A new Ultimate in the land of the Ultimates
After more than 20 months of construction, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild - Gitana 17 by its baptismal name - will be born in Vannes, on the shores of the Gulf of Morbihan (Brittany) in July 2017. After his retirement in the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe, when he was one of the favourites, Sébastien Josse was able to quickly turn the page and concentrate on his new boat.
This 32 m long and 23 m wide maxi-trimaran will join the restricted class of "Ultimates", alongside Sodebo Ultim' (Thomas Coville who is currently being built a new trimaran for 2019), Macif (François Gabart), Idec Sport (Francis Joyon) and Maxi Solo Banque Populaire IX (Armel le Cléac'h), still under construction.
A giant capable of flying
Designed by the architect Guillaume Verdier and his team, in collaboration with the Gitana design office, this maxi-trimaran will be at the crossroads between an Archimedes boat and a flying unit. With this new boat, the Gitana team intends to develop the first maxi-multihull for offshore racing at the wheel.
To create this 32 m giant, Gitana Team clearly took inspiration from Gitana 15, an ex-Mod70, capable of flying after two years of work. The result is a trimaran that is architecturally different from the others, with aggressive, very U-shaped shapes, with resolutely gliding, aggressive and innovative hulls, far removed from those known on today's oceanic multihulls. The shape of the floats and hull has been designed to be able to fly.
It will thus be equipped with the latest architectural and technical advances in terms of appendages, with T rudders and L-shaped foils. It will take a little longer to learn more about these "secret" appendages that will make the boat fly. The aerodynamics of the platform have been particularly careful. The shapes of the link arms in particular, are there to testify to this, as is the integration of the life cell/cockpit between the two arms. What we already know is that the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild will be able to reach 40 knots easily, without even flying.
Gitana 17 has been designed, developed and built more specifically for solo sailing, but will also be perfectly suited for great crewed records.
In the big bath from November 2017
Her first race on Gitana 17, Sébastien Josse, skipper of the Gitana team since 2011, will race her on the Transat Jacques Vabre between Le Havre and Salvador de Bahia, in Brazil. He will be accompanied by navigator Thomas Rouxel, from the Figaro class. Then follow the Route du Rhum 2018 and a solo round the world race in the autumn of 2019.
A flying work of art
According to an original work designed specifically for this project by Cleon Peterson, the decoration of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild was created by the faithful designer of the Gitana Team, Jean-Baptiste Epron; it is a committed creation that is in perfect harmony with the character and distinguished lines of this new generation "giant".
Maxi Edmond de Rotschild in figures
Start of construction October 2015
20 months of construction
+ 170,000 hours of work, including 35,000 hours of study
+ 40 people on average over 20 months
Course name Maxi Edmond de Rothschild
Baptismal name Gitana 17
Length : 32 m
Width : 23 m
Weight 15.5 tonnes
Air draft : 37 m
Energy diesel engine with generator, wind turbines
Sails 3D North Sails
Max. sail area downwind : 650 m2
Max. sail area upwind : 450 m2
Number of appendices : 6
Types of appendices T-float rudders (2), L-foils (2), centre hull daggerboard (1), T-foil rudder (1)
Architects : Team Verdier / Gitana Design Office
Manufacturers: Multiplast (platform) / Lorima (mast) / Persico (cap)
Suppliers: C3 Technologies, Heol Composites, Harken, Pixel sur Mer
Decoration Production by Jean-Baptiste Epron according to an original work designed specifically for this project by the artist Cleon Peterson.
