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.

14.01.2023

Departure postponed for the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.

par Gitana

Record hunting is a tremendous lesson in patience! Indeed, the various weather briefings scheduled since this morning have been discussed at great length between the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and their onshore router, Marcel van Triest. A weather window did indeed open this afternoon to set sail on the quest for the Jules Verne Trophy, the round the world record under sail, but the latter is not entirely satisfactory for the men of Gitana Team. The big question and the primary reason for hesitation notably revolves around the forecasts for the South Atlantic and the passage time at the Cape of Good Hope. Shortly after 17:00 hours local time, a collective decision was finally made to let this first opportunity go by and wait for a better sequence of weather systems and a window that lives up to their expectations and to the potential of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.

A time of around 12 days to Good Hope

“To my mind, it’s a fairly average weather window as it doesn’t have all the ingredients in the South Atlantic to secure a very good time to Cape Agulhas,”stated Marcel van Triest this morning. The estimated time at the tip of South Africa is in itself acceptable as it would give Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas’ men a lead of around twenty hours over Idec’s current record. However, the performance posted by Francis Joyon’s crew in the Indian and Pacific, where they benefited from a weather sequence that bordered on perfection, means that Gitana Team have to be very ambitious for the first section of the course. This is heightened by the fact that the observations of the Pacific from CLS, a pioneer provider of monitoring and surveillance solutions for the Earth, suggest that a passage across this section of the planetary course is not currently optimum due to ice.

Standby in Brest

Yesterday, Friday 13 January, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild chose to set sail from their port of registry, Lorient, to go and tie up alongside in the Marina du Château in Brest. The aim for Charles Caudrelier, Franck Cammas and their four crew was to get closer to Ushant and the start line of the Jules Verne Trophy. It is in the port of Brest then, that the 32-metre giant will sit out the next few days until the next potential weather window. The latter may appear midway through next week if the observations shared amongst the crew and their router this morning play out.

Crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild :

Charles Caudrelier, skipper
Franck Cammas, co-skipper
David Boileau, trimmer bowman
Erwan Israël, helm trimmer
Morgan Lagravière, helm trimmer
Yann Riou, trimmer onboard reporter
Marcel van Triest, weather router

Record to beat:
40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes >> Record held by Francis Joyon and his crew (Idec Sport) since 26 January 2017

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