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.

15.06.2005

Rounding a rock.

The Giraglia is a special event in the history of the Gitana yachts. For the first time this year the multihulls have been invited to take part. At 17h00 on Wednesday, seven trimarans including the Gitana X and Gitana 11 will be lining up on the starting line in Saint-Tropez bound for Genoa.

par Gitana

Fifty-third run for the Giraglia Rolex Cup, a great Mediterranean yacht racing classic, where the fastest and finest yachts in the Big Blue race over a course covering 243 nautical miles from Saint-Tropez and Genoa, rounding the Iles du Levant then the Rock of Giraglia, off Cape Corsica. The race was created by René Levainville, Franco Gavagnin and Beppe Croce, and has been run over a number of different courses (starting off Cannes, then Toulon or Lavandou, to finish in San Remo or Genoa). Since the fiftieth anniversary, the course has remained the same however. Current race record holder is the monohull Alfa Romeo back in 2003 with a time of 22h 13′ 48”. Since the launch of Gitana IV, the Baron de Rothschild’s family has often taken part in this race and has made it to the podium on several occasions. It is a great pleasure for the Baron Benjamin de Rothschild to be on the starting line on board Gitana 11 for this legendary Mediterranean race.

This time, seven multihulls will be setting out from Saint Tropez four hours after the 180-strong monohull fleet, in other words at 17h00. These are the same trimarans as those which raced in the Corsican Grand Prix, as the Giraglia is part of the ORMA Multihull Championship, (weighting 0.5).

Weather forecast is for a light NW breeze for the end of the day with a gentle breeze in the Gulf of Genoa on Thursday. The trimarans should be making good ground as far as the Iles du Levant in a beam wind, then over to Corsica with the gennaker up. But it is difficult to know whether or not they will be able to improve upon the race reference time as everything will be decided in the last few miles before Genoa.

Windsurf champion, Jochen Krauth will be sailing with Thierry Duprey du Vorsent on Gitana X, standing in for Mayeul Riffet who was slightly injured in the last round of the Corsican Grand Prix.

Crew – Gitana X

Thierry Duprey du Vorsent (skipper)
Erwan Le Roux (tactician)
Jochen Krauth (trimmer)
Jacques Guichard (trimmer)
Antoine Carpentier (foredeck / n°2)
Léopold Lucet (bowman / n°1)

Crew – Gitana 11

Frédéric Le Peutrec (skipper)
Baron Benjamin de Rothschild (navigator)
Daniel Souben (tactician)
Loïc Le Mignon (wincher)
Antoine Mermod (trimmer)
François Denis (bowman / n°1)

Trimarans entered in the Giraglia Rolex Cup

Foncia : Armel Le Cléac’h
Banque Populaire : Pascal Bidégorry
Géant : Michel Desjoyeaux
Gitana X : Thierry Duprey du Vorsent
Gitana 11 : Frédéric Le Peutrec
Groupama-2 : Franck Cammas
TIM-Progetto Italia : Giovanni Soldini

Provisional rankings in the ORMA Multihull Championship (after the IB Group Challenge and the Grand Prix de Corse) :

1-Pascal Bidégorry (Banque Populaire) 3 points (0+3)
2-Michel Desjoyeaux (Géant) 10 points (6+4)
3-Frédéric Le Peutrec (Gitana 11) 11 points (9+2)
4-Armel Le Cléac’h (Foncia) 19 points (12+7)
5-Thierry Duprey du Vorsent (Gitana X) 20 points (15+5)
6-Franck Cammas (Groupama-2) 21 points (21+0)
7-Giovanni Soldini (TIM-Progetto Italia) 57 points (51+6)
8ex-Thomas Coville (Sodebo) 69 points (51+18)
8ex-Yvan Bourgnon (Brossard) 69 points (51+18)

Retourner aux articles

Heritage