Getting up to speed step by step
On the morning of 10 March, it was all systems go on a technical level and weather conditions were favourable to finally get a feel for helming this revolutionary giant. “Our first impressions are excellent! It’s a real pleasure for all the team to head out to sea after the many hours spent in the office and the yard,”gushed Charles Caudrelier on his return to land. This technical shakedown in light airs between the islands of Groix and Belle-Ile-en-mer was no speed test of course, rather the aim was to simply get a feel for her and discover all the highly innovative systems aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in her natural environment: “Everything’s different so it’s a whole new learning experience, which is another exciting aspect of this period we’re launching into. We need to pace ourselves in a controlled manner as we get her up to speed and our technical schedule has been devised with this in mind,” insisted the reigning champion of theRoute du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.
Some fantastic sensations
Charles Caudrelier is clearly a happy skipper, as evidenced by his initial impressions after a few miles offshore on his new steed: “Inevitably, these first sea trials were momentous for the whole team and they reward a lengthy team effort, though we’re still only at the very beginning of the story. Naturally, there is a great deal of expectation surrounding this new boat and we are equally keen to see her flying and fulfilling her true potential. That said, this new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is so innovative that it is vital we don’t rush things. We need to be patient and complete all our test phases in order. As planned, the foils will be integrated a little further down the line. These first tacks offshore will enable us to get our initial bearings and get our first feel for the boat. Having a few hours on the water has been very positive: we’ve managed to hoist the sails, test the major new features on the mast and spreaders and also the entire steering system on the boat, inclusive of the rudders, which are attracting a lot of attention. The work that lies ahead promises to be both demanding and thrilling, like Gitana 18, which is a sophisticated boat. There is a lot to get our heads around and we need to take our time and address each element in turn.”
The Quistreberts’ masterpiece in all its glory
Like her illustrious predecessor, the graphics on Gitana 18 are the result of a close collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and showcase the artistic approach initiated in 2017 at Ariane de Rothschild’s behest: turning a large racing trimaran into an off-the-wall artwork from the famous European art centre. On Gitana 17’s sails and hulls, the work by the American street artist Cleon Peterson and the iconic stylised mermaid specially designed for Gitana circumnavigated the globe. In contrast, this new boat pays tribute to the work of French artists – Florian and Michaël Quistrebert – who have benefited from the maritime expertise of graphic artist Jean-Baptiste Epron for the production and layout. Together, they have created for us a powerful and modern composition, imagined as a female epic, which successfully combines art and technological prowess.
On Tuesday, the first miles offshore of Lorient provided an opportunity to finally discover the singularity and the strength of this new graphic signature.
Gitana 18 is the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, a latest generation giant multihull designed for offshore flight and extreme high-performance offshore. She embodies the Gitana lineage’s technological avant-gardism.