French sailing team Gitana has announced the launch of the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild offshore racing trimaran, Gitana 18. The 32-metre new build was unveiled for the first time at the team's shed in Lorient, Brittany.
Gitana 18 now becomes the successor to the 2017-launched Gitana 17, building upon her strengths in a "bold and assertive" new architectural design. She is also the twenty-eighth boat in Gitana’s maritime saga, which is soon to celebrate 150 years of racing. The Gitana design office and Team Verdier were responsible for the slender lines of the maxi trimaran, with Florian and Michaël Quistrebert, in collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo, responsible for her "monumental livery".
"Marrying intelligence, art, engineering and cutting-edge technology, this new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is a fitting addition to the legendary Gitana lineage and is paving a new way forward for a whole new generation of flying offshore multihulls," said a spokesperson for the team.
CDK Technologies completed the trimaran's platform, working in collaboration with suppliers such as C3 Technologies for the rudders, Re Fraschini for the foils, Southern Spars for the mast and boom, North Sails for the sails and many others.
Unlike her predecessor, Gitana 18 will be able to switch from hybrid mode to 100 per cent flight - a move said to be at the forefront of "a new generation of large[...]high-performance oceanic trimarans". She is described as a "polymorphic creature", capable of adjusting, deploying and retracting a plethora of elements.
“She’s an extraordinary trimaran, a blend of art and technology. We’ve challenged ourselves right across the board. The result is bold," explained Cyril Dardashti, general manager of Gitana Team. Gitana 18 has a staggering beam of 23 metres.
A notable new feature on board includes the retractable Y-foils that are equipped with a wing spanning over five metres. Inspired by the flying monohulls of the America’s Cup, they are expected to allow for several different trimming options to optimise flight on every point of sail in all conditions.
Other additions include "revolutionary" rudders, a redesigned centreboard on the central hull and a reimagined rig, which now stands out with spreaders that can be adjusted, enabling her 38-metre mast to bend to modify the power of the mainsail whilst sailing - a world first on this scale, according to the team. Based on simulator tests, the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is expected to offer a 10 to 15 per cent gain in speed.
“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-metre waves and reach an average sailing speed bordering on 40 knots”, added Charles Caudrelier, the skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.
The vision for the new 32-metre came following nearly 200,000 nautical miles around the world aboard Gitana 17 – with successes on the racing circuit including Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum, and the Arkea Ultim Challenge – alongside the history of the Gitanas and the philosophy of her owners, today, Ariane de Rothschild and her daughters.
“Within my family, we’ve always enjoyed a passion for competition, performance and also one of technological disruption. It’s about being disruptive, knowing how to take risks, gauging them and managing them. This is fully in line with our philosophy,” said Ariane de Rothschild.
Gitana 18's build began in January 2024 and was originally scheduled to launch at the end of September. She is now expected to make her debut at a major transatlantic race.