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.

16.05.2008

Gitana 13 sailing from Dalian to Qingdao.

The maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is continuing its Asian adventure and headed southwards to Qingdao this morning at 05h46m58s UT. A town in the Chinese province of Shandong, Qingdao will play host to the sailing events in the next Olympic Games.

par Gitana

It will be a symbolic stopover for the Gitana Team then, as well as being another opportunity to try and snatch a record time from Ellen MacArthur. The English sailor covered the 265 miles which separate Dalian from Qingdao in 1 day 2 minutes and 53 seconds. Despite the short distance to cover, Lionel Lemonchois and his men know that these few miles across the Yellow Sea could well reserve some unexpected encounters, such as the numerous fishing boats and drifting nets which slowed the maxi-catamaran’s progress during the record between Yokohama and Dalian.

Shortly after crossing the start line situated off Dalian, the ‘crew-writer’, Nicolas Raynaud, conveyed this to us: “We crossed ‘the line’, that of our previous arrival in Dalian, at 5h46’58”UT. We have a nice little E’ly breeze of around fifteen knots and flat seas. We’re reaching under mainsail/ solent with 15/18 knots of boatspeed. The sun is finding it difficult to pierce the cloud layer and the visibility is slightly less than 1 mile. There’s a real chill in the air so we’re covered up as if it’s the month of February.”

Weather flash from Sylvain Mondon (Météo France)
A disturbance situated over Peking is generating 10 to 15 knot SE’ly winds in Korea Bay. This system is shifting towards the east and is passing across Dalian over the course of Friday night. The result of this shift is that winds will clock round to the south temporarily. Indeed, a second system currently forming over Zhengzhou is shifting slowly to the east, which will cause the winds to back to the SE and then E on Saturday morning over the north of the Yellow Sea.
Rain will colour the proceedings again for Gitana 13, as well as a period of rather light winds of between 5 and 10 knots during the transition between the two disturbed systems.

Sylvain Mondon

The crew of Gitana 13 between Dalian and Qingdao
Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / helmsman / watch leader)
Ludovic Aglaor / Olivier Wroczynski / Nicolas Raynaud / Antoine Mermod / David Boileau / Léopold Lucet

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