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.

25.06.2006

A period of adjustment.

On Sunday 25 June, a generally unstable wind prevailed over the water's surface during the only round of the Grand Prix de Marseille completed on the day. At 2pm, the committee took the decision to cancel the subsequent races due to excessive winds of 30 knots blowing through the harbour. After a mixed weekend marked by results that were inconsiste…

par Gitana

On Sunday 25 June, a generally unstable wind prevailed over the water’s surface during the only round of the Grand Prix de Marseille completed on the day. At 2pm, the committee took the decision to cancel the subsequent races due to excessive winds of 30 knots blowing through the harbour. After a mixed weekend marked by results that were inconsistent for Gitana 11 and encouraging for Gitana 12, the team’s two trimarans finished 3rd and 4th respectively in the general ranking.

But it should not be forgotten that the two crews were facing their rivals for the first time this season in this configuration: on Gitana 11, Loick Peyron took the helm at the start of the week and on Gitana 12, Thierry Duprey du Vorsent and his crew were contesting their first Grand Prix of the season after one month’s repair work which kept the trimaran out of the Trophée des Alpes Maritimes and the Trapani Grand Prix.

Loick Peyron, Gitana 11 skipper

“A truly interesting weekend in sailing terms… confirmation was provided, if necessary, of the little green man’s domination and also of the fact that, on a personal level, this is a profession that one can easily forget… I’ve got work to do to get back up to speed, but I’ve got a great team of pros around me, led by Frederic! The results were decidedly average on the last day, due to highly unstable winds that we didn’t know how to handle! I’m still waiting for quite a few of my automatic reflexes to return, as the slightest error can be very costly on these boats, so it’s essential to make as few as possible. Today, we missed a good chance to overtake Géant. That was the key moment of the round, Frederic saw it, but I hesitated, and it was a mistake that should never have been made. And then the wind that descended was the final nail in our coffin… That said, I’m lucky enough to have a dual role as skipper of Gitana 11 and Gitana team general manager, so I have a genuine good reason to be content in view of the performance put in by Gitana 12. They sailed really cleanly on this round, showing there’s real potential for the crew and for the boat!”

Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, skipper of Gitana 12

“Today came as a lovely ray of sunshine at the end of the Grand Prix after what was a difficult day for us yesterday. The first day of the Grand Prix on Friday was surprising as we were always in touch, but yesterday was disappointing because the opposite was the case and we were never in with a chance. And today, we had a bit of luck, especially compared with yesterday when we had none at all, so it’s good to finish on a positive note! The manoeuvres went much better than yesterday. Everything we’ve done this week has started to bear fruit and everyone joined in the manoeuvre plans. When you consider that all 11 of us hadn’t got together on the boat since the start of the season, I feel we did alright with just 48 hours’ racing by way of training!”

The two trimarans will leave Marseilles’ Old Port in the morning of Monday 26 June to return to La Ciotat. The next stage of the Cafe Ambassador Multi Cup, the Grand Prix du Portugal, takes place at Portimao from 14-16 July.

Provisional ranking for the Grand Prix de Marseille :

1st – Groupama / Franck Cammas 34 points

2nd – Géant / Michel Desjoyeaux 28 points

3rd – Gitana 11 / Loick Peyron 26 points

4th – Gitana 12 / Thierry Duprey du Vorsent 20 points

Provisional ranking for the Cafe Ambassador Multi Cup:

1st – Groupama 22.5 points

2nd – Géant 16 points

3rd – Gitana 11 11.5 points

4th – Banque Populaire 11 points

5th – Gitana 12 5.5 points

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