Pictures: Trials for Maserati Multi70 following refit

The trimaran will undergo sea trials in the Atlantic following its refit. The Multi70 replaces the previous VOR 70, also called Maserati, which came fourth in its final outing at the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

The newly refitted Maserati Multi70
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Italian skipper, Giovanni Soldini and his crew are now putting the Maserati Multi70 through its paces ahead of the upcoming racing season.

The trimaran was unveiled recently at the team’s base at Lorient in Brittany, France.

Maserati Multi70

The newly fitted trimaran is unveiled. Credit Maserati/Facebook

 

Measuring 21.2 metres in length and with a 16.8 metre beam, the Maserati Multi70 has been designed by the Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost (VPLP) studio and optimised by Team Gitana in collaboration with Guillaume Verdier.

Described by Maserati as a “genuinely innovative and experimental craft that represents a new frontier in sailing”, the trimaran has a number of striking characteristic.

These include the vessel’s ability to rise off the water on its foils and T-foil rudders, drastically reducing the wet surface and thus boosting performance.

Maserati Multi70 Giovanni Soldini

Lowered into the water. Credit:Maserati/Facebook

 

The main optimisation modifications were to the trimaran’s rudders which now sport T-foils with adjustable flaps, and, particularly, its third generation foils, which were completely redesigned by Verdier and promise huge untapped potential.

Soldini said he is excited about the sea trials ahead.

Giovanni Soldini Maserati Multi70

Italian skipper, Giovanni Soldini with Maserati Multi70. Credit Maserati/Facebook

 

“Maserati Multi70 is back in the water at last!” he said.

“She is a stunning-looking boat after her facelift last month. Before she went into the yard, we managed to do a few day spins on flat water with Team Gitana in April – she felt absolutely fantastic and made supersonic speeds back then,” noted Soldini.

“The time has come now to sail her in open sea with ocean waves. It’s a very delicate stage that will help us get a handle on the difficulties involved in flying on foils in a moderate sea, which will be a very interesting challenge for us. I can’t wait to tackle it!” said the 50-year-old skipper.

Soldini and his team spent three years with Maserati VOR70.

He set new Cadiz-San Salvador and Gold Rush Route records, sailing 13,225 nautical miles from New York to San Francisco in 47 days, 42 minutes and 29 seconds.

The VOR70’s final outing was in the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, where it placed fourth.

The new Multi70 trimaran was made available by John Elkann earlier this year.

Soldini and his team have been sponsored by the luxury car manufacturer since 2013.