What Is It Really Like to Sail Gitana 18? We Get Aboard

I've sailed some extraordinary high-performance boats over the years, but Gitana 18 is on another level. Having followed this remarkable project from the earliest design stages, I was invited aboard to sail her and take the helm. With the Route du Rhum fast approaching, we were given a rare opportunity to join Charles Caudrelier and the Gitana team for one of their final days of sea trials off Lorient, France. For a boat that has already generated so much interest, this was a very special invitation — and an extraordinary opportunity to discover first-hand what Gitana 18 is really like under sail. And then we started flying. From her extraordinary foiling systems and innovative rudders to the remarkably light and responsive steering, Gitana 18 represents a major step forward in the development of offshore racing trimarans. The Route du Rhum will be Gitana 18's first major competitive test, and with so much anticipation surrounding this groundbreaking boat, all eyes will be on how she performs. So, here's what we found out about the giant blue beast. Plus, we have another helping of Docktalk too CHAPTERS 00:00 First Sail on Gitana 18 01:33 Introducing the Radical New Trimaran 02:35 Leaving the Dock and Hoisting Sail 04:25 The Revolutionary Foil Design 06:00 How Gitana 18's Foils Work 10:45 Rudders, Steering and Boat Handling 13:00 Tacking a Giant Racing Trimaran 17:00 Mast Trim and Electric Steering 20:30 Building Speed – Gitana 18 Takes Flight! 24:20 Final Impressions and the Technology Behind Gitana 18 DOCKTALK 25:52 – Quantum - A new approach for performance cats 26:57 – Advanced Mechanical Solutions More on Gitana 18 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