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.

21.02.2019

The collaboration between Gitana and Sébastien Josse draws to a close.

After eight seasons, which prompted the creation of some fantastic craft like the Multi70 Edmond de Rothschild, the eponymous IMOCA 60, not to mention the most recent addition to the saga, the flying Maxi Gitana 17, the owners of Gitana Team and skipper Sébastien Josse have announced the end of their collaboration initiated in 2011.

par Gitana

Recruited back in 2011, Sébastien Josse got the chance to cut his teeth in the multihull world, benefiting from most high-performance platforms of the day. Considered to be one of France’s top monohull specialists, with several circumnavigations of the globe to his credit spanning both the Vendée Globe and the Volvo Ocean Race circuits, the sailor made no secret of how amazingly lucky he was to get the opportunity to express himself on another craft. Working alongside the members of Gitana Team for eight years, the sailor racked up a number of seasons and competitions in crewed, double-handed and singlehanded configuration, fleshing out Gitana’s incredible and unique track record: Multi70 victory in the Tour de l’Europe and the Transat Jacques Vabre 2013, a very striking 3rd place in the Route du Rhum 2014, the Vendée Globe adventure and the first foray on the giant Gitana 17… Ariane de Rothschild thanks Sébastien Josse for the eight years spent working together.

The five-arrow team is keen to embark on a new, ambitious campaign geared around offshore optimisation with the aim of setting sail on a singlehanded round the world race aboard these giants (the new date for this event will be announced in the coming weeks).

The optimisation of a giant

Launched in July 2017 after a build period lasting over a year and a half and requiring 170,000 man-hours, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the first large offshore multihull devised and designed to fly on the open sea. The pioneer of a new generation, this 32-metre Verdier design is leading the way forward. After a promising 2nd place in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017, just months after exiting the yard, Gitana 17 was forced to retire from the last Route du Rhum, a victim of bow damage to her starboard float whilst ranking as one of the firm favourites in this anniversary edition. Since that time, the Maxi has been in refit at the team’s base in Lorient, south-west Brittany. Alongside the project’s naval architects and engineers, the members of Gitana Team have carried out a number of investigations to gain a better understanding of the causes behind the breakage and find a solution for them. In this way, repairs to the damaged float are underway, as is the optimisation work previously scheduled for the winter refit, and the latest addition to the Gitana fleet is due to be relaunched in early May.

“The Ultimes are extraordinary machines, which are driving us all to push the envelope, whether it be on a competitive or technical level. The advances made with this new generation of multihulls are a reflection of this… To be a pioneer is about preparing the way forward and this journey inevitably involves a number of unknown elements, which we must accept in order to make progress. Success is a gradual process. To support us in this major technological challenge, I believe we’ve surrounded ourselves with the best people and, crucially, we’ve made sure that they are extremely motivated to work towards the common goal of developing a revolutionary boat. Together with the boat’s owners, we’re convinced we’re on the right track, and we’re where we wanted to be in any case, but these things take time. Every time the Maxi gets out on the water is a step in the right direction. Since her launch, we’ve taken some giant leaps forward and there’s still a huge amount to learn” explains Cyril Dardashti, director of the racing stable.

Gitana joins the collective

Since the genesis of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild project, innovation has been uppermost in all the technical and architectural choices. Thanks to the unfailing support and the willingness of Ariane and Benjamin de Rothschild and the teams they manage within their Group to undertake this journey, the members of Gitana have been able to dare to imagine and build a remarkable multihull, which contrasts sharply with its predecessors and is opening up a whole new era. Today, the lessons learned by the five-arrow team since the Maxi’s launch deserve to be shared to help the whole industry make progress. Indeed, in light of recent events within the Class 32/23, and despite the still notable differences in opinion regarding the technical elements (servo-control in particular), it seems important henceforth for Gitana and Edmond de Rothschild to join the four other founder owners, Sodebo, Macif, Actual and Banque Populaire, in any key decisions in the future.