Innovation abounds in this new generation maxi trimaran pushing boundaries to the next level The 104-foot (32 metre) Gitana 18 Maxi Edmond de Rothschild was officially unveiled to the public on February 14th in Lorient, France. Born to fly offshore and to challenge major Atlantic and round the world races and made to break records, Gitana 18 marks a new revolution in offshore racing that combines cutting-edge technology with a bold artistic elegance.
North Sails Performance Apparel is an official partner for Gitana Team, providing the world class crew with the ultimate comfort and protection as they push the boundaries of racing fully airborne offshore. Gitana Team also selected North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres to deliver an aero-optimized sail and rig package, reflecting the brands’ unrivalled technology, experience and heritage of innovation.
Created by the Gitana Team and in collaboration with Guillaume Verdier and his team, this latest flagship in the storied 150-year history of Gitana is the result of more than two years of design, construction and creative collaboration. A complete reinvention from Gitana 17, every element - from foils and appendages to structure and onboard systems - has been redesigned to deliver stability, reliability and endurance at high speeds. Novel concepts and forward-thinking solutions were required to achieve the bold ambitions of Ariane de Rothschild.
Team Effort — The Gitana Team assemble inside their Lorient base beneath the new 104ft Maxi Edmond de Rothschild ahead of sea trials Photo: Eloi Stechelbaut- polaRYSE / GITANA S.A.
“With this new boat, we hope to achieve as close to perfect flight as possible. Ideally, we’ll be able to fly very high without ever touching the waves. We hope to be able to fly in 3-meter waves and reach an average sailing speed bordering on 40 knots”, Charles Caudrelier, Skipper Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.
More than 50,000 hours of study and 200,000 hours of construction have been dedicated to creating a large offshore multihull that would be capable of flying with all three hulls completely above the water 100% of the time. North Technology Group brands and Guillaume Verdier have worked closely together over many years on numerous game-changing projects, and Gitana 18 is yet another successful landmark for the group of leading-edge sailing brands and the man behind the fastest racing boats on the planet. Commenting on the launch of Gitana 18, North Technology Group CEO Sam Watson noted, “The relationship between North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres, Gitana Team and Team Verdier already goes back decades. We not only share a passion for competition, performance and technological disruption, but a commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in our sport. This latest stunning trimaran marks a major leap forward and we are proud that there was only one organization that could be trusted to bring Gitana 18 to life. We have worked behind the scenes for years on the rigging, sails and clothing requirements, and we can’t wait to see what this magnificent boat is capable of achieving.”
Hull Reveal — Spectators line the dock beneath the port foil of Gitana 18 during her public unveiling at Lorient La Base Photo: Eloi Stechelbaut- polaRYSE / GITANA S.A.
NORTH SAILS PERFORMANCE APPAREL: THE BEST FOUL WEATHER GEAR ON THE PLANET
North Sails Apparel creates high performance products that set new standards. Whether breaking records, facing the harshest conditions in the world or working long hours at the base, the Gitana Team will benefit from truly exceptional gear that also reflects the artistic beauty of the boat.
NORTH SAILS: FROM DESIGN SERVICES TO BESPOKE 3Di SAILS
The relationship between Gitana Team and North Sails France has a long history, managed by a core of experts including Thomas Normand, Olivier Douillard and Yann Andrillon, with the North Sails Lorient loft sitting just meters away from the Gitana Team base.
Team Verdier and Gitana Team have pushed the underwater appendages into new territory, with huge retractable Y-foils optimizing flight on every point of sail in all conditions, aided by innovative U-shaped rudders. So it was critical that the integrated aerodynamic solution above the waterline delivered a new set of innovative features to manage the high-loads and ensure efficient performance and durability.
A period of extensive preliminary analysis and technical discussions by North Sails France and Southern Spars culminated in an all-parties workshop in the summer of 2024, which included the specialist Design Services team from Gosport, UK. Led by Jeremy Elliot, with input from Tono Martinez, Jean Truffier and Dominic Mortimer, North’s patented software tools, guided by the wider team, were integral to defining Gitana 18’s innovative rig architecture and the corresponding detailed sail production program, particularly in relation to the range of the mast bend.
Jeremy Elliot noted, “North Design Services, together with North Sails France, were able to lay out the VPP and simulator aeromaps of the various sail sets for this rig concept. The resulting datasets and matrices enabled the Gitana Performance Simulator to be used to progress the platform and appendage design with accurate aero forces and moments that reflected the innovative rig and sail plan that we had jointly developed.”
Foil Debut — Gitana 18 is moved into the water in Lorient as thousands watch the launch of the record-chasing Ultim trimaran Photo: Eloi Stechelbaut- polaRYSE / GITANA S.A.
Project Manager Olivier Douillard, who along with Yann Andrillon will be sailing onboard Gitana 18 for the upcoming sea trials, concluded, “After years of hard work and close collaboration, there is a real sense of satisfaction and anticipation to see this exceptional platform reach its full flight potential. We are immensely proud that the sails are complete and ready for use for the launch. The sail plan includes a full set from mainsail through J0, J1, J2 and J3, built with 3Di RAW and 3Di Helix featured on the headsails. Manufactured in Minden, Nevada, the sails were finished in Vannes, France, and mark the culmination of years of trust and shared knowledge to provide the engine above deck for this groundbreaking trimaran.”
SOUTHERN SPARS & FUTURE FIBRES: A COLLABORATION DELIVERING HIGH-PERFORMANCE
Gitana 18, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild will feature technology from Southern Spars for the first time. And the rigging experts delivered a world-first on this scale, with a dynamic mast rake control increasing drastically the ability to control the mainsail - while sailing. The spreaders provide up to 35 degrees of sweep and can be dynamically adjusted, enabling the spar to bend to deepen or flatten the mainsail.
Gitana 18’s aero package required specialist expertise in design and manufacturing of high-load composite spars, advanced rigging, and integrated load monitoring. Southern Spars developed a rotating single diamond mast, engineered for the extreme loads and speed of an Ultim trimaran keeping in mind the low energy requirement for solo offshore passages.
The rotating mast, integrated with North 3Di and Future Fibres rigging, operates with dynamic controlled spreaders - one of the most distinctive features of the rig - that adapt to changing wind speed and load cases as the boat transitions between displacement sailing to full foiling. Southern Spars describes the result as their most advanced multihull sailing system, delivering the required mix of mast control, efficiency, and offshore durability. Future Fibres supplied the complete standing rigging and load sensing package.
Future Fibres' various technologies are part of Gitana 18 but ECnine, Future Fibres latest product, an ultra-high modulus rigging stands out as it makes its premiere within the Ultim fleet. It is supported by integrated Synapse load cells and fibre-optic monitoring for continuous load monitoring and performance analysis.
Across the board, North Technology Group brands have been integral to bringing the cutting-edge Gitana 18 to the water, a game-changing foiling platform that is now ready and primed to make waves in offshore racing.
Please contact your local experts here in Ireland for more details.
Nigel Young, Maurice O'Connell and Shane Hughes
