It was a great day for her team and all observers: with her first test run, the French "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild", or "Gitana 18" for short, has reached another milestone in her development. The 28th boat in the Gitana saga since Julie de Rothschild set sail in 1876 made its first passages in the waters off Lorient. After the sensational first public presentation in December and the first launch on 14 February, Charles Caudrelier and the team now let the Ultim giant off the line for the first time.
"Gitana 18": futuristic masterpiece with radiance
200 people have the latest masterpiece of French boatbuilding in 50,000 hours of design and 200,000 hours of construction. 3000 hours in the simulator have led to the current state of development of "Gitana 18", which could be admired under sail for the first time this week. The Gitana team has thus opened a new chapter for its latest masterpiece and now wants to "discover the design of the giant" and "discover, develop, test and make the flying maxi prototype reliable".
"Magical" was one of the most frequently used attributes in the fan comments on these first images circulating on social networks. Observers noticed, for example, the "clearly rectangularly flared mainsail" at the top - a consistent response to stronger and more stable winds aloft. The first real sailing test was eagerly awaited since the "Gitana 18" was launched. When the 32-metre-long foiling trimaran set course for the open sea and the crew were finally able to hoist the sails of this project, which was launched at the end of 2022, it was a moving moment for everyone.
After working at full speed over the last few weeks for the "Gitana 18" deployment in her element, the Shore team had been busy optimising the mechanical systems and putting the finishing touches to the on-board hydraulics and electronics after completing the usual static tests for every new boat. The first miles at sea also heralded the start of sailing preparations for Skipper Charles Caudrelier the most important sporting goal of the season: participation in the Route du Rhumwhich begins on 1 November.
Favourable conditions at the first "Gitana 18" sailing test
On the sailing premiere day of "Gitana 18", all systems were ready for use and the weather conditions were favourable to finally get a feel for steering the revolutionary giant. "Our first impressions are excellent! It's a real pleasure for the whole team to finally go out to sea after so many hours in the office and at the shipyard," enthused Charles Caudrelier after returning ashore.
The technical "shakedown" took place in light winds between the islands of Groix and Belle-Île-en-mer. No speed test was scheduled. It was more about getting a feel for the boat and discovering all the highly innovative systems on board "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" in the natural environment. "Everything is different, so it's a whole new learning experience, which is another exciting aspect of this phase we're about to embark on," said "Gitana 18" tamer and Route du Rhum title holder Charles Caudrelier.
We have to work our way forward in a controlled manner while we bring them up to speed. Our technical schedule was drawn up with this in mind." Charles Caudrelier
Caudrelier knows: "Of course, the expectations for this new boat are very high and we are eager to see it fly and discover its true potential. However, this new 'Maxi Edmond de Rothschild' is so innovative that we can't rush things. We have to be patient and complete all the test phases in sequence. As planned, the foils will only be integrated a little later."
A giant trimaran as a racing machine and work of art
The former Ocean Race winner continued: "The first few hours on the water have been very positive: we have managed to set the sails, test the main new features on the mast and spreaders, as well as the boat's entire steering system, including the rudders, which attract a lot of attention. The work ahead promises to be challenging and exciting, just like the 'Gitana 18' itself, which is a highly sophisticated boat. There is a lot to think about. We need to take our time and tackle each element in turn."
As with its famous predecessor, the eye-catching graphics on the 'Gitana 18' are the visual result of a close collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. They show the artistic approach that was developed in 2017 at the request of Ariane de Rothschild was created: to transform a large racing trimaran into an unusual work of art from the famous European art centre.
Under sail, the new boat now fully showcases the work of French artists Florian and Michaël Quistrebert, who benefited from the maritime expertise of graphic designer Jean-Baptiste Epron in its production and design. Together, the artistic creators have created a powerful and modern composition conceived as a female epic.
Impressive première in the district off Lorient
The aim is to successfully combine technological performance and art in the Gitana racing team. This week's maiden voyage off the coast of Lorient provided the opportunity to marvel at the extraordinary graphic signature as well as the racing machine for the first time. "Gitana 18" is the "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild": a gigantic trimaran of the latest Ultim generation, designed for offshore flights and extreme high performance at sea.
This was the virtual animation for the flying "Gitana 18"...
... and that has been the sailing reality since this week:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
