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.

29.08.2009

An unfathomable race zone!.

For the second day of racing at the Kiel grand prix, the German sky didn’t prove to be the most hospitable to the nine crews still competing: numerous squalls and a shifty wind made the race zone tricky for everyone concerned. However, for the men on Gitana Extreme – LCF Rothschild Group, who climbed two places in the ranking, the results were posi…

par Gitana

Yesterday evening, the grib files led us to expect some windy races, but in reality it was quite another tale: “It was really difficult racing today! A fairly strong wind was forecast but this wasn’t the case on the water at all. The conditions were very shifty throughout the afternoon with some permanent wind rotations. You had to be on the look-out for the slightest movements on the race zone.” Observation was constant as the rain hammered down: “when it rains it’s a lot more difficult to see the gusts coming. However, everyone was in the same boat so to speak”.

Sailing cleanly and quietly snapping up any opportunities which presented themselves, Yann Guichard and his men gave themselves every chance of performing well: “It’s a good thing to find ourselves in 2^nd place overall this evening. There is very little between Groupama 40 and Renaissance, respectively 3^rdand 4^th, which augurs well for an incredible battle on the water tomorrow.” Indeed, at the end of the six races today, the three catamarans are within just three points of each other! As regards leadership, the crew of Masirah is keeping up the pressure and retains the lead in this 4^th event of the season, but Pete Cumming and his men still have it all to play for: “They have a good lead but there are still some races left to sail, including the famous last race which scores double!”

And so ends what has been a tiring day for both the bodies and the nerves aboard the catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild: “There was a lot of contact racing in these short courses. We sail very close to each other and as the wind is capricious, you sometimes have to make decisions in just three seconds.” A night of rest beckons then so that the crew can gather up their strength for tomorrow’s racing!

Crew of Gitana Extreme – LCF Rothschild Group

Yann Guichard (skipper-helm)

Pierre Pennec (mainsail trimmer, tactics), Christophe Lassegue (headsail trimmer, control of manœuvres) and Hervé Cunningham (headsail trimmer, control of manœuvres)

Ranking on the second day (after 13 races)

1/ Oman Sail Masirah (Pete Cumming) – 104 points

2/ Gitana Extreme- LCF Rothschild Group (Yann GUICHARD) – 87 points

3/Groupama 40 (Franck Cammas) – 86 points

4/ Oman Sail Renaissance (Loïck Peyron) – 85 points

5/ Luna (Erik Maris) – 75 points

6/ iShares (Shirley Robertson) – 65 points

7/ BT (Nick Moloney) – 64 points

8/ Holmatro (Mitch Booth) – 62 points

9/ Wirsol Team German (Roland Gäbler) – 50 points

10/ Ecover (Mike Golding) – 8 points

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