Groupe Dubreuil 2: A New IMOCA Designed for the Next Generation of Offshore Racing

The unveiling of Groupe Dubreuil 2 marks another significant milestone in the evolution of the IMOCA class. Developed for skipper Sébastien Simon, the new yacht is the result of a close collaboration between the skipper, his technical team and Guillaume Verdier’s design office, with a shared objective: creating a boat capable of competing at the highest level in the next Vendée Globe while pushing the boundaries of modern offshore yacht design.

Rather than building upon an existing platform, the project was conceived as a new design from the outset. Every aspect of the yacht has been carefully considered to achieve an optimal balance between raw performance, controllability and reliability across the wide range of conditions encountered during solo ocean racing.

A Design Driven by Experience

The development of Groupe Dubreuil 2 builds on more than a decade of experience in designing foiling IMOCA yachts. Every generation has contributed valuable lessons, allowing the design team to refine its understanding of hull dynamics, foil behaviour and the complex interaction between aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces.

This accumulated knowledge provided the foundation for exploring new solutions rather than simply refining previous concepts.

Performance Through Balance

Offshore performance is not solely determined by maximum speed. A successful IMOCA must remain efficient over thousands of miles while allowing the skipper to maintain a consistently high level of performance.

The design of Groupe Dubreuil 2 therefore seeks to optimise the overall balance of the yacht. Hull geometry, appendages, weight distribution and onboard ergonomics have all been developed as part of a single, integrated design philosophy.

The objective is to create a yacht that remains predictable, stable and efficient across a broad range of sea states, enabling the skipper to sail with confidence while reducing physical fatigue during long offshore races.

Inspired by High-Performance Design

Advances made in recent years across elite sailing disciplines continue to influence offshore yacht design. Research carried out in high-performance foiling environments provides valuable insights into stability, control and hydrodynamic efficiency, while every solution must ultimately be adapted to the very different realities of solo ocean racing.

For Groupe Dubreuil 2, these principles have been integrated into a design specifically developed for long-distance offshore competition, where reliability and consistency remain just as important as outright speed.

A Collaborative Development

As with every custom IMOCA project, the design process has been based on continuous collaboration between the architect, engineers, builders and skipper.

Throughout the project, design decisions have been guided not only by numerical simulations and engineering analysis, but also by extensive practical experience accumulated through successive generations of offshore racing yachts.

This collaborative approach ensures that every component contributes to a coherent and highly optimised platform designed to meet the demands of the world’s most challenging solo races.

Looking Ahead

With Groupe Dubreuil 2 now unveiled, the focus shifts toward sea trials and the progressive development programme leading to the next major offshore events.

For Guillaume Verdier Design, the project represents another opportunity to explore innovative architectural solutions while continuing the ongoing evolution of the IMOCA class—where each new generation builds upon the lessons of the previous one in the pursuit of greater performance, efficiency and control.

More info: https://groupedubreuil.maglr.com/reveal-imoca-groupe-dubreuil-ll-communique/revelation