The Mach 45, Manuard design by Nicolas Groleau
First model of the Mach 45 series, an IRC-rated offshore monohull designed by Sam Manuard for Nicolas Groleau, owner of JPS Production (La Trinité-sur-Mer). The boat was built in the JPS shed and launched on September 8, 2007.
Design and construction
- Hull length 13.80 m, beam 3.94 m, draft 2.70 m
- Displacement 5,200 kg, ballast 1,800 kg
- Carbon fiber/foam sandwich hull, one-shot infusion in female mold
- Canting keel, carbon fiber keel fin, two asymmetric daggerboards, two rudders
- Sail plan: mainsail 70 m², genoa 55 m², asymmetric spinnaker 250 m², bowsprit 4 m
- IRC rating TCC 1.316
Three successive names
The boat raced as Cartouche (from 2007), then Bretagne Telecom, then BT Blue. It remains Nicolas Groleau’s personal property and racing support.
Boat achievements
- Rolex Fastnet Race 2013 — 1st IRC Canting Keel as Cartouche
- Rolex Fastnet Race 2015 — 1st IRC Canting Keel as Bretagne Telecom
- Armen Race 2018 — 1st IRC 1 as BT Blue
- Rolex Fastnet Race 2019 — 2nd IRC Zero as Bretagne Telecom
