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.

04.11.2019

A full-on start for the Brest Atlantiques.

par Gitana

On Sunday at 12:02 UTC, the fleet of Ultims was supposed to set sail from the tip of Finistère on the 1st edition of the Brest Atlantiques. However, the first storm of the season had other plans, forcing Race Director Jacques Caraës to postpone the initial date. It is finally at 10:00 UTC tomorrow that the 32-metre giants will cross the start line positioned further offshore, some twenty miles or so out from the gully exit. However, the timing of the start is not ideal, notably as a result of the expected weather conditions which are forecast to be rather full-on for the first few hours of the race.

Straight to the point

The sailors competing in the Brest Atlantiques won’t have the luxury of observing the others’ moves, instead obliged to get straight to the point the moment they cross the finish line. Indeed, offshore of Brest, there’s a powerful NNW’ly wind of around thirty knots forecast and very rough seas, with waves of 5 to 6 metres, which will quickly scoop up the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and the other three competing maxi-multihulls.

Cyril Dardashti, Gitana Team’s Managing Director took the time to review the planned slot for the new start, a decision that was not backed by everyone within the five-arrow team: “Given the announced weather conditions, I’m surprised by the decision to maintain the start. The situation is not a simple one, that we know, with a narrow weather window to get us out of Brest Harbour in line with the authorities’ wishes, but to our mind the slot will be too heavy a workout. The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and her rivals will have to exit the Bay of Biscay with the wind gusting between 30 to 38 knots on what are still very heavy seas (5 to 6m) following the passage of storm Amelie. On top of that, we won’t have a lot of choice with regards to the angle at which we negotiate Cape Finisterre… We’re a fleet of four boats at the start of this race and after the incidents experienced a year ago in the Route du Rhum on the same boats, we set ourselves the goal within the class of going about things in a reasonable fashion, at least at the start. Four boats is already a limited fleet, but I can’t even get my head around having any fewer than that. As things stand today, we respect the decision of the organisers and we’ll be on the start line tomorrow at 10:00 UTC, but in agreement with the skippers, the race will not be our main focus in the first few hours of the race so as we can sail conservatively for the sake of the men and also for the boat. It’s not really the race start we were dreaming of…”

First to cast off

Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and Yann Riou, their media man, will be the first to cast off tomorrow. The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild will leave the Quai Malbert at 06:30 UTC and head out into the famous Brest gully. However, it’s on their own that the giants will make for the start zone offshore as the sea state will not enable the support ribs to accompany them.

Jacques Caraës, will give the start from the French Navy’s imposing BSAH Rhône, an offshore support and assistance vessel, represented on the chart by a diagonal line between the ship and the Chaussée de Sein cardinal mark.

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