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.

28.05.2010

Edmond de Rothschild Group assures its leadership.

Five races were contested this Friday at the foot of the Saint-Louis jetty with some ideal weather conditions; namely a breeze oscillating between 12 and 15 knots and glorious sunshine. At the end of this second day of racing in the Grand Prix of Sète, the catamaran fitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild confirms its leadership ahead of the two…

par Gitana

The four sailors from the Gitana Team made it back to the port of Sète with broad grins from ear to ear, their faces portraying the satisfaction of a job well done. Yann Guichard’s first words once again went to his crew – Pierre Pennec, Hervé Cunningham and Nicolas Heintz: “The guys are exemplary and there’s never an angry word… The mindset is really perfect and even when we’re badly positioned or have got off to a bad start, as was the case during the 3rd race where my initial gambit was very poor, we don’t give up” said the happy skipper of his 2010 cast.

Good cohesion amongst the crew as well as good speed and really consistent results, such were the ingredients of today’s success according to the Gitana skipper: “We go fast upwind but I think we have that little bit extra to give thanks to the quality of the manœuvres performed by my crew. We don’t take any chances as regards our rivals and consistency pays!”

The race zone of Sète once again revealed its complexity today: “the wind fluctuated a huge amount, but we were able to be opportunistic and react quickly to the slightest shifts. It was more difficult to sail today than yesterday as the courses were smaller and the windward mark was often level with the sea wall. We had to do a vast amount of work to position ourselves well in relation to our adversaries and put up a good performance! Onboard we’re constantly trying to anticipate the next mark, the next tack, so we always know where we’re heading and in what situation we’re likely to get ourselves into as regards a particular option” explained Pierre Pennec, in charge of mainsail trimming.

Winners of the first race of the day, the consistent performance by Yann Guichard and his three crew really shone through during the five races run by the Race Committee this Friday. With two second places and as many third places to accompany that, Gitana Team’s one-design never dipped below third today. Leader in the provisional ranking at the end of this second day of racing, Edmond de Rothschild Group is eight points ahead of The Wave, Muscat and ten points ahead of Oman Sail Masirah. Suffice to say that at the midway point in the event, there’s still everything to play for, especially with the wind set to increase still further over the next few days!

Provisional ranking for the Grand Prix of Sète on 28^th May (after 8 races)

1. Edmond de Rothschild Group (Yann Guichard) – 52 points

2. The Wave, Muscat (Paul Campbell-James) – 44 points

3. Oman Sail Masirah (Loïck Peyron) – 42 points

4. Red Bull Extrême Sailing (Roman Hagara)- 35 points

5. Groupama 40 (Franck Cammas) – 33 points

6. The Ocean Racing Club (Mitch Booth) – 31 points

7. Ecover Sailing Team (Mike Golding) – 30 points

8. Team GAC Pindar (Nick Moloney) – 20 points

The crew of the Edmond de Rothschild Group

Yann Guichard – Skipper, helmsman

Pierre Pennec – Mainsail trimmer

Hervé Cunningham – Headsail trimmer

Nicolas Heintz – No.1

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