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.

08.11.2021

General squashing together and a fresh start at Ushant.

par Gitana

Having got off to a fantastic start at the head of the fleet at 12:27 UTC offshore of Le Havre, Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier were leading the race as far as the north-west tip of Brittany. Focused and particularly determined to sail their own race, the duo on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild linked together a series of manœuvres and sail changes in a bid to get the very best out of the five-arrow giant and sail a faultless passage to exit the English Channel way out at the front of the pack. Despite setting an impressive pace in the opening miles of the race, the sailors from Gitana Team could do nothing against the high pressure blocking the way into the Bay of Biscay. As such, overnight, as they rounded Ushant, the five Ultimes were within sight of one another, ready for a fresh start!

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Showtime in Normandy

With a favourable NW’ly wind of between 15 and 20 knots and the perfect course orientation to express the true power of their machines, the seventy-nine duos in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 had a tremendous time out on the stretch of water flanking Normandy. Leading the way, Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier took off at high speed, completing the fifteen or so miles that made up the coastal course in 30 minutes, bound for the Antifer headland and then the cliffs of Etretat.

Current and light airs

Setting sail from Le Havre yesterday at 12:27 UTC, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild made an efficient and relatively swift exit from the Channel on a beat with their sheets cracked off slightly. However, the pace set by Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier in the first few hours of the race was not enough to enable them to slide under the high pressure and be first to dive down into the Bay of Biscay. Indeed, light winds quickly enveloped the tip of Brittany causing the 32-metre to stall dramatically. On the inside track at Ushant at around 01:00 UTC last night, the crew on the latest addition to the Gitana fleet even had to revise its plans after initially intending to make for Fromveur, a narrow passage famed for its strong currents between the archipelago of Molène and Ushant. However, the maxi-trimaran came up hard against the tide and with little to no breeze it was an impossible mission… The decision was quickly made to head up around the north of Ushant instead. Of the five giants, the crew on Banque Populaire was the only one not to follow this trajectory, opting instead to gamble on an inshore route along the coast of Finistère. Naturally it will be worth keeping an eye on this interesting option over the coming hours!

For the five Ultime crews, the name of the game today is clear, even though the course to get there is a little less obvious. The idea is to gain as much headway to the south-west and Cape Finisterre as fast as possible without getting caught in the clutches of the high pressure. At the north-west tip of Spain, the promise of a steadier breeze awaits the sailors in the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Positions on Monday 8 November at 07:00 UTC

1.     SVR Lazartigue (F. Gabart / T. Laperche)
2.     Sodebo (T. Coville / T.Rouxel) + 0.4 miles
3.     Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (F. Cammas / C. Caudrelier) + 1.4 miles
4.     Actual (Y. Le Blevec / A. Marchand) + 2.3 miles
5.     Banque Populaire XI ( A. Le Cléac’h / K. Escoffier) + 10.3 miles

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