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With the decline of the Orma class, the story could well have ended there… however this would be unfamiliar with instinct for challenge, which has driven the founders of the Gitana saga for decades. To transform an existing yacht rather than build a new craft, such is the bold challenge that the Gitana Team has set itself in its bid to defend its title.
After a two year transition and following the publication of the Notice of Race for the Route du Rhum 2010 – which has opened the event to maxi-multihulls from the G Class – it was decided to modify Gitana 11 so as to remain competitive against her giant adversaries. The basic premise which guides the transformation studies is as follows: “Since the early days, our main focus has been to make Gitana 11 even more versatile. We were keen to conserve her potential in the light airs whilst improving her performance in breezy conditions, so as to be able to compete with the current large ocean trimarans. To achieve this we extended the floats, which are now 4 metres longer. The lines of these hulls are inspired by the latest generation of floats, which stem from the technical evolutions made in this domain during the past seven years. Indeed Gitana 11’s floats dated back to its construction in 2001. As ever, it came down to a compromise between weight and power during the design and then the construction process.”
The now ‘maxi’-trimaran conserves its given name - Gitana 11 – out of respect for the boat’s history and the number of miles already covered.
Ten months to be recreated: the outline
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December 2008
Following weeks of project sessions, the members of the Gitana Team, the VPLP naval architecture design office and the HDS calculation company turned in their reports. Studies were completed and left the way clear for the concrete work to begin. It was a few days from Christmas, in the intimacy of Saint Philibert’s technical hangars, that work began to transform Gitana 11. The shore crew then proceeded with stripping down the trimaran’s platform before freeing her of her original floats.
January 2009
2009 got off to a great start. The construction of the new floats, entrusted to Southern Ocean Marine, began in the antipodes. Meantime the creation of the new bow on the central hull began in Arcachon at the Larros yard. In Saint Philibert, the Gitana Team’s technicians set about cutting out the bow along with the extension of the central hull aft, whilst in the offices the engineers modelled the pods which would play host to the helm stations either side of the cockpit.
February 2009
The design and implementation of the helm station pods constituted one of the sensitive areas of the transformation work. Two members of the technical team worked on this full-time for nearly four months. Once the plans for these pods were completed, the technicians were able to proceed with the construction of the moulds from which the parts would be made. At the same time, on the multihull platform, another group busied themselves with modifying the deck layout. Originally the helms of Gitana 11 were off-centre on the beams, but to make the boat more suited to solo sailing, it was decided to position all the controls around the cockpit. For this it was, notably, necessary to move the existing primary winches and create a central coffee grinder.
March 2009
The beams, which rank among the few original parts to be conserved, had to be largely reinforced to accommodate the new floats. Indeed the new configuration on the trimaran and notably the extension to the hulls, resulted in a considerable amount of effort.
Avril 2009
To optimise control of the boat’s balance and boost Gitana 11’s power in certain conditions, Yann Guichard was keen to add
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ballast tanks (in addition to the two already in place) in the central hull, below the companionway. To give a brief outline of this, the ballast tanks are made of carbon, with sea-cocks enabling the latter to be filled or emptied. The manufacture and above all the installation of such a part is never an easy operation as the chosen locations for them are cramped.
May 2009
The pods were in position and the team responsible for the project then set to work on the accommodation: installation of some specially designed seats, manufacture and adjustment of the Plexiglas which extends out from the pods… Some modifications were also made to Gitana 11’s mast. Indeed, though the trimaran’s sail plan is similar to that of the 2006 version, some hook systems (solent hook for example) were devised to guarantee performance and safety.
June 2009
on 6th June, the first New Zealand built float arrived in the hangars in Saint Philibert. The arrival of this wide load from Le Havre signalled the start of assembly. The positioning and grafting of this first key piece of the puzzle was to take nearly three weeks to ensure the right angles were respected.
July 2009
There was no slacking for the team’s experts as on 2nd July as it was the turn of the second float to arrive. What ensued was a similar operation to balance out the maxi-trimaran. A few days later, the newly received bow of the central hull was put into place. The positioning and adjustment of this new section measuring nearly 7 metres was a delicate and meticulous part of the structural work.
August 2009
On 17th August the ambitious transformation was on the home straight. The structural work on the platform was complete and the members of Gitana Team set to work on the assembly and positioning of all the equipment which was essential to its smooth functioning: remounting of the deck hardware, finishing off of the electronic installation and computers, followed by some tests to validate the new systems and the positioning of the halyards, blocks and various other ropes necessary aboard such a boat.
September 2009
on 7th September the long awaited moment arrived. Gitana 11, the second of that name, was launched. The most recent addition to the Gitana saga unveiled her new lines.
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