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.

15.08.2008

A gentle take-off for Gitana 13.

The clock has been ticking for the past 24 hours aboard Gitana 13. Indeed the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group set off yesterday morning, Thursday 14th August at 0755'32'' UT, leaving Hong Kong in its wake. As per usual these initial hours at sea have been an opportunity for the ten crew to find their sea-legs: the habitual…

par Gitana

The clock has been ticking for the past 24 hours aboard Gitana 13. Indeed the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group set off yesterday morning, Thursday 14th August at 0755’32” UT, leaving Hong Kong in its wake. As per usual these initial hours at sea have been an opportunity for the ten crew to find their sea-legs: the habitual crew rediscovering their marks and the newcomers Pascal Blouin, Ronan Guérin and Laurent Mermod finding them.

The records follow on one after the other but are not always the same… In contrast to the initial hours of the North Pacific crossing, which saw the crew of Gitana 13 caught off guard, those on the Tea Route are heading off in ‘gentle’ mode.
Setting out from Hong Kong yesterday morning, Lionel Lemonchois and his men have benefited from a mild breeze with which to begin their record attempt bound for London. A flat sea and a 10-13 knot breeze, easing with the start of the second day at sea, such are the current weather conditions on offer to the sailors of Gitana Team in order to make headway upwind in the China Sea. However, they won’t have long to appreciate the calms: “These conditions are a pleasant way to break into our stride, but they’re not enabling us to make good speed towards the goal. We’re going to have to hunt down some veins of wind in order to pick up the pace.”

One slight blip in this otherwise idyllic scenario: an unbearable heat: “It’s extremely hot here. We’re sailing between the Tropic of Cancer and the equator and the sun is pretty vertical as a result. In the sunshine it’s between 30 and 40°C, and the temperatures barely drop overnight. This heat being almost unbearable in the gangways and bunks, some of my travelling companions opted for the deck and the skies above the China Sea as the backdrop for their first period of rest” commented the onboard navigator.

In terms of navigation, Lionel Lemonchois and his men are currently continuing southwards on an upwind tack. However, as Dominic Vittet confirmed, the crew of Gitana 13 will change tack over the coming hours in order to close on the Vietnamese coast; the goal being to hunt down a wind which they hope will prove steadier further inshore.

Gitana 13’s watch system
There are ten crew aboard Gitana 13 for this record between Hong Kong and London. In order to constantly take turns on the deck of the 33 metre catamaran, the crew have been split into 3 watches of three men. Dominic Vittet, the onboard navigator in charge of the weather onboard, is floating between watches.

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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