Gitana 18: inside Charles Caudrelier's new trimaran
Charles Caudrelier has held the Route du Rhum record since 2022: 6 days 19 hours 47 minutes 25 seconds on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, also known as Gitana 17. To defend his title, he is changing boats. Gitana 18, launched in Lorient on 14 February 2026, is the only new Ultim in the fleet.
Two years in the yard
Gitana 18 was built by CDK Technologies, between Port-la-Forêt and Lorient, over about two years: carbon lay-up began in January 2024. It took some 50,000 hours of design and 200,000 hours of yard work, at an estimated cost of €18 million. The lead architect is Guillaume Verdier, with Benjamin Muyl and the Gitana Team design office (Wikipedia FR, Gitana 18).
Several thousand people were at Lorient La Base on launch day. "The planets were aligned today and everything went perfectly!" said Caudrelier, adding: "I hope we can quickly make it as fast as it is beautiful!" (France 24, AFP).
The innovations
The boat keeps the class's maximum dimensions, 32 metres long and 23 wide, but almost everything else is new (Wikipedia FR, Gitana 18):
- U-shaped rudders: three rudders over four metres long, with two legs and a horizontal lifting plane. Movable flaps do the steering, which takes less effort from the autopilot.
- Y-shaped foils: two retractable foils inspired by the America's Cup AC75s, mounted on the float deck rather than in wells. Each branch has its own flap, one for lift, one for leeway.
- Adjustable rig: an articulated spreader stage changes the mast bend to flatten the mainsail quickly.
- Electronics: 500 sensors against 250 on Gitana 17, and 44 hydraulic rams against 18.
The boat is heavier than its predecessor, 19.5 tonnes against 15.5, a choice that makes it stiffer. Simulations predicted take-off at around 11 knots of wind, which early sea trials confirmed.
The duel with his old boat
The organisers point out that the defending champion "had only a few months" to get to grips with his new boat. Caudrelier admits the dynamic is different this year with a new boat, "as it takes time to fine-tune it" (Route du Rhum). He has also recalled that Gitana 17 needed almost two years to reach its full potential (Wikipedia FR, Gitana 18).
That Gitana 17 will be on the start line too. Renamed Actual Ultim 4 in 2025, the 2022 winning boat is now sailed by Anthony Marchand. The 2026 Rhum offers a rare duel: a new boat, more advanced on paper, against its proven predecessor, which already knows the way to Guadeloupe.
The full fleet is in the Ultims and their skippers. The race records are told in Route du Rhum: the story of the record, and the other races these trimarans sail are on the Ultim offshore races page.