The eighth Volvo Ocean 65 is under construction and will be launched next May - five months before the Volvo Ocean Race round-the-world regatta, in which she will take part. Details of the team that will race the boat will be known in early 2017.
The new Volvo Ocean 65 monotype will be identical to the other seven boats that participated in the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race. As Nick Bice, Director of Fleet Maintenance at VOR, pointed out, all Volvo Ocean 65s are built with the expectation of competing in two or even three round-the-world races, so the older Volvo Ocean 65s that survived the previous VOR season are now in excellent condition. The existing regatta fleet was thoroughly tested at the end of the 2014-2015 season.
In addition, all the old boats will be refitted and re-equipped before the next round-the-world event. Communications, safety systems, power generators and electronics will be replaced. The boats will also be equipped with newly designed sails.
The construction of the eighth VO 65 is underway at Persico Marine shipyard. Upon completion the boat will be measured for compliance with class rules.
The Volvo Ocean Race will start from Alicante in October 2017. Participants will make stops in 11 cities around the world, covering a total of 45,000 miles, before finishing in The Hague after more than eight months at sea.
