Born in Floirac in 1968, Raphaël Dinelli left a sales career at 20 to train in sailing at Quiberon. A rigger at Titouan Lamazou's yard, he took part in the Solitaire du Figaro from 1993 to 1995.
In 1996 he started the Vendée Globe on Algimouss, the former Crédit Agricole IV, despite a disputed qualification. On 25 December the boat capsized in a storm and sank; Pete Goss rescued him and took him to Hobart. The two finished fifth in the 1997 Transat Jacques-Vabre.
He had Sodebo built (Finot-Conq design, canting wing mast), launched in 1998, and split with the sponsor in 1999. He retired from the 2000 Vendée Globe, finished the 2004 edition on Akena Verandas, then 10th in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe on Fondation Océan Vital.
In 2007 he created the Océan Vital foundation, devoted to renewable energy, and later became involved in solar electric aviation projects.
