INSIGHT ISSUE 02 | 2021

17 INSIGHT | Prysmian Group Around the World PRYSMIAN GROUP EDITORIAL STAFF to communicate from on board lets the public experience the race along with us. I think it creates a great affinity that makes people interested, keep track, and actively take part throughout the Vendée Globe. The arrival of the top eight competitors in such a short time has been characterized by a very fast-paced race, and also by the fact that the weather systems allowed the leading group – despite the fact that sometimes some competitors were very far in front – to be overtaken several times by our group, that was slightly behind. So that’s how this race turned out. And precisely because of the weather in the last part of the regatta, the top 10 really got very close. The autopilot is like a real co-pilot, but a bionic one, because clearly it never gets tired! It plays a fundamental role. In a race like the Vendée Globe, like all solo races, without an autopilot, you really would not be able to complete the race. So let's say it's absolutely necessary to have a good, well- tuned pilot. And the time you spend at the helm is very little. We are talking about less than 10% of the total. If you are talking about a total blackout where you no longer have any power or instruments, the race is over. At that point, your priority simply becomes saving your life. A boat like that without power and instrumentation is ungovernable. I'm talking about instrumentation like the navigation system, the computer, and autopilot. So a complete power blackout. What you would do then is try to reach the nearest place on land to stop and bring the boat to safety, because without instrumentation it is impossible to sail such a sophisticated boat. Why do you think this Vendée was so close, so head-to-head? Was it because it is a long, slow race? Or is it because the boats all go the same in speed and the level is similar between them? Let’s talk about the autopilot. How long were you at the helm and howmuch faster or slower do you go with an autopilot? If you have a blackout on board, what would happen? How far could you sail?