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.

26.08.2008

The Indian fires its first arrow.

The first half of the Indian Ocean and its powerful SE'ly tradewind have proven to be particularly cooperative with the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group. However, as Lionel Lemonchois announced yesterday, things are now becoming complicated. Whilst Gitana 13 was passing not far off the longitude of Mauritius this Tuesday mo…

par Gitana

The first half of the Indian Ocean and its powerful SE’ly tradewind have proven to be particularly cooperative with the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group. However, as Lionel Lemonchois announced yesterday, things are now becoming complicated. Whilst Gitana 13 was passing not far off the longitude of Mauritius this Tuesday morning, the tradewind was reaching the end of the road and is gradually dying out. Ahead of the bows of the giant of the seas a complicated weather situation is taking shape, in which the crew will have to know how to be opportunistic and constantly adapt in order to make the appropriately named Cape of Good Hope.

After spending four days on the same tack, racking up the miles at an average of over 26 knots, the pace has become more disjointed for Lionel Lemonchois and his nine man crew, forced to handle the meteorological instability: “Since yesterday afternoon, it’s been possible to observe a change in conditions. The wind has become more capricious both in terms of strength and direction. We’ve had squalls for most of the night and for the past two hours we’ve been battling to escape a large zone of calms, which has formed to the north-east of us” indicated Dominic Vittet shortly before 0600 UT.

For the crew of Gitana 13, the results of this new deal have been immediate. There has been a renewed flurry of activity on the deck of the vessel and it’s action all stations: “We’ve manoeuvred a lot more over the past 24 hours than we have in the past four days. The instability of the weather situation is forcing us to regularly modify the sail configuration: rolling in the small gennaker, taking a reef, dumping it, hoisting the large gennaker, rolling it in, hoisting the Solent… This morning, we’ve already made two gybes so it’s a bit of a scramble! On the other hand though, the manœuvres are often inversely proportional to the speed. We currently have 5 knots of breeze and Gitana 13 is making headway at more or less the same speed.”

The men of Gitana 13 know only to well that the route which is taking them as far as the Cape of Good Hope is dotted with hazards and the conditions enabling them to slip along at pace are but a distant memory. In addition, the latest forecasts for rounding the cape are not optimistic: “Today the grib files are indicating that when we get to Port Elizabeth on 30th August (the south-east tip of Africa), we won’t get round!” said the onboard navigator, before concluding: “Here though, the distribution of the unexpected is a permanent phenomenon. Things can evolve very quickly and between now and our arrival along the African coast, the door may well open”.

Aboard the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, wisdom, patience and opportunism will be the three key words over the coming days.

A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32” (UT)
On Tuesday 26th August at 07h45 (UT), Gitana 13 was sailing at 27°40.32 S / 58°37.68 E

Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman / head of deck fittings)

Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod (trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)

Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer) / Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)

Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)

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