This coming Sunday (2 Nov) Yann Guichard plans to start the Route du Rhum, the singlehanded 3,500nm race from St Malo to Guadeloupe aboard the world’s biggest trimaran Spindrift 2.

At 131ft (40m) LOA with a beam of 77ft (23m) she is the combined size of three tennis courts and dwarfs every other competitor in the 88 boat fleet.

She’s holds nine world records and is easily the fastest offshore racing boat in the world. But she’s a boat that has been fully crewed for all of these records and when you see her up close it is easy to see why. There are no powered winches and when it comes to her sail plan there is nothing you can lift on your own.

So how on earth is Guichard going to handle this beast alone?

Earlier this year I travelled to the team base in La Trinite sur Mer in Brittany, France where I sailed with Guichard and his crew to find out.

This months YW (Nov 14) carries that feature where Guichard explains how and why he thinks he can do it.

Meanwhile, here’s the video of my trip aboard the world’s biggest trimaran.

Or watch the larger higher definition version on our You Tube channel