Born from the historic coffee trade routes that once set sail from Le Havre, the Transat Café L’OR is now the largest double-handed transatlantic race. Since 1993, it has combined technical mastery, adventure, and pure seamanship: more than 4,300 miles from Normandy to Martinique, through the lows of the Bay of Biscay, the trade winds, and the tropics.
Four classes. Four routes. Four winning double-handed crews. SLAM is on board this story, alongside those who live the sea and the ocean in three different ways: the continuity of Arnaud Boissières sailing with Benjamin Dutreux, the human precision of Manuel Cousin with Jean-Baptiste Daramy, and the inventive pragmatism of Louis Duc together with Masa Suzuki.
beyondthehorizon
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OFFICIAL REPLICA
The Beyond the Horizon Team
Arnaud Boissières
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Arnaud Boissières
Arnaud Boissières is a sailor who embodies perseverance and a pure passion for the sea. Known among friends and fans as ‘Cali,’ Boissières is not only a sailor with years of experience, but a person who exudes great humility and a strong joie de vivre, qualities that make him a unique and beloved figure throughout the world of ocean sailing. He is the only skipper to have completed five consecutive Vendée Globes, each of which he has always tackled with a balance of tenacity and serenity, demonstrating a great respect for the sea and for the extreme challenge that this adventure provides. A true French sailing legend.
Manuel Cousin
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Manuel Cousin
During the 2020 Vendée Globe, his second edition, Manuel crossed the line in 103 days with a broken keel ram! After he had spent the first half of his life as an entrepreneur, he decided to make his dream come true and devote himself to ocean sailing, leaving his home in Normandy and settling in Les Sables-d'Olonne. In 2013, he joined the Class40 circuit and for four seasons he sailed his way between Transat Jacques Vabre and Québec/Saint-Malo, before joining the IMOCA class in 2017. To prepare for his second Vendée Globe, he took part in all the major regattas on the circuit – Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum, Retour à la Base, New York-Vendée – accumulating enough miles (19,825) to reach the top of the qualifications for non-new boats and validate his participation in the 2024 edition.
Louis Duc
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Louis Duc
For Louis Duc, there are no problems, only solutions, such as the one he implemented during a leg of the Mini Transat, when he dismasted but managed to put the mast back in place in the middle of the Atlantic, all by himself on a small 6.50 metres hull! And he is as daring at sea as he is ashore when it comes to ideas, so much so that he was the first to build a Class 40 with a ‘scow’ bow, i.e. with rounded front volumes and a mast with a single spreader. He loves a challenge, which is why he did not shy away from buying and rebuilding the old, burnt-out ‘PRB 3’ from 2007, taking his place on the starting line at his first Vendée in 2024.
BEYOND THE HORIZON | CHAPTER 03
WATCH THE EPISODES
Arnaud Boissières, the Continuity of the Sea
Crew: Arnaud Boissières and Benjamin Dutreux.
Boat: 4CAD – La Mie Câline (IMOCA FRA 09), VPLP-Verdier 2015.
A veteran of four Vendée Globe editions and an untiring optimist, “Cali” knows every sound of his boat. He embodies the essence of oceanic resilience: knowing the boat like a friend, listening to the sea, and moving forward. With SLAM, he shares the belief that reliability and passion are the truest form of gear. He loves the long course and the quiet of the Atlantic night.
Manuel Cousin, the Engineer Who Listens to the Waves
Crew: Manuel Cousin and Jean-Baptiste Daramy
Boat: Coup de Pouce (IMOCA FRA 123), Lauriot-Prévost / Verdier 2010.
A former industrial engineer, he left land behind to follow a lifelong dream: the ocean. He brings with him the precision of his trade and the sensitivity of someone who has chosen the sea as a new life. In his eyes lies the calm of those who analyze before they act. Through the Atlantic nights, he knows that winning means staying clear-headed, human, and in sync with his teammate.
Louis Duc, the Creative Spirit of the Ocean
Crew: Louis Duc and Masa Suzuki
Boat: Fives Group – Lantana Environnement (IMOCA FRA 172), Farr 2006.
Capable of transforming an IMOCA with his own hands, Louis Duc is both inventor and experimenter. He knows how to sail with few means and great ingenuity. For him, the ocean is both a laboratory and an adventure. Double-handed sailing means quick thinking, innovation, and mutual trust. His pioneering spirit reflects SLAM’s philosophy: to evolve without ever betraying the simplicity of seamanship.
The Final Miles to Martinique: Speed, Trade Winds, and Steady Nerves
In the last miles of the Transat Café L’OR, the race is decided by mere knots. The IMOCA fleet has been running for days under steady trade winds, pushing the boats beyond an average of 20 knots. The southern route, chosen by most of the fleet, proved perfect to avoid the harsher lows and allow the foilers to perform at their best: stable winds, moderate seas, long surfs, and hundreds of miles covered every day.
At these speeds, details make all the difference. Every trim, every squall handled, every rest shift counts. A squall — short but intense — can change everything in a few minutes. It takes composure and perfect understanding between crewmates to stay on pace.
The course toward Fort-de-France is now set, and the final stretch promises to be tight. In these last miles, it’s no longer just about speed: it’s about focus, endurance, and the ability to stay sharp until the very last breath of wind.
READY FOR THE OCEAN?
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