Retractable Y-shaped foils, adjustable in three dimensions

Inspired by the appendages of the America's Cup foiling monohulls, these Y-shaped foils have a wingspan of over 5 metres. They are designed to generate powerful lift, increase power and offer a wide range of adjustments to optimise flight at every point of sail and in all conditions. Beyond their impressive size, these foils feature many unique innovations.

Revolutionary U-shaped rudders

These are probably the most visually striking innovations on the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. To fly high above rough seas while maintaining control, the team wanted very long rudders that would remain in contact with the water. The challenge is that longer rudders tend to flex under load, severely affecting steering and the efficiency of their lifting surfaces. A new geometry was needed to give these appendages maximum stiffness, resist cavitation and ultimately improve control of the boat and make better use of its power. The result is a set of U-shaped rudders over 4 metres long, a metre longer than those on Gitana 17. Their shape, reminiscent of a tripod or an inverted π, is only the visible part of what makes them so distinctive.

A daggerboard optimised to stabilise the boat and limit cavitation

With its wide span, the daggerboard resembles an aircraft tail assembly, with two adjustable flaps: one on the vertical section and the other on the horizontal section, the distinctive “manta-ray wing”. On Gitana 18, the innovation is to position this wing behind the vertical part of the appendage, rather than directly beneath it, to minimise flow disturbance and cavitation.

Rig: adjustable spreaders to control mainsail power while sailing

Gitana 18’s mast is 1.50 metres taller than its predecessor’s. The boom is also shorter, creating a more slender sail plan. The major innovation is a set of spreaders that can be adjusted while sailing to bend the mast fore and aft. Actuated by hydraulic rams, these spreaders can pivot through 35 degrees to adjust the bend in the middle of the mast. This unprecedented system allows the sailor to control mainsail power: adding depth in light winds to take off sooner, or flattening the sail to reduce power at high speed or in strong winds. Adjusting the depth, and therefore the power, of the mainsail can also save a solo sailor time and energy by reducing the need for risky manoeuvres or headsail changes.

Central hull:
an integrated, structural coachroof

The naval architects and Gitana design team wanted an exceptionally stiff, structurally robust platform. This applies both to the floats, which must withstand heavy loads from the foils and rudders, and to the central hull, which is subject to torsion. The enclosed coachroof is integrated into the hull and contributes to its structural strength. Inside, the cockpit brings all sail-handling controls together, with ergonomics shaped by many hours of design and development. The coachroof also stands out for the number and size of its windows. This configuration meets the visibility requirements of the Ultim class rules and gives sailors the best possible view to keep a visual watch.

27.10.2014

Edmond de Rothschild 6 days from the off.

par Gitana

Entering the lock is synonymous with entering into the race! exclaims Sébastien Josse. In the early hours of last Friday, following on from an express delivery trip between Lorient and Saint Malo that took a matter of hours, the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild made her entrance into the Bassin Vauban. Whilst the effervescence of this major race start is palpable along the ramparts of the corsair city, the trimaran fitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild sits patiently, safely tied to the dock, ready for the fray. Her skipper, Sébastien Josse, is gradually enveloping himself in his solo garb as he awaits the starting gun on Sunday 2 November at 1400 hours local time.

“An exceptional opportunity, of sheer enjoyment”
This 10^th edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe is an unmissable meeting in the world of ocean racing and the skipper of the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild is especially happy to be here competing in his first solo transatlantic race aboard a multihull. In fact, this rookie status is perfectly fitting and it takes him right back to his beginnings in a monohull in early 2000: “I haven’t been back to Saint Malo since my participation in the race in 2002 aboard an Imoca 60. The Rhum ended very early on for me, but I have very fond memories of the period prior to the race. Saint Malo is a very beautiful town with a fine architectural heritage thanks to its basins bordering the walled city. There’s a real atmosphere here and that further adds to the magic of the Route du Rhum,” admitted Sébastien Josse at the weekend. Indeed the skipper of the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild is savouring the opportunity that has been given to him with both hands: “The Route du Rhum is part of the legend of French sailing. Participating in it is an exceptional opportunity for a sailor and to do it in the star class of Ultimes (Ultimates) is an honour. It’s sheer enjoyment for me!”

Getting into his bubble
Present in Saint Malo throughout the weekend, Sébastien Josse – like a number of other skippers – has given himself a two-day break from the agitation of Saint Malo. However, the native of Nice will be back at the foot of the ramparts from Wednesday morning to satisfy the demands of the official pre-start meetings and media interviews: “This first weekend gives you a chance to gauge the temperature and get into the swing of things. From Wednesday onwards, things will be a bit different, as we’ll begin to get an idea of the weather trends so it’ll be time for me to focus on the upcoming race and gently get to the nub of the matter. The final days are important and you mustn’t lose track of your goal,” explains the skipper of Edmond de Rothschild.

With six days until the off, it’s still a bit early to rack one’s brain over the sky charts as the big day is still too far away to guarantee the reliability of the weather models. However, this intensely important phase of work with his routers – Jean-Yves Bernot and Antoine Koch – will commence on Wednesday through until start day.

In the wake of Gitana # 7, discover the final web series of the 2014 season

This month’s latest news / Welcome to Saint Malo!
Here we are! After the long months of work, fine-tuning and training, the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild and her skipper, Sébastien Josse, are in the Bassin Vauban in Saint Malo. The sporting objective, which the Gitana Team set itself at the start of the season, is within easy reach now… start day is almost upon us.

Meeting with … / David Boileau
David Boileau is the boat’s No.2, the boat captain on the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild. This final portrait of the season invites us to get to know this very particular technician-sailor, who is as passionate about the sea and adventure as he is about the technology developed on these multihull prototypes.

Technical speak / weather routing, do all roads lead to Pointe-à-Pitre?
Technology and the sportsman are key elements in performance and among them one of the trickiest subjects to grasp is the weather. Far from being an exact science, indeed we refer to information rather than forecasts, the weather can make life difficult for the solo sailors in the Route du Rhum. In the Ultimate class, the sailors will rely on the skills of specialists known as routers. For the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild, the Jean-Yves Bernot and Antoine Koch pairing will be at the controls. In this section, the major phenomena of the 3,500-mile course will be studied.

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