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.

29.08.2012

Starting out in Kiel.

par Gitana

After a short summer break for all the members of Gitana Team, it’s time to get back to work. Sébastien Josse and the crew of the MOD 70 Edmond de Rothschild Group are putting the finishing touches to their game plan in readiness for the European Tour, a race comprising five legs, which will combine offshore races and city races. The fleet of one-design trimarans will set off from Kiel (Germany) this Sunday 2 September. Between now and then, the latest addition to the Gitana saga will have a chance to weigh up the competition, which it will vie with during the five weeks of competition. Hostilities will commence with the Kiel City Races, which involve two days of racing across the Baltic Sea prior to the lure of the open ocean and the northern latitudes.

After leaving her base in Lorient last Sunday, the trimaran fitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild made Kiel some 48 hours later. She was the third MOD 70 to come and tie up in Baltic waters. Sébastien Josse and his five crew enjoyed perfect weather conditions – 15-20 knots of downwind sailing on flat seas – to cover the 800 nautical miles, which separate the two port cities. This express delivery, which the skipper was keen to view as a good way to set things in motion again after a month and a half’s break, rounded off with a trip along the Kiel Canal. It was a special moment for the six sailors. Indeed this river passage spanning some 98 kilometres links the North Sea and the Baltic Sea and witnesses an abundance of cargo ships and other commercial vessels, but seldom racing yachts like the Edmond de Rothschild Group’s trimaran: “We made it into the Kiel Canal under the cover of darkness. Its navigation is regulated and you have to be under power but this passage considerably reduced the distance to travel to Kiel. It’s not everyday that we sail along rivers on a multihull so it was pretty incredible”, explained Sébastien Josse on his arrival dockside.

The second event of the Multi One Championship after the Krys Ocean Race, the European Tour will take the five competing crews from Kiel to Dun Laoghaire (Dublin), then Cascais (Portugal) and Marseille (France), not to mention Genoa (Italy), where the final results will be decided on 2 October and hence the name of the winner of this first edition. In total there are over 5,000 nautical miles to cover in five weeks! In addition to the so-called offshore races between the host cities and contested in crews of six per boat, the MOD 70s will do battle in races around the bay referred to as City Races, where the number of sailors will be fleshed out to eight. The adventure promises to be both intense and varied in terms of the weather conditions, which is sure to please Sébastien Josse and his men, who are delighted at the prospect of heading back out to sea and linking up with their adversaries again.

From tomorrow, the crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group will be getting in some practice on the German race zone as a dress rehearsal for the two days of competition that make up the Kiel City Races, which will be run on Friday and Saturday, 31 August and 1 September.

The crew of the MOD Edmond de Rothschild Group

Sébastien Josse (Skipper)

David Boileau, Florent Chastel, Cyril Dardashti, Olivier Douillard, Christophe Espagnon, Antoine Koch, Thomas Rouxel

The European Tour in five legs

Leg 1: Kiel – Dun Laoghaire (Dublin) / 1188 miles, start 2 September

Leg 2: Dun Laoghaire (Dublin) – Cascais / 1215 miles, start 9 September

Leg 3: Cascais – Cascais (Around Portugal Race) / 558 miles, start 17 September

Leg 4: Cascais – Marseille / 1071 miles, start 20 September

Leg 5: Marseille – Genoa / 672 mlles, start 30 September

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