Gitana 18: The Real Story | What the Skipper and Design Team Have Discovered

Having flown Gitana 18 we also discovered what the key people behind this extraordinary new Ultim really think of her. Following on from our previous feature, We Fly Gitana 18, we go behind the scenes with skipper Charles Caudrelier and Design Office Director Sébastien Sainson to hear their firsthand assessment of the radical 32-metre foiling trimaran as the team prepares for its first major challenge: the Route du Rhum. And there are some fascinating revelations. From extraordinary stability and control at speeds of 45 knots and beyond to the complex new foil and rudder systems, Gitana 18 is already delivering some remarkable results — including a few surprises for the team itself. But not everything is perfect. There are compromises, technical challenges and a huge amount still to learn. Charles believes it will take at least two years to unlock the boat's full potential. At the point where we sailed her, the team had just weeks before the start of the Route du Rhum….now it’s just days. So how ready is Gitana 18? What's working better than expected? Where are the weaknesses? And how much more performance is still to come? In this exclusive follow-up, we hear directly from the skipper and design office director about the realities of developing one of the most ambitious offshore racing boats ever built. Watch our first feature, We Fly Gitana 18: [Insert link] #Gitana18 #RouteDuRhum #CharlesCaudrelier #Ultim #Foiling #OffshoreSailing CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction — Gitana 18: The Real Story 01:28 Charles Caudrelier — Learning a New Ultim 01:54 Why Gitana 18 Is Still a Work in Progress 03:59 The Challenge of Sailing Such a Complex Boat 05:30 Designing Systems for Solo Sailing 06:24 Development Plans and the Round-the-World Challenge 07:12 Revolutionary Rudders — Control at 40+ Knots 09:30 The Challenges of Manoeuvring at Low Speed 10:55 Flying Higher and Faster in Heavy Seas 12:10 Inside Gitana 18's Revolutionary Foils 14:25 The Central Daggerboard — A Technical Challenge 15:28 Developing the Rudders and Steering Systems 17:40 The Transition to Foiling 19:30 Autopilot, Rig Stiffness and the Adjustable Mast 20:40 Changing Sail Power While Foiling 22:15 What's Next for Gitana 18? 23:05 Final Thoughts with Charles Caudrelier 23:35 Docktalk - Nautor Swan — A Different Kind of Performance Yacht MORE ON GITANA 18 We Fly Gitana 18 https://youtu.be/KFIqv2fRm1M Gitana 18 flies for the first time - Plus we get inside https://youtu.be/exDf7YPiNtA On Board Face to face with the skipper of Gitana 18 Charles Caudrelier https://youtu.be/g09UFIk7lvQ Next Generation Beasts https://youtu.be/ZjiGtwd8q4Q Launched Why Gitana 18 could be the fastest offshore boat ever and how to sleep at over 40 knots...alone https://youtu.be/7Kt2FmSijbs Gitana 18 - Is this the world’s fastest offshore trimaran? https://youtu.be/sTS31Tpi6uM