IMOCA racer reconverted into self-builder of his own schooner
Thierry Dubois was born on February 24, 1967 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Trained as a naval engineer, he raced single-handed in the Mini and then IMOCA classes between 1993 and 2003, with two Vendée Globe entries on his record. After the Around Alone 2002-2003, he left racing and spent the next six years designing and then building his own schooner by hand.La Louise, a 19 m epoxy-molded wooden 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 years old. On January 5, 1997, his IMOCA capsizes in the southern Indian Ocean about 1,500 nautical miles southwest of Perth. He spends three days clinging to the overturned hull before being rescued on January 8 by the Australian frigate HMAS Adelaide, shortly before Tony Bullimore was rescued a few miles away. This episode made him known to the general public — and would influence his later career: he returned for the Vendée Globe 2000-2001, 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. Actual 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 epoxy-molded topsail schooner weighing 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 Knight of the Order of Maritime Merit in 2024.
Achievements
- 1993 — Winner of the Mini-Transat on Amnesty International (Rolland design), the only competitor to reach Funchal non-stop after the race course was canceled.
- 1994 — Route du Rhum: retired.
- 1995 — Open UAP (European tour in 60-footer): winner on Pour Amnesty International.
- 1996-1997 — Vendée Globe: capsized in the Indian Ocean on January 5, 1997, rescued on January 8 by the Australian frigate HMAS Adelaide.
- 2000 — English Transat: 4th on Solidaires (IMOCA 60, Joubert-Nivelt design, launched in 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) on Solidaires: 2nd overall behind Bernard Stamm, winner of the 4th leg.
- 2010 — Launch of La Louise, a 19 m epoxy-molded wooden schooner, Nigel Irens design, self-built on the Ria d'Étel.
- 2024 — Knight of the Order of Maritime Merit.
