A new generation IMOCA hit the water in Lorient on Monday
Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia slipped their new IMOCA into the water at Lorient early Monday morning, marking the end of two years of intensive design and build work. The moment was emotional for everyone involved – over 150 people had poured 85,000 hours into creating Malizia 4, and seeing her floating for the first time justified every one of those hours.
The German skipper stood with many of his team as the boat touched the water near the CDK shipyard. “For months we have watched Malizia 4 take shape from drawings to being built piece by piece, and now seeing her finally in the water is very special,” Herrmann said. “I’m incredibly proud of the team and what we have achieved.”
By mid-morning, operations shifted to Quai Papin where the mast, boom, and rigging would be installed. The team planned to run static load tests from noon onwards, followed by the mandatory 90-degree stability test before beginning sea trials. Members of the public were welcome to watch the work, though from a safe distance.
What Herrmann and his team have built is a deliberate departure from their previous boat. Malizia 4 is narrower, flatter, and less rockered than its predecessor, designed to work across a wider range of conditions. The old boat excelled downwind in heavy weather, but the new one aims to be competitive upwind, in light winds, and through transitions – all while maintaining that heavy downwind strength.
A distinctive blade runs along the underside of the hull. Rather than being purely aesthetic, it serves a practical purpose: reducing the wetted surface when the boat heels, helping water separate cleanly and lowering drag. The foils themselves represent a compromise between Malizia’s previous C-shape designs and flatter options that perform better upwind. Built by C3 Technologies, they should match the downwind performance of Malizia-Seaexplorer while staying competitive with boats like MACIF in flatter water and lighter winds.
Herrmann reckons the biggest performance gains will come from the people sailing the boat, not the hardware. That philosophy shaped the new cockpit design. Instead of a tiller, Malizia 4 has steering wheels – ergonomic, sheltered, and responsive enough to let the skipper feel the boat’s every move. “Our goal is to win The Ocean Race and for that we think we need to hand steer, which can bring a bigger gain than a new hull or foil shape,” he explained.
The sistership programme involved an unusual collaboration. Team Malizia, TR Racing, and Team Banque Populaire pooled resources to develop and build three identical boats with naval architect Antoine Koch, design office Finot-Conq, and structural engineers Gsea Design. Sisterships from the other teams are due to launch in June 2026 and 2027 respectively.
Below deck, the cockpit windows give way to a fully enclosed design with living spaces tucked either side of the helm station. Two bunks sit in the aft cabin, with additional berths and a navigation area positioned close to the action above. The sail locker is up front and accessible through the side spaces. At 60 feet on the waterline with a 6-foot bowsprit, Malizia 4 meets IMOCA specifications. The hull and deck use Schütz’ CORMASTER honeycomb material, keeping weight down while maintaining stiffness.
The foils and rudders are painted Monaco red, as with all appendages on previous Team Malizia boats. The new V-tail rudders are another visible evolution, designed to improve boat trimming. A Generation 2 mast from Lorima stands 27 metres above deck, weighing 20 kilograms more than the previous version – the whole mast, boom, and rigging package coming in at around 540 kilograms.
Herrmann admits the emotional connection to the boat runs deeper than pure performance metrics. “A boat is not only a machine, it’s also something that you have an emotional relationship with. I’m already seeing it now. I find her so beautiful with her aggressive lines and distinctive Malizia colours, and I’m already very excited for the first sensations when we start sailing.”
Sea trials are coming soon. The team is primed and ready to finally put Malizia 4 through her paces.
