IMOCA racer turned boatbuilder of his own schooner
Thierry Dubois was born on February 24, 1967, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. A naval architecture engineer by training, he raced single-handed in the Mini and then IMOCA classes between 1993 and 2003, with two Vendée Globe entries to his name. After the Around Alone 2002-2003, he left racing and spent the next six years designing and then building with his own handsLa Louise, a 19 m molded-wood schooner designed by Nigel Irens, which he now operates on expedition cruises to Greenland from Étel.
La Louise is prepared by Skysat (installation, follow-up, annual maintenance).
The capsize of 1997 and rescue by HMAS Adelaide
First Vendée Globe, Dubois is 29. On January 5, 1997, his IMOCA capsized in the southern Indian Ocean about 1,500 nautical miles southwest of Perth. He spent three days clinging to the upturned hull before being rescued on January 8 by the Australian frigateHMAS Adelaide, shortly before Tony Bullimore, who was rescued a few miles away. This episode made him known to the general public — and influenced his later career: he returned for the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe, retired on December 26, 2000, due to electronic issues off New Zealand, and completed his circumnavigation out of the race from Bluff.
Six years building his own boat
Initial discussions with British naval architect Nigel Irens date back to 2002, during the Around Alone. Construction began in August 2004 on the Ria d'Étel and was completed in 2010 — roughly 23,000 cumulative hours between design and build, mostly done by Dubois alone. The result: a 19 m staysail schooner in epoxy molded wood, around 40 tonnes, 8-passenger capacity, designed for high latitudes. Home port Étel.
Today: expedition cruises to Greenland
Expedition cruise program departing from Étel: Iceland, Greenland, Baffin Sea. Dubois was appointed Chevalier of the Order of Maritime Merit in 2024.
Palmarès
- 1993 — Winner of the Mini-Transat onAmnesty International (Rolland design), the only competitor to reach Funchal nonstop after the course was shortened.
- 1994 — Route du Rhum: retired.
- 1995 — Open UAP (European tour in 60-footer): winner onPour Amnesty International.
- 1996-1997 — Vendée Globe: capsized in the Indian Ocean on January 5, 1997, rescued on January 8 by the Australian frigateHMAS Adelaide.
- 2000 — English Transat: 4th onSolidaires (IMOCA 60, Joubert-Nivelt design, launched March 1999).
- 2000-2001 — Vendée Globe: retired on December 26, 2000, due to electronic issues, stopover in Bluff (New Zealand), circumnavigation completed out of the race.
- 2002-2003 — Around Alone (solo round-the-world with stops) onSolidaires: 2nd overall behind Bernard Stamm, winner of the 4th leg.
- 2010 — Launch ofLa Louise, a 19 m epoxy molded-wood schooner, Nigel Irens design, self-built on the Ria d'Étel.
- 2024 — Chevalier of the Order of Maritime Merit.
