Maxi Edmond de Rothschild – Gitana 18

The Gitana Team had warned us: the foils would not arrive immediately. Yet on May 20, in Lorient, just before stepping aboard the ORC 52.2 for a sea trial, I suspected something was happening when I instinctively ducked as a truck passed by. The oversized load extending well beyond both sides of the trailer looked remarkably like a foil.

The appendage was partially hidden beneath its custom protective cover, but the visible hydraulic lines and cables left little doubt: this was no ordinary carbon blade. Gitana's latest creation was receiving her first foil - the starboard one. The Ultim team immediately set to work completing the installation and preparing to test this revolutionary appendage, whose total span exceeds 34'1" (10.4 m). Five days later, the payoff came: Gitana 18 completed her very first flight. The achievement was all the more impressive given the particularly light conditions, with winds ranging from just 10 to 13 knots off Belle-Île.

Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, reflected on this important milestone:

“Three months after launch, we are still very much in the discovery and commissioning phase, but mentally I am already focused on performance and competition.
With the Gitana Team, we knew Gitana 17 inside out. Here, everything is new. From Gitana 17 to Gitana 18, the sensations are completely different. The boat is extremely stiff and responsive, exactly as we expected.
Although it is always difficult to measure the wind precisely because so many factors come into play, the readings off Belle-Île were between 10 and 13 knots. After just a few minutes spent finding the right settings, the Maxi took off, and twenty minutes later our flight had become stable.
The foils are truly the finishing touch of Gitana 18 and one of her major innovations. We pushed the design very far. These are highly technical components, unprecedented at this scale and involving extremely sophisticated systems.
They arrived later than expected - we won't hide that - but we certainly haven't wasted any time since launch. Everything aboard is so new and different, far beyond the appendages that attract most of the attention. This foil-free period allowed us to progress step by step without rushing, whether in mastering the spreader-equipped mast, the electric steering system, or the autopilot specifically developed with WDS for this boat.
The Route du Rhum starts in five months. The schedule is tight, we know that, and every moment counts. It took two years of development before Gitana 17 was capable of winning races. Today, however, we can rely on the team's experience and expertise, as well as all the projection work and virtual sailing carried out through our digital-twin simulator.
The coming months will be extremely busy, but every day I realize the privilege granted by our owner, Ariane de Rothschild, to be in the position we are today.”

Within two weeks, the port foil will be installed aboard Gitana 18. Offshore sailing sessions and intensive training programs will then increase significantly for Charles Caudrelier and his team.

Maxi Edmond de Rothschild – Technical Specifications

Length Overall: 105' (32 m)
Beam: 75'6" (23 m)
Displacement: 43,000 lbs (19.5 t)
Number of Appendages: 6
Float Rudder Height: 13'1" (4 m)
Foil Span: 34'1" (10.4 m)
Air Draft: 126'0" (38.4 m)
Upwind Sail Area: 4,844 sq ft (450 m²)
Downwind Sail Area: 6,781 sq ft (630 m²)
Electrical Wiring Length: 5 miles (8 km)
Number of Sensors: 500