The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, Gitana 18, was launched on 14 February in Lorient, France, marking the official start of her operational phase ahead of sea trials and the 2026 offshore racing season.
The 32 metre Ultim trimaran is the result of 36 months of development, more than 50,000 hours of design study and 200,000 hours of construction. Over 200 specialists contributed to the project. Around 80 percent of the platform was manufactured in autoclave.
Gitana 18 is the twenty-eighth boat in the Gitana lineage, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026.
100 percent offshore foiling
The design objective was clear from inception. Gitana 18 has been engineered to transition from hybrid foiling to sustained, fully airborne offshore flight.
On paper, simulator data indicates a projected performance gain of 10 to 15 percent over Gitana 17. The team expects average speeds approaching 40 knots in race conditions.
“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,” Skipper Charles Caudrelier said, adding, “We hope to be able to fly in 3 metre waves and reach an average sailing speed bordering on 40 knots.”
Gitana 18 is indeed a technical evolution; some might say innovation. Key technical features include:
- Retractable, three dimensionally adjustable Y shaped foils with a span exceeding 5 metres
- U shaped rudders designed to increase stiffness and reduce cavitation at high speed
- A canting but fixed height central board
- Dynamically adjustable spreaders allowing mast bend control while sailing
The rig introduces a first at this scale within the Ultim class. The adjustable spreader system enables active control of mainsail power without full sail changes, supporting solo and short handed offshore racing demands.
Integrated rig and sail package
The aerodynamic package was developed through collaboration between North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres, under the wider North Technology Group structure.
As a boating magazine in New Zealand we would be remiss not to point out that Southern Spars is a prominent New Zealand founded company headquartered in Avondale, Auckland. While part of the US based North Technology Group, it maintains its primary manufacturing and design hub in New Zealand. The company specialises in high-performance carbon fibre masts, rigging and structural components for elite racing yachts and superyachts worldwide.
For Gitana 18, Southern Spars delivered a rotating mast engineered for Ultim level loads, integrated with dynamically controlled spreaders. The system is designed to manage extreme load cases while maintaining efficiency and durability offshore.
Future Fibres supplied the standing rigging and load sensing systems, including fibre optic monitoring for continuous performance analysis.
North Sails developed the sail inventory using 3Di RAW and 3Di Helix technologies, providing a full race wardrobe from mainsail through J0 to J3.
Sam Watson, CEO of North Technology Group, commented, “This latest stunning trimaran marks a major leap forward and we are proud that there was only one organisation that could be trusted to bring Gitana 18 to life.”
Launch and commissioning phase
The platform launch and mast stepping were completed in Lorient under suitable weather conditions. The boat is now moored at her base pending final appendage installation and dockside commissioning.
The Y foils will be fitted following initial structural and systems checks. Static testing and calibration will take place before the first sea trials off Lorient.
“A new chapter begins in the Gitana lineage with the launch of Gitana 18,” owner Ariane de Rothschild said. “For 150 years, my family, through these legendary boats, has recounted its passion for the sea and sailing performance and cultivated innovation.”
Campaign focus: Route du Rhum
The immediate focus is an eight month development and optimisation programme leading into the Route du Rhum, starting 1 November in St Malo.
Caudrelier added: “Building a Maxi like Gitana 18 was already a major technological and human challenge, and now an equally significant challenge awaits us in its fine tuning. With Gitana 18, we’re entering another dimension.”
Principal specifications
- Length: 32 metres
- Beam: 23 metres
- Air draft: 38.4 metres
- Displacement: 19.5 tonnes
- Upwind sail area: 450 square metres
- Downwind sail area: 630 square metres
- Six appendages including twin Y foils and triple rudder configuration
Gitana 18 now enters commissioning and performance validation ahead of competitive debut in 2026.
