Banque Populaire IX - Ultim 32m Trimaran foiler

The launch expected today of the new 32m trimaran Banque Populaire IX for Armel Le Cléac'h is reported to later in the week due to the severe storm Ophelia hitting North-West coasts of Europe, but here are photos of the trimaran inside the shipbuider CDK, inc. views of foils and rudders designed for full foiling when possible. The man side to the foil gives an impressive idea of the scale !
Voile. Les secrets du maxi-trimaran Banque Populaire IX de le Cléac'h https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/voile/voile-les-secrets-du-maxi-trimaran-banque-populaire-ix-de-le-cleac-h-5314860

 

Fantastic-thanks Dolfiman! I haven't found a picture of the main foil on the daggerboard yet(just the render below)-please keep your eyes open for one.
The render shows a high aspect lifting foil on the daggerboard. Best I can tell no pictures of the main foil. Ama UptiP foils and rudder T-foils. There are now four trimarans worldwide using a lifting foil on the daggerboard: Maserati, Gitana 17, Banque Populaire and the first trimaran to use such a foil--Fire Arrow!

Jean-Baptiste Epron/Banque Populaire render:



Voile. Les secrets du maxi-trimaran Banque Populaire IX de le Cléac'h https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/voile/voile-les-secrets-du-maxi-trimaran-banque-populaire-ix-de-le-cleac-h-5314860

 

Not a great photo but you get the idea, part of a photo series at Ultim Boat https://www.facebook.com/UltimBoat/posts/1168362946598613:

 

Thanks! Looks mighty small......



Gitanas main foil:


Maserati's mainfoil:

 

Yes, it is small I was musing that it might be more a way of easing the transition of the main hull between foiling and displacement mode. I guess quite a bit of average speed is lost when the main hull drops down quickly into the water? Just a thought anyway.

 

Translation of the comments of the project director Renaud Camus :
Rudders :
"This type of rudder is innovative on that type of boat weighting 14 tons. At high speeds, there is so much effort in the rudders. Before, it was not necessary to lift them. Now to protect the windward one from a wave or a strong swell at high speed, we have obligation to raise it. The T is important because to fly, the boat needs several points of support : foils, the central daggerboard and the rudders. The foils are like the wings on an airplane, and the rudders the tail. This type of T rudder already existed on Macif, Sodebo and Spindrift, but Gitana and Banque Populaire IX were the first boats designed with this type of rudder from the start."
Foils :
"These are the main devices of the flight, shaped like an" L ", and directly inspired by what was observed during the America's Cup. Foils are orientable in three dimensions. The objective is to have a polyvalent foil, it is quite vertical which allows to take off early enough, but, under certain conditions it can also be positioned in V, it is more stable and wiser."
Central daggerboard :
"The idea is to gain stability in flight, to facilitate the take-off of the central hull and to get it out of the water, and it is also equipped with a small mobile flap"
Amas :
"Like for the central hull, they have fine waterlines. We tried to make weight less. They are flatter than for our previous multihulls, but are not completely flat either to avoid sudden slam in rough seas. They are also designed to have less aerodynamic drag. We have taken care of the aerodynamics at the front and at the rear of the akas. This is important because the boats are going faster and faster, so they are generating more and more apparent wind speed. "
Cockpit cap :
We also designed an harmonious cap designed from aerodynamic tests in a sailmaker. The 3 DI fabric sheets have also replaced the nets. "

 

Great stuff Dolfiman-thanks!

PS- did you do the translation?

 

Banque Pops UptiP ama foil:
(picture credit from Ultim boat's post in Timeline Photos)

 

In complement, this Telegramme de Brest article dated oct. 15 , inc. interview of Armel Le Cleac'h, some translations :
"Gitana 17 has already reach 45 Knots in full flight conditions during their trials."
Foils : "We have a "rake" and a "cant" setting (longitudinal and lateral). So we can adjust the flight in 3D.
Central daggerboard : "there is a trimmer and flaps, to adjust the lift and help for the boat heading."
"We hope to fly at 14-15 knots but we know we will not fly when upwind. We wanted a polyvalent boat. A machine able of not being "taped" in light winds, to fly at more than 40 knots but also able to face very strong winds in rough seas."
"I never flew, except on a small catamaran, a Flying Phantom. Let's say I start straight from the big (laughs). I know I am very lucky to be at the helm of such a boat."
"My preparation includes a lot of sport. Maneuvers last three times longer than on an Imoca monohull. There is a lot of hydraulics on board, so we spend our time turning the cranks to load the systems.
About the risk of capsize " :" I have no more apprehension as I had at the time of the Orma trimarans. Certainly our machines are impressive in size, power and speed but they are much more "marine" .
"The construction of the maxi-trimaran "Banque Populaire IX" costs 10 million euros (~ 12 Millions $) , lasted 18 months. No less than 135,000 hours have been devoted to the birth of this giant, of which 7,000 only for the appendages (foils, rudders and daggerboard). A total of 100 people worked on the project"

Maxi-trimaran. Armel Le Cléac'h, prêt à décoller http://www.letelegramme.fr/informations/armel-le-cleac-h-pret-a-decoller-15-10-2017-11702572.php

 

Banque Populaire Launched---deck sweeping main:

 

This link with videos of this launch :
Maxi-trimaran "Banque Populaire IX". Armel Le Cléac'h : "Un an pour apprendre à voler !" http://www.letelegramme.fr/voile/maxi-trimaran-banque-populaire-ix-le-cleac-h-c-est-aujourd-hui-que-tout-commence-30-10-2017-11722305.php?cx_tag=contextual&cx_navSource=CxLireAussi&cx_artPos=1#cxrecs_s

 

More on the launch: Banque Populaire IX Maxi Trimaran Foiler launched | Catamaran Racing, News & Design http://www.catsailingnews.com/2017/10/banque-populaire-ix-maxi-foiler.html

Youtube version of the video:

 

Here is another video of the launch thanks to Sailing news :


This launch site in Lorient is historical as it was also there that was built and launched in 1968 (quite 50 years ago !) the first french oceanic trimaran Pen Duick IV, 20m long, by Eric Tabarly (and naval architect Andre Allegre), the beginning of the multihulls story in France. Now this site is called "Cité de la voile Eric Tabarly".

Exactly, the story started in december 1966 when Derek Kelsall invited Eric Tabarly for a sail on board his Toria design, very modern light 42' Trimaran for those days, built in sandwich fiber glass, unfortunately caught by fire during the 1976 solo Atlantic race, here is this historical video :
Toria launch from 1:22
Eric on board Toria from 3:10
Pen Duick IV from 6:31
+ some funny sequences on these pioneering years :

 

Banque Pop Flying: Voile Banque Populaire https://www.facebook.com/VoileBanquePopulaire/videos/1727884767255995/

picture source- voile.banquepopulaire.fr

 

Great, already foiling at 35Knots and it was the quasi first day of test !
Their site with videos : Accueil http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/