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.

14.11.2008

Gitana Eighty has fun under the cover of darkness….

par Gitana

On the fifth day of racing in this sixth edition of the Vendée Globe, there is something particularly noticeable; the solo sailors are progressively leaving the world of landlubbers behind them and entering into their furious race around the globe. Last night proved favourable for Loïck Peyron to make good his escape and, by the early hours, he had stretched his lead to over 30 miles. However, he certainly has no intention of blowing his own trumpet as he knows there is still a long way to go and that there are a number of pitfalls across his path. At the 1600 hour ranking, whilst the head of the fleet was positioned at the latitude of the Canaries, the monohull equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, was still leading the way, tailed by Jean Le Cam, author of a very fine comeback at the top of the leaderboard.

“All’s well, we’re slipping along gently!”, the voice of Loïck Peyron was clear this Friday noon, though the scene painted by the skipper of the monohull in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is no picture postcard: “I’m into the tradewind pattern and as is often the case in this zone, there are messy seas and the skies are rather grey. I’ve currently got 18 to 20 knots of NE’ly, but the wind is fairly shifty. I’m not taking any risks and I’m erring on the side of ‘safe’ trimming to avoid having to get out of the shelter too much!”. After several days coloured by incessant manœuvres, the sailor now finds himself in the relative warmth of the interior of his boat, benefiting from the cover of darkness to get away. The competitors questioned during the daily radio session at the Paris Race HQ seemed keen to uphold the ‘legend’ of the sailor who refuses the lure of the sandman. A tad amused, Loïck Peyron reassured his team that he’d had an excellent night and slept in his bunk. This was a rare treat for someone who has only allowed himself the odd ‘micro siesta’ at the watch station since setting off from Les Sables d’Olonne, last Sunday.

A brainteaser in view at the Doldrums

Leading the fleet since the Thursday ranking at 0500 hours and after an option straight down the middle as he negotiated Madeira, the skipper of Gitana Eighty is currently filing along towards the Doldrums. Though the current grib files reveal the phenomenon to be rather complicated, the strategic choices for its negotiation differ amongst the group of frontrunners. As such, some of them have decided to mark each other by playing a more W’ly route than the leader, as is the case for Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h. “I am where I wanted to be to tackle the Doldrums. Of course I have seen Vincent’s separation. It’s always interesting to be a little further W, but his position doesn’t particularly shock me. Whatever our choices today, we stand a strong chance of all finding ourselves in the same position in a few days time…”, commented the sailor from La Baule.

The coming hours will certainly see the solo sailors plunge into a forced period of reflection. Will the famous Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone be the first Justice of the Peace or will Loïck Peyron’s prediction come true and result in no big differences the other side? The suspense is likely to mean observers will watch with bated breath over the coming days. In the meantime life continues aboard Gitana Eighty, its skipper tidying up inside. As regards food, the most recent of the Gitana fleet remains a good restaurant, the skipper suffering only an omelette on the floor for now!

Ranking on 14th November – 1600 hours (French time)

1.Gitana Eighty (Loïck Peyron) at 22,222 miles from the finish
2.VM Matériaux (Jean Le Cam) 24.3 miles from the leader
3.BT (Sébastien Josse) 28.3 miles
4.Paprec Virbac (Jean-Pierre Dick) 31.3 miles
5.Generali (Yann Eliès) 47.7 miles
6.Véolia Environnement (Roland Jourdain) 54.7 miles

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