For the latest Gitana Ultim program, the brief was unambiguous: develop a mast, sails, and rigging package capable of matching the platform’s step-change in foiling performance. While Gitana’s in-house and Verdier, expertise had pushed the underwater appendages into new territory, the aero package above the waterline demanded a different set of skills, specifically, deep experience in high-load composite masts, advanced standing rigging, and integrated aerodynamic solution.

To address this, Gitana partnered closely with Southern Spars, North Sails and Future Fibres, establishing a long-term, technically driven collaboration rather than a conventional supplier relationship.

The challenge

The core challenge was to deliver a rig that could:

• Operate reliably in sustained foiling modes
• Provide a significant mast-bend and sail-shape range
• Minimise energy input for adjustment offshore
• Innovative Ultim platform
• Manage weight and aerodynamic drag without compromising structural margins

Every element, from fibre choice to end fittings, needed to be purpose-designed.

Concept development

Selecting the rig architecture

The initial blue-sky ideas were peered down to four rig concepts that were developed and assessed during the early design phase. Following comparative studies, a rotating diamond rig was selected.

While diamond rigs are familiar territory on high-performance catamarans, applying the concept to an Ultim trimaran operating at far higher loads required a fundamental redesign. The selected architecture offered the best pathway to achieving the required mast-bend authority while maintaining stability across a wide operating envelope.

Adrien Nivet / polaRYSE

Engineering the mast

Increasing bend range, reducing energy demand

A primary performance target was an expanded mast-bend range to unlock sail-shape control. The final design delivers a mainsail camber range of >6%, achieved through careful coordination of:

• Spreader length and sweep
• Diamond geometry and tension
• Mast section stiffness distribution
• Mainsail design and structure

Extensive testing was undertaken to define diamond cable tensions that maximised bend range while preserving acceptable stability margins. The outcome was a structure that delivers low-energy adjustability, reducing reliance on high-load control systems offshore.

The mast is fully rotating, with particular attention paid to maintaining aerodynamic alignment between mast, North 3Di sails, and Future Fibres rigging during rotation.

Moving spreaders and dynamic control

One of the most distinctive features of the rig is the use of spreaders that move actively while sailing. This capability allows the rig to adapt dynamically to changing apparent wind angles and load cases as the boat transitions between displacement and full foiling modes.  To validate the concept, multiple structural solutions were tested. A full-scale prototype mast section was built to de-risk the manufacturing process and identify potential weaknesses. One such weakness was uncovered during testing and resolved, reinforcing the value of physical validation alongside numerical analysis.

Standing rigging as a design system

ECnine as a signature application

Every cable on the mast was individually assessed to determine the most appropriate fibre type, balancing stiffness, fatigue performance, weight, and aerodynamic profile. Nothing was treated as off-the-shelf:

• Ultra-high-modulus carbon eyes were validated
• Custom-engineered lash fittings were designed specifically for the rig’s load paths
• RAZR cap shrouds are engineered with the end fittings oriented at optimised angles to maximize the aerodynamic performance of the stay
• Future Fibres, Synapse loadcell & fibre optic strain sensing was integrated to enable embedded load monitoring and data capture

A dedicated weight and aerodynamic study underpinned these decisions, ensuring that structural efficiency translated directly into measurable aero gains.

Headsails, headstay, and load paths

The diamond rig architecture required a re-evaluation of headsail geometry. Headsail attachment heights differ from previous Gitana platforms, reflecting the altered load paths and mast behaviour.  A result of the coordinated mast design process that includes parallel sail design & development.

A custom headstay fitting was developed in conjunction with a J2 Torquelite furling cable, allowing controlled handling of large headsails while maintaining torsional integrity under extreme foiling loads.

This holistic approach ensured mast, rigging, and North 3Di sails functioned as a single, coherent system rather than optimised components working in isolation.