Damien Guillou Returns: Inside SOLAREM, His GGR 2026 Rustler 36 🇫🇷 | Full Boat Tour
3 September 2026 · 49 min · 2K views
What this video covers
Damien Guillou is preparing his Rustler 36 for the 2026 Golden Globe Race, implementing structural and mechanical modifications to address failures experienced during his previous attempt. To resolve issues with the self-steering system, he reinforced the transom by installing two custom support pieces that increase the angle of the lower tubes and anchor them directly to the hull’s structural stratification, preventing the flexing that previously caused bolt shear. He replaced the traditional hanked-on staysail with a roller-furling system to improve performance and ease of handling. His sail inventory includes a 115m² large spinnaker and an 83m² small spinnaker, both designed for use with a Hydrovane self-steering system. To manage power, he installed solar panels on a custom cockpit hard-top, which also provides shelter for maneuvers and serves as a structural support point. He maintains redundancy by carrying three complete Hydrovane units and splitting solar panel wiring between two independent regulators. For wind monitoring, he uses a simple fabric tell-tale as a reliable, non-electronic anemometer.
Boats in this video
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