March 17, 2026
Sails? More like rails!
Gitana 18: the new flying Ultim trimaran
Boat or spaceship? Fans split between awe and “where’s the soul”
TLDR: Gitana 18 is a 32‑meter “flying” trimaran packed with F1‑style controls, built to average 40 knots even in rough seas. Commenters are split between awe at the sci‑fi speed and worry that sailing’s human grit is fading, with jokes about rich‑kid toys and questions about real‑world benefits.
Meet Gitana 18, a 32‑meter “flying” ocean racer that just dropped in Lorient, built to rise on underwater wings and slice through waves at wild speeds. Inspired by America’s Cup boats (AC75), it packs adjustable foils, three cavitation‑fighting rudders (to keep grip when water turns bubbly at high speed), a stiffer one‑piece cockpit hull, and even movable mast supports to dial power mid‑flight. With 44 hydraulic pistons and a brainy control unit, it’s basically a Formula 1 on water aiming for 40‑knot averages in 3‑meter swells—and it’s a floating lab, not a production yacht.
But the real race is in the comments. One side’s nostalgic: telesilla says it’s “like watching jetplanes,” missing the sweaty, human drama of 80s/90s sailing. The other side is dazzled: Peteragain calls it a different kind of beauty—if F1 cars aren’t road cars, this isn’t your dad’s dinghy, and that’s the point. Class war flared too: Incipient roasted it as a toy for people who “keep lunch money in a bank account.” Normie3000 asked if any of this wizardry will trickle into ferries, shipping, or cleaner transport. And Sparkyte misread “Gitana” as the anime Gintama, spawning memes and fan‑art pleas.
The debate: Is this still sailing if computers keep it airborne? Purists want more ropes and grit; tech fans say pushing limits is the soul. Either way, Gitana 18 just turned the Atlantic into a test track—and the comments into a regatta of spice.
Key Points
- •Gitana 18, a 32 m fully flying offshore trimaran, was unveiled in Lorient as a major redesign over its predecessor.
- •Three-axis adjustable Y-shaped foils and U-shaped rudders aim to improve lift, stability, and reduce cavitation above 35 knots.
- •A large-bearing-surface central daggerboard and integrated monocoque cockpit/deckhouse enhance stability and rigidity.
- •Movable spreaders enable in-sail adjustment of rig tension to tune mainsail power—unprecedented at this multihull scale.
- •Aeronautics-inspired mechatronics (44 hydraulic cylinders and a flight ECU) support control; built over 36 months by 200+ experts with 200,000 hours as a technological demonstrator.