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.

29.05.2010

Rendez-vous tomorrow, Sunday, for the verdict!.

par Gitana

After bagging three race victories today and managing to hang onto their position at the top of the leaderboard against an increasingly honed set of rivals, the results this Saturday are largely positive for the crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group. With one day to go till the end of the Grand Prix of Sète, Yann Guichard and his three crew are still ahead of the two Omani boats, even though the deficits are slightly smaller. However, the top trio seem to have made a clean break tonight, with their closest rivals over fifteen points down on the third placed boat.

Leader in the provisional ranking, Edmond de Rothschild Group got off to a great start on its third day of racing. The crew put up a faultless performance with two race victories, which says a great deal about their desire to win and the concentration reigning aboard the one-design fitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild: “We began the afternoon very well with some good starts and a certain amount of ease in stretching away from our pursuers, which culminated in two great race wins. However, in the 3^rd and 4^th race, I was less inspired, and in these types of courses the start phases are essential, because it’s hard to get back into the action after messing up early on” admitted Yann Guichard. However, it didn’t take the crew long to buck their ideas up and the following races (5 and 6) resulted in another victory and a second place!

However, the seventh and final race of the day won’t go down in history for the Gitana Team. The authors of a good start, Yann Guichard and his crew were on the attack in third position, but unforeseeable complications with the onboard mechanics were to put a different turn on their race. Indeed the attachment point on the jib (small upwind headsail) broke, forcing two of the crew to make a temporary repair during the race: “Hervé and I had to make a small temporary repair, which consisted of replacing a sheet so as to hold the bottom of our jib in the position where the attachment point had just come away. Naturally this wasn’t the best possible solution, because fixed in this way the genoa lost the bulk of its effectiveness” explained Nicolas Heintz.

During this same race, Edmond de Rothschild Group copped a penalty after fouling the Extreme 40 skippered by Mitch Booth: “The penalty inflicted on us by the on-the-water umpires was deserved and regardless of whether or not that had happened, our earlier gear breakage had already dictated that we wouldn’t have been able to keep pace with our rivals upwind. As such the 8^th place was inevitable” explained the Gitana skipper.

The seven races contested this Saturday in a wind oscillating between 10 and 15 knots, in addition to the eight races run over the first two days, have really put the sailors to the test, as Pierre Pennec confirmed on his return to land: “It was a tiring day and the races followed on, one after the other, at a steady pace. I don’t think it’ll be hard to get to sleep tonight!” A good night’s rest will doubtless see the crew in good form to tackle the fourth and final day’s racing in this Grand Prix of Sète tomorrow. For the time being, the weather forecasts are suggesting a windy Sunday, but the organisers remain confident this evening that they will be able to run the races as planned. It should be noted that this forecast of breezy conditions comes as good news to the crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group, who are especially cut out for such conditions.

Provisional ranking for the Grand Prix of Sète on 29^th May (after 15 races)

1. Edmond de Rothschild Group (Yann Guichard) – 89 points

2. The Wave, Muscat (Paul Campbell-James) – 85 points

3. Oman Sail Masirah (Loïck Peyron) – 81 points

4. Groupama 40 (Franck Cammas) – 66 points

5. Red Bull Extrême Sailing (Roman Hagara)- 60 points

6. The Ocean Racing Club (Mitch Booth) – 59 points

7. Ecover Sailing Team (Mike Golding) – 59 points

8. Team GAC Pindar (Nick Moloney) – 39 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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