m draft. It raced under four successive identities before sinking off the coast of Portugal in November 2022.
Four names, three owners
- Vento di Sardegna (2015) — commissioned by Italian skipper Andrea Mura for the Vendée Globe 2016-2017. Mura loses his partners before the start, the boat is resold.
- No Way Back NED 160 (2016-2017) — purchased by Dutch skipper Pieter Heerema, who took it to the start of the Vendée Globe 2016-2017.
- Newrest – Art & Fenêtres (2017-2021) — acquired by Fabrice Amédéo in 2017, relaunched in 2018 under its new colors.
- Nexans – Art & Fenêtres (2021-2022) — Nexans replaced Newrest as main partner until the sinking.
Boat achievements
Under Pieter Heerema:
- 2nd Calero Marinas Solo Transat 2016
- 17th Vendée Globe 2016-2017
Under Fabrice Amédéo:
- 3rd Bermudes 1000 Race 2018, 12th Route du Rhum 2018
- 9th Transat Jacques Vabre 2019 (with Éric Péron)
- Vendée Globe 2020-2021: retired on December 11, 2020 due to total computer failure
- 10th Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 (with Loïs Berrehar)
The Ocean Calling scientific program
Since 2019, the boat has carried sensors developed with Ifremer, CNRS, the University of Bordeaux, and IRD to measure dissolved CO₂, salinity, temperature, microplastics, and environmental DNA. The data feeds oceanographic research programs on ocean health, validated by IOC-UNESCO as an official Ocean Decade contribution.
Sinking during the Route du Rhum 2022
On November 13, 2022, en route to Guadeloupe, the boat suffered flooding after a starboard ballast rupture. The batteries were submerged. Fabrice Amédéo decided to divert to Cascais. On the morning of November 14, an explosion caused a fire aboard. Amédéo abandoned ship, which sank shortly after off the Portuguese coast. The skipper was recovered by the MAERSK BRIDA cargo vessel and landed in the Azores.
