In the ocean racing environment, aside from the round the world years, January is traditionally a month dedicated to refits. This year however, the men of Gitana Team have upset the usual schedule. Indeed the winter refit for the MOD 70 Gitana XV yacht by the Edmond de Rothschild Group has only taken a matter of weeks, which was just enough time for the shore crew to give the latest trimaran yacht Gitana XV of the Gitana fleet a unique livery, developed by the graphic designer Jean-Baptiste Epron.
Mod 70 Gitana XV Successfully Launched Credit: CDK Technologies
Sébastien Josse and his crew will be putting in their first tacks of 2012 over the coming days, before making for the latitudes of Agadir, in Morocco, where the team’s winter training is scheduled to take place.
An innovative and daring livery
For a number of years, Jean-Baptiste Epron has successfully combined his passion for sailing and his business as a graphic designer. Responsible for the majority of the liveries on the Gitana Team’s yachts, such as Gitana 10, Gitana 11, the “Eighty”, the Extreme 40 Edmond de Rothschild Group, and many others, this adopted Breton has now created his 9th piece for the Rothschild family.
The launch of the Gitana XV yacht enabled onlookers to discover the latest decor and Jean-Baptiste explains what led him to the final design for Gitana XV: “In the various projects I put forward, I always try to provide innovative and cleverer versions. In the majority of cases, it’s the more classic propositions which are unanimously approved. To my very great delight, Ariane and Benjamin de Rothschild were attracted by this version which is very different from those which the Gitana fleet have sported up till now.”
“On the MOD 70 I had a technical constraint because, due to the way the materials behave in UV light, the hulls have to be predominantly white. This parameter had its positive points and it enabled me to create a livery which stands out from the previous editions. The graphics on the hulls are in fact a close-up of the compass which unites the five arrows which are emblematic of the Rothschild family. To give it volume, I outlined it in the different colours which make up the family’s coat of arms and the Gitana Team’s logo: blue, grey and finally yellow.”
