GITANA 18, focus on this new giant’s major innovations

Like her predecessor, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild aims to carve out a whole new path by making the switch from hybrid mode to being fully airborne, and to be at the forefront of a new generation of ever more high-performance large oceanic trimarans. To achieve this, it was necessary to brave the still uncharted territory, come up with novel concepts and trial a series of innovative solutions.

With this new boat, the five-arrow team, its design office and Team Verdier have signed up for a bold creative journey. They have brought to life a giant with a whole new look: a polymorphic creature upon which a plethora of moving parts can be tweaked, deployed or retracted.

Indeed, the appendages on the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild herald a significant breakthrough in a host of domains. They are the result of many months of brainstorming, creation and testing, culminating in a whole new set of utterly unique geometries, systems and tweaking opportunities.

Retractable Y-foils and three-dimensional trimming
Inspired by the appendages on the flying monohulls of the America’s Cup, these Y-foils equipped with a wing spanning more than 5 metres have been designed to generate considerable lift, boost power and permit a number of different trimming options in order to optimise flight on every point of sail, in all manner of conditions.

Revolutionary rudders, whose U-shaped rudders are geared to withstand cavitation.

The central hull’s centreboard and large-scale lifting surface are a radical departure from anything that has been designed before on this type of boat.

The rig on the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild also stands out through the presence of spreaders whose dynamic forces can be adjusted, enabling the spar to bend to alter the power in the mainsail whilst sailing: a world first on this scale.

The cockpit and coachroof have been structurally integrated with the central hull to give it maximum stiffness: a concept and implementation specific to Gitana.

On paper based on thousands of tests carried out in a simulator, the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild ticks all the boxes with a 10 to 15% gain in speed expected. Now, all that remains is to get to grips with and tame this otherworldly creature in real-world conditions.

This culture of innovation and boldness is intrinsically linked to the history of the Gitanas, and to the philosophy of its owners, embodied today by Ariane de Rothschild and her daughters. The new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the twenty-eighth boat in this legendary maritime saga, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026.

  A veritable work of art at the service of offshore flight

From its design to its construction, the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the fruit of a group’s intelligence and expertise. Hundreds of specialists have been brought in to bring this sensational giant offshore racing trimaran to life.

- 200,000 hours of construction
- 50,000 hours of study
- 80% of the platform manufactured in an autoclave
- 36-month gestation
- More than 200 people involved in the Gitana 18 project