Since her launch on the 14th of February, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild’s first sea trials have been eagerly awaited. Seeing the 32-metre giant head out for the open sea and the crew finally hoist the sails of this project that began in 2022, was a truly momentous occasion for the whole team on Tuesday morning.
The technical team has been working tirelessly over recent weeks, making final adjustments to the mechanical systems and completing the on-board hydraulics and electronics following the completion of the standard static tests. Beyond the symbolic significance of the moment, the first miles offshore also heralded the start of Charles Caudrelier’s preparations for the main sporting objective of the season.
Getting up to speed step by step
On the morning of the 10th of March, it was all systems go on a technical and weather level to finally get a feel for helming this revolutionary giant. “Our first impressions are very good! It’s a real pleasure for all the team to head out to sea after the many hours spent in the office and the shipyard,” said Charles Caudrelier on his return to land.
This technical shakedown in light airs between the islands of Groix and Belle-Ile-en-mer was no speed test of course, rather the aim was to simply get a feel for her and explore all the highly innovative systems aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in her natural environment: “Everything’s different so it’s a whole new learning experience, which is another exciting aspect of this phase we’re beginning. We need to pace ourselves in a controlled manner as we get her up to speed, and our technical schedule has been devised with this in mind,” insisted the reigning champion of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.
Some fantastic sensations
Caudrelier is clearly a happy skipper, as shown by his initial impressions after a few miles offshore on his new steed: “Inevitably, these first sea trials were momentous for the whole team and they reward a long collective effort, though we’re still only at the beginning of the story. Naturally there is a great deal of expectation surrounding this new boat and we too are eager to see her flying and fulfilling her true potential. That said, this new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is so innovative that it is vital we don’t rush things.
We need to be patient and complete all our test phases in order. As planned, the foils will be integrated a little further down the line. These first legs offshore will enable us to get our initial bearings and get our first feel for the boat. Having a few hours on the water has been very positive: we’ve managed to hoist the sails, test the major new features on the mast and spreaders, and also the entire steering system on the boat, including the rudders, which are attracting a lot of attention. The work that lies ahead promises to be both demanding and exciting. There is a lot to get our heads around and we need to take our time and address each element in turn.”
The Quistreberts’ masterpiece in all its glory
Like her illustrious predecessor, the graphics on Gitana 18 are the result of a close collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and showcase the artistic approach initiated in 2017 at Ariane de Rothschild’s request: to transform a large racing trimaran into an off-site artwork for the famous European art centre. On Gitana 17’s sails and hulls, the work by the American street artist Cleon Peterson and the iconic stylised mermaid, specially designed for Gitana, have circumnavigated the globe.
The new boat pays tribute to the work of French artisits Florian and Michaël Quistrebert who were able to benefit from the maritime expertise of graphic artist Jean-Baptiste Epron for the design and layout. Together, they have created for us a powerful and modern composition, imagined as a female epic, which successfully combines art and tehcnological prowess.
On Tuesday, the first miles offshore of Lorient provided an opportunity to finally discover the singularity and the strength of this new graphic signature.
Gitana 18 is the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, a large new-generation ocean-going multihull designed for offshore foiling and extreme high-performance. She embodies the technological cutting edge of the Gitana line.
Technical Specifications — Maxi Edmond de Rothschild
Length: 32 metres
Beam: 23 metres
Nets: 170 m²
Area of aerodynamic covers: 73 m²
Cockpit floor surface area for manouvering: 9 m²
Living area (floor surface area): 4.8 m²
Displacement: 19.5 tonnes
Number of appendages: 6
Height of float rudders: 4 metres
Foils span area: 10.4 metres
Foil bulb length: 2.4 metres
Sail area upwind: 450 m²
Sail area downwind: 630 m²
Aerial draft: 38.4 m
Electrical cables: 8 km
Number of sensors: 500
Total decorated surface (hulls and sails): 2,000 m²
The new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the twenty-eighth boat in this legendary maritime saga, which will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in a few weeks.
