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.

09.09.2002

Gitana X back on the water….

The trimaran Gitana X is back in her element again after having spent 10 weeks in the yard having her crossbeams reinforced. 64 days before the start of the Route du Rhum, the Gitana Team is beginning an intensive sailing programme.

par Gitana

The motivation is there. In spite of this setback which has of course been a little bit frustrating for the whole team, they’ve got just one thing on their mind – sailing, sailing and more sailing. Lionel Lemonchois, the boat’s skipper: “Yes, we’ve been out of action for quite some time, but it was essential to reinforce the crossbeams“.

Objective number one of the first few outings is therefore going to be to validate the work done on the crossbeams (cf. attached drawing). “That’ll be made easier by a measurement system (stress gauges) which we inserted into the structure during the modifications” , explains Olivier Besse, Project Manager with Gitana X.

Then all of the electronics have to be calibrated in order to have reliable speed markers under all points of sail, all the more so as certain sails have been modified and others have been added to the wardrobe. The top of the mainsail has been altered, for example, to have its roach reduced, and a staysail, a small headsail, has been added for single-handed sailing.

Compulsory figures

Never the less, these fine-tuning sessions will have to be done rather quickly as Lionel has to sail his qualifying passage for La Route du Rhum, in other words, 1000 miles (1852 km) sailed solo. This means roughly 3 days at sea, which Lionel would be only too happy to extend to 4 or 5 days to be in perfect harmony with his boat. “If the weather is good, then I might leave on Saturday or Sunday of next week. And, depending on which way the wind is blowing, I will either sail over towards Ireland or the west of Spain. In any event, I’ll have to go where there is both wind and sea if I’m really going to see what she is made of. But I think everything will go well. Anyway, I’m a sailor and I’ve been on dry land for too long now. It’s high time we got back out where the action is – on the water“.

All together

Everyone involved pulled out all the stops for the trimaran and Lionel, so that they can be on the starting line of La Route du Rhum in the best possible conditions. “There has been a hell of a lot of work to do and there’s still a lot left to do. But we’ve got a great team. It’s amazing. It should all work out fine” , confirmed Bambino (François Denis), a permanent member of the trimaran’s crew. Yann Marilley, in charge of logistics added: “We’re really pleased to be back on the water. At last we’ll be able to see what she’s made of. We’ll be sailing every day, as much as we can“. The deadline for the boat arriving in Saint-Malo is 30th October for the pre-race inspections. Once they have rallied Saint-Malo, she will not be going anywhere until 10th November 2002.

Tomorrow Sunday 8th September, Gitana X will be heading back to her base in La Trinité-sur-Mer and will start her training programme. As announced, La Route du Rhum comes first and so unfortunately that means missing the Grand Prix de Fécamp from 12th to 15th September. The Gitana Team would have liked to have taken part to see how the boat compared to her opponents.

Retourner aux articles

Heritage