After three years of development, hundreds of thousands of hours of design work and the involvement of around a hundred naval architects, engineers, composite specialists, data scientists, and technicians involved: Gitana 18 stands as the most ambitious project ever undertaken by Gitana. In recent days, the boat carried out its first sea trials off the coast of Belle-Île, marking a major milestone in its development.
Equipped with a first-of-its-kind Y-shaped pendulum foil of unprecedented dimensions, and a completely redesigned architecture, this latest addition to the fleet embodies the pioneering spirit that has driven Gitana for 150 years: relentlessly exploring new horizons and pushing the limits of what is possible.
“Seeing the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild rise above the water is the culmination of several years of design work, bold decisions, and teamwork. The Gitana adventure has always been guided by this desire to go further, to explore, and to innovate. This first flight is an important milestone. It rewards the commitment of all those who have contributed to this exceptional project and opens up a tremendous field of exploration for the years to come.” Ariane de Rothschild, CEO of Edmond de Rothschild and owner of Gitana.
At the helm during these first flights, Charles Caudrelier shares his initial impressions: “From Gitana 17 to Gitana 18, the feel is completely different. The boat is very stiff and responsive, which is exactly what we were aiming for. Last Monday, wind readings off Belle-Île showed between 10 and 13 knots. After a few minutes adjusting the settings, the Maxi took off, and twenty minutes later, our flight was stable. Our foils are one of the major innovations of this project; we pushed their design to the limit, and the initial sensations are extremely promising.”
Over the next two weeks, Gitana 18 will be fitted with its second port-side foil. With five months to go before the Route du Rhum, the testing phases will intensify to unlock the boat's full potential.
For 150 years, Gitana has been a realm of exploration where technology, style and the drive to excel converge. Values that continue to inspire Edmond de Rothschild’s vision.