A Partnership Etched in Ice
“A partner who matters is a partner who endures,” writes Erwan Le Lann, co-founder of the MAEWAN association with his wife Marion, who serves as its president. Indeed, when sailing through the planet’s most remote seas, you must be able to rely on your equipment: “otherwise a 'Breakdown, breakdown' quickly becomes a 'Mayday, mayday' that no one will hear at the other end of the world,” concludes Erwan. That’s why they have (once again) turned to us to equip their expedition schooner for their project The Voice of the Arctic.
For the past seven years, the MAEWAN association has traveled the globe with Wichard & Wichard Groupe equipment onboard: “a 25-year-old Profurl furler, roller-bearing blocks for the mainsheet tackle, forged friction rings, an indestructible Andersen winch…,” lists Erwan.
So, for the rest of this logbook entry, we hand the pen to Erwan Le Lann—leader of the association’s next expedition, The Voice of the Arctic, and a perfect ambassador for our reliable, high-performance products.
“In a world where lack of durability is one of the greatest environmental plagues, the robustness of this equipment is more than just comfort: it’s a committed act. We thank the Wichard brand and the Wichard Groupe for their durable products—and above all, for coming aboard with us in this new adventure aboard our new sailboat: Maewan V.”
From New Zealand to France: Logbook of a Seasoned Crew
Buying a sailboat means experiencing a whirlwind of emotions: euphoria, doubts, worry, excitement. Thanks to a friend, we discovered The Blizzard, an Australian-designed sailboat built for Antarctica: a 19-meter aluminum schooner with a weighted centerboard. Few boats meet our demanding criteria for adventure, but this one certainly does.
In early January, things accelerate. We fly to New Zealand to finalize the purchase, take possession of the boat, and sail it back to France. Halfway around the world aboard a vessel we’ve never sailed before: yet another challenge.
La découverte du voilier nous conforte. Bill, le propriétaire, l'a très bien entretenu, il navigue régulièrement à son bord et m'accompagne dans sa prise en main avec une rare honnêteté.
Our first contact with the boat is reassuring. Bill, the owner, has maintained her well, sails regularly, and supports me through the handover with remarkable honesty.
On March 8, in Auckland, we cast off. Heading for Cape Horn. Onboard: Gérald, an offshore racing skipper; Pédro, a passionate sailor; Bernard, one of the pillars of this new project; Blanche and Margaux, our invaluable crewmates (Margaux also being our son’s nanny); Marion, my wife; our son Hoël—three years old and ready to brave the Great South—and myself.
The journey begins in flat calm. Heading farther south worries us: it’s the end of the austral summer, and autumn can be fierce. We choose a route that balances caution with efficiency, skirting the roaring fifties.
Ten days in, we lose our internet connection—and with it, the weather forecasts. Navigation becomes instinctive, cautious, uncertain. What will happen tonight, tomorrow morning, tomorrow night? We reduce sail sooner, stand watch longer. Luckily, Aeolus is kind: steady winds between 15 and 45 knots carry us to the Strait of Magellan. On April 11, we reach Punta Arenas, after a month in the South Pacific.
Patagonia, the Atlantic, and the Route North
Three days later, after some repairs, customs formalities, resupplying (food, gas, diesel), and a partial crew change, we raise anchor and head toward the South Atlantic. Onboard, we welcome Éric Loizeau and the Trois Mousquetons (“Three Carabiners”, but with a play on words with the French novel Les Trois Mousquetaires written by Alexandre Dumas)—Lorenzo, Gaspard, and Lucas, climbers who hitchhiked from Paris to attempt a Patagonian ascent. Their return trip? Aboard Maewan V!
Hoël makes new friends. Almost a Cape Horner at three, he’s more and more at home on this boat that is slowly becoming our floating house.
But the countdown has begun: we must be in Nice by June 4 to take part in the UNOC (United Nations Ocean Conference). No time to dawdle. Though not a race, we must maintain a high average speed. Optimizing every knot of wind, staying alert day and night—the crossing becomes a nautical marathon.
A Committed Crossing
While we push for performance, Marion works tirelessly: coordinating the association’s actions, organizing our participation in the UNOC, co-leading—alongside Race For Water—the new “expedition cluster” launched by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, uniting key players committed to protecting the Ocean. No one is lounging about, even as temperatures rise. The tropics welcome us with violent storms.
The boat begins to show signs of fatigue: worn sails and lines, weakened blocks, a broken fan... But what a boat! Day after day, Maewan V holds its course without fail. And so, after 25 days of hard beating into the trade winds, we finally pass Gibraltar.
On June 6 in the morning, we arrive in Nice. Unfortunately, 24 hours too late for the scheduled portside activities. A frustration, of course... but what pride to be here, after three months of intense sailing, with this new vessel that we’re immensely proud of.
End of Erwan’s Logbook Excerpt
Between MAEWAN & Wichard, the Adventure Is Just Beginning
Wichard had already supported the MAEWAN association on its seven-year world tour. It’s only natural that this trusted relationship continues with this new journey through the icy waters of the Arctic—a perfect proving ground for the durability of our equipment! But of course, our motivation goes far beyond testing our fittings. We’re proud to sail alongside those who take action to protect the environment, people, and the planet as a whole.
The Voice of the Arctic project pursues three main goals:
- Support an inclusive and equitable environmental movement that actively involves Arctic peoples in preserving biodiversity,
- Implement an action-research program (glaciology, marine biology, virology) to better understand human impact in the Arctic,
- Strengthen civic engagement for the protection of Arctic biodiversity across all levels of society (citizens, youth, policymakers), through the MAEWAN ambassadors’ collective (elite athletes, scientists, educational experts, activists, and environmental organizations).
Wichard fully supports these ambitions and is proud to continue the communication effort begun in this logbook by adventurer Erwan Le Lann.
With Maewan V, a new chapter begins. And with Wichard on board, it promises to be nothing short of extraordinary—and long-lasting.