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.

16.05.2009

Yann Guichard and his crew confirm what they can do.

For the second day of racing in Venice, the sun was out and the wind was a bit stronger out on the water for the Extreme 40s. These spring-like conditions allowed the organisers to set up five races, which were all extremely close. Aboard Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild, Yann Guichard and his crew once again had a great day of racing, and th…

par Gitana

The experts, who commented on the racing in Venice, got it right: Yann Guichard and his crew have been the revelation at this opening event. Always sailing up at the front thanks to some excellent starts followed by some fine sailing, but also thanks to manoeuvres which were carried out with perfect timing, the crew of Gitana Extreme managed the best performance of the day: with a win in the second race, three second places and one sixth, the one-design boat owned by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild moved up a spot and took the lead in the provisional rankings. A result that was bound to satisfy Yann Guichard: “We’re happy! We managed to get some steady results and got off to some excellent starts throughout the afternoon, which certainly helps. But the positive element that I really wish to stress today is the way the team worked together. Whether we were in front or behind, the atmosphere was always great, which enabled us to get out of any tricky situations. Pierre Pennec, who is in charge of tactics on board, was quite simply brilliant, as the sail area was certainly not that easy to deal with. I think the results on this second day and our leadership in the provisional rankings show clearly what life is like aboard Gitana Extreme,” explained the skipper of Gitana Extreme before analysing the rankings: “In terms of points, we are close to Oracle, who are sailing very smoothly and once again today the races showed that things can change very quickly. Everything is still to play for. Tomorrow looks like being a close fight, but that is something we enjoy!“

The privilege of going aboard Gitana Extreme for a race …

If weather conditions allow, in other words if the wind does not strengthen to more than 18 knots, the crew invite a guest on board. This privileged fifth man can thus experience for himself the race from the inside.
Extracts: during the final approaches to the start, the boats are so close together that you can just reach out and touch your neighbours: you need to get in the right place and not be intimidated by your rivals, keep up the pressure while respecting race rules … You really need to master all these points, if you want to have a hope of setting off in the lead. Yann Guichard and his crew managed to do well in this little game. But once the line is crossed, you already start to focus on the windward buoy which lies ahead of your bows. We should add that the races in the iShares Cup are particularly short and that the races do not exceed twenty minutes. At this mark, where being in the right place is vial and the slightest mistake can cost you dearly, the excitement builds. It is indeed here that the rankings can change in just a few seconds and you can find yourself facing penalties. The fleet may be racing around two or three times, so the manoeuvres come rapidly one after the other, and the orders just keep coming. Yann Guichard at the helm directs his crew, but everyone knows his place perfectly and sails Gitana Extreme to the top of the rankings. One of those rare exciting moments, which will remain on our minds as something quite exceptional.

The crew of Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild

Yann Guichard (skipper-helmsman)
Pierre Pennec (mainsail trimmer, tactician), Christophe Lassegue (headsail trimmer, manoeuvres) and Hervé Cunningham (headsail trimmer, manoeuvres)

Rankings at the end of the day (after all the races)

1/ Gitana Extrême- Groupe LCF Rothschild (Yann GUICHARD) – 78 points
2/ BMW Oracle Racing (James Spithill) – 74 points
3/ Oman Sail Masirah (Pete Cumming) -69 points
4/ Oman Sail Renaissance (Loïck Peyron) – 66 points
5/ Holmatro (Carolijn Brouwer) – 59 points
6/ Luna (Erik Maris) – 45 points
7/ BT (Nick Moloney) – 45 points
8/ Groupama 40 (Gildas Philippe) – 44 points
9/ iShares – Shirley Robertson – 41 points
10/ Ecover – Mike Golding – 27 points

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