Come In Vendée, Jean-François Pellet’s project

With a brand new concept, opening up to small businesses and putting them all on an equal footing, the sailor from Les Sables, Jean-François Pellet is taking up the challenge of uniting as many partners as necessary to line up at the start of the 2016 Vendée Globe. Jeff, who did not hesitate in selling his house to get involved in this adventure, explains what he is doing to be able to compete in the 2016 Vendée Globe.  

Jeff, we know that you have taken part in several Mini Transats, the Solitaire du Figaro, the Transat Jacques Vabre and transatlantic events on racing cats, but this "Come In Vendée" project is very different. This time, you’re talking about racing in the 2016 Vendée Globe. Can you sum up the basic idea? 

Jeff Pellet: "The aim is to set off in the next Vendée Globe on a boat called "Come In Vendée", which will be competing thanks to all the small businesses in Vendée coming together. The project aims to be easy to access and woth everyone on the same level. The cost for a partner is 700 euros for three years. I’ll also have some technical partners staring at 3000 euros. And everyone will have equal billing in terms of the communication."

How many businesses will it take to enable you to be there at the start?

JFP:  "The basic idea is to bring together 2000 firms by 2016. “Come In Vendée" puts everyone on the same footing to promote businesses in Vendée and to gather popular support for the boat. Thanks to this concept, a self-employed worker can become a partner just like the CEO of a company with more than 1000 employees. That is in fact already the case amongst our members."  

How far have you got so far?

JFP:  "The project officially got going two months ago and we already have around a hundred partner firms and practically the same number of members being added. The best way of bringing people together is through our businesses. This is in fact the first time I’ve ever received support without going out and asking for it. I think people are attracted to the low cost and the fact that everyone gets equal billing. We have to keep this thing snowballing. The goal is to see a total of 700 firms behind us by the end of the year. The operation still isn’t that well known, so we need to publicise it, which involves a lot of work, but we believe in it."

People are saying that you had to sell you business and house to get this project up and running…

JFP:  "It’s true, but it’s not something I’m stressing. Let’s just say that you have to start off with something. I don’t have a gold-plated account at the bank and I had to stop working as skipper of a passenger vessel in Africa to spend my time on this project. So, yes, I did put my house and business up for sale, which simply corresponds to my personal investment. I’m trying to do my utmost to be able to live my dream of competing in the Vendée Globe and succeeding in this project, by taking on board as many firms as I can, all on the same footing, and that is what motivates me. It’s just as fascinating working on this project as actually sailing solo around the world."

Having said that, the fact that you are willing to take this personal risk must be helpful in winning over partners…

JFP:  "I think that it is more a case of the project itself winning people over. I’ve been riding my motor-bike all over Vendée to present "Come In Vendée". I’m presenting the project to major companies, but also in restaurants, hair salons, bars, alongside various tradesmen… Among our members, there are some who have chosen to pay in three instalments, 233 euros per year. And they will be experiencing the adventure exactly like big companies, with more than a thousand employees. That’s what people like, I think."

What are your odds on being there at the start?

JFP:  "I’m 90% certain that I’ll be at the start of the next Vendée Globe. Today, we are more or less certain that we’ll be able to get the funding sorted out to get an older boat. But the more partners that join up, the newer the boat can be. The first goal is to be there at the start and to make it all the way around. For my first Vendée, we’d like to get a budget of around 1.5 million euros. That’s far removed from the big teams, who are lining up with boats from the latest generation and hoping to make it to the podium, but it is enough to be able to enjoy competing and to share this great adventure with others. If we manage to attract more people to the project, there are some great boats from the 2008 generation out there on the market. That would be the icing on the cake."

You are very much attached to Les Sables d'Olonne. Will that always be the case?

JFP:  "Les Sables is my home port and base. I started out delivering boats from here for the big Vendée firms, when I was eighteen. Racing came after that… and very often I was sponsored by Vendée based firms. In the last Vendée Globe, I was in charge of security at the start out on the water, and it was highly emotional to enter the harbour entrance channel aboard my RIB. So setting sail from here and finishing here after sailing non-stop solo around the world is bound to be exhilarating. I want to round the three capes at least once in my life. Ideally, we’ll get our hands on a boat in early 2015 and get out there sailing as soon as possible."(www.vendeeglobe.org)