HISTORY
Installed close to the Vannes harbour (Britany, France) since 2005, finot-conq perpetuates since 2009 the activities of groupe finot in the field of new boats development and design (both crusing and racing, as well as one-off yachts), and is responsible for the maintenance of existing designs.
At the time responsible for the boats maintenance at the famous Les Glenans sailing school, and freshly graduated in Architecture, Jean-Marie Finot designs the Ecume de Mer for his own usage. The prototype is built in aluminum by Huisman in the Nederlands. In 1969, the Mallard shipyard begin producing it in series and in composite materials.
It is a resounding success : 1385 units will be built until 1980.The Ecume de Mer wins the Quarter Ton Cup in 1970 and 1972. It receives the first ever french "Boat of the Year" award in 1975.
1968
1970
groupe finot is created in the outskirts of Paris.
1975
Revolution wins the Admirald's Cup. Between 1976 and 1979, it wins the RORC championship four times in a row.
1977
The First 22 is the beginning of a collaboration with the Beneteau shipyard that has never stopped since, and gave birth to a few of the biggest successes ever in recreational sailing : Between 1977 and 2019, Beneteau sold over 25000 sailing yachts designed by groupe finot and finot-conq.
1985
Pascal Conq, freshly graduated in Architecture, joins groupe finot, just after having won the sailing Tour de France.
Pascal Conq designs and builds the first racing yacht with a canting keel, « Urgent », designed to the Micro class rule.
1982
1989
First victory in the Mini-Transat with « Thom’pousse ». Open type boats, wide and light, are born.
The Vendee Globe adventure begins. Alain Gautier on Generali Concorde suffers from a rig breakage while he is far ahead of his competitors. He finishes the race nontheless, in 6th place. groupe finot designed boats win all next four races (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004).
1990
groupe finot designs the new one-design boat for the Course du Figaro : The Figaro Beneteau. It remains in use until 2002.
1991
An exceptional year at Beneteau : the First 210 is born. It will be produced, under different names and updates, for 28 years.
2000
Pascal Conq moves closer to the racers and the shipyards, and settles in Vannes.
2002
The Pogo 2 opens our collaboration with the Stuctures shipyard. It wins the series category of the Mini-Transat 5 times.
2004
Vincent Riou sails PRB to a win in the Vendée Globe. This is the first, and still the only IMOCA to this date that won twice : Michel Desjoyeaux won the race in 2000 on the same boat.
2005
A new building is designed by, and built for groupe finot close to the harbour in Vannes.
The team of 4 moves in, Pascal Conq , David de Prémorel, Pierre Forgia, Erwan Gourdon as well as several other companies in the yachting industry.
2007
Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss set a new world speed record over 24h in a 60 feet monohull, nreaking the 500 nautical miles barrier.
2009
finot-conq SARL is founded in Vannes.
It perpetuates the activities of groupe finot in the field of new boats development and design, and is responsible for the maintenance of existing designs. groupe finot lives on, focusing more on research, miscellaneous projects (emergency housing, river housing,...) and dinghies.
Benoit Marie on the mythical mini #667 brings home a 6th win for finot-conq boats in the Transat 6,50.
2013
2014
finot-conq is honored by an international award : Our 100 fett superyacht Nomad IV get the presigious Show Boat Design Award in the Naval Architecture-Sailing Yacht category in Kitzbühel (Autriche).
2019
The Oceanis 46.1 wins the European Yacht Of The Year award, the 7th for finot-conq.
