ian farrier trimarans

Professional BoatBuilder Magazine

Remembering ian farrier.

By Dan Spurr , Mar 15, 2018

Ian Farrier, who died in December 2017, was a passionate advocate for multihull hullforms. His clever folding mechanisms enabled his smaller designs to be towed behind the family automobile. He hoped that the F-22 (6.7m), which he was working on day and night at the time of his death, would be affordable for middle-class sailors.

New Zealand multihull designer and builder Ian Lindsay Farrier, 70, died suddenly in San Francisco, California, on December 8, 2017, culminating a career that began in 1973 in Australia.

While his early designs, many home built, were well known in New Zealand and Australia, it was the F-27 (8.2m) that made an impact in the U.S. The trimaran has a unique patented hinge mechanism enabling the amas (floats) to be folded inward toward the main hull even when afloat, making the boat easily trailerable. After its introduction in 1986, production grew from 12 the next year to 101 in 1991. Farrier’s www.f-boat.com website includes an engaging account of how Walmart heir John Walton took interest in the design and founded Corsair Marine in Chula Vista, California, to produce the boat. A modern production facility was set up, with all crew, including Walton, getting gritty on the shop floor. As sales increased, it was enlarged to 27,000 sq ft (2,511m 2 ).

From the Corsair website: “Everyone pitched in no matter how dirty the job, and no one was exempt. Even John, one of the wealthiest men in America, was in the thick of some of the worst grinding jobs, was a great laminator, and the main instigator of the extensive vacuum bagging systems that were developed at Corsair over the next few years. It was a good combination all round. I had the design and ideas for a radically new boat with my patented folding system, John had the capital to see it through the very difficult and unprofitable development stage, and we had a great crew. The F-27 could not have had a better start. Vacuum bagging complete hulls, with outer laminate, core, and inner laminate being bagged simultaneously, was one of the big advances developed at Corsair. Total lamination time for this hull was 1 hour and 30 minutes (45 minutes each side). No one could do it quicker or better.” Farrier said the boat comprised 57 individual molds.

Billed as a family cruiser that is also fast, the F-27 won races and in 2004 became only the second multihull (after the Hobie 16) to be inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame.

Farrier resigned from Corsair Marine in 1991 to pursue other designs, including the F-31 (9.4m), and later, the F-22 (6.7m), which at the time of his death he’d been working on to increase production. During the years Farrier was busy making tooling for the F-22 and setting up the shop for the new model, he and I corresponded regularly. I hoped he’d write a Design Brief for this magazine, and he continually protested he needed to make more progress before he could slow down long enough to write.

Old friend Peter Hackett sent this memory via Sackville Curie, an early dealer of Farrier boats: “My first association with Ian was as a pimply teenager in Hawthorne, Brisbane, 1973. A couple of Kiwis had moved into a house [across] the road, and not long after, a plywood thing started growing under the house and then emerging into the yard. To us Aussie/monohull/dinghy people, our first guess was that it was a caravan. When I tried to convince my carpenter/boatbuilder father that it was starting to look like a boat, he just laughed. Not long after that, my curiosity got the better of me, and on the way home from school I diverted and had a sneaky look over the fence. There was a guy under the house laboring in one of our typical warm summer afternoons, covered in sweat and glue. I asked if I could come in and he downed tools in the most welcoming way to explain to me what this strange craft was. In a scenario to then be repeated thousands of times around the world by various methods and media, Ian Farrier shared his dream with me of safe, cheap, and fast multihull sailing for the masses. I was skeptical at first, but when he showed me his detailed plans I was starting to get quite excited. Then he produced a model cut out of the walls of a can with nails for pivot points. It demonstrated that with pairs of struts balancing the forces involved, this multihull trimaran with no lead keel could be trailed behind a family car to all sorts of dream locations, then sailed safely and quickly in all sorts of waters.”

And from Rob Densem, general manager of Farrier Marine in Christchurch, New Zealand, to www.sailinganarchy.com: “Ian was a visionary, a multihull genius, an all-round nice guy who leaves behind a huge legacy to the sailing world. Farrier Marine Limited is a strong business with a three-year order book for the revolutionary F-22 sailboat. Despite dealing with our grief, it is very much ‘business as usual’ at the factory today. It is our job now to carry on the Farrier legacy and ensure his vision is carried out.”    

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Published on December 11th, 2017 | by Editor

Eight Bells: Ian Farrier

Published on December 11th, 2017 by Editor -->

Ian Farrier

Ian Farrier, a visionary multihull designer best known for his folding trailerable trimarans, died at age 70 on December 10, 2017.

Ian Farrier first started sailing multihulls virtually by accident, being a twenty year old New Zealand engineering student and monohull sailor, looking for a keelboat to do some offshore cruising.

Nothing suitable was available, but then an unfinished 30-foot trimaran was advertised, and this was purchased after some research. After two years of hard work and rebuilding, his first multihull was launched in 1969.

It was not a perfect multihull, but it was reasonably fast and forgiving. However, some design limitations were apparent, and confidence was lacking for a long ocean voyage, so he jumped ship to a 38-foot keelboat bound for Tonga. The contrast in comfort, handling and safety aspects observed during this trip convinced him that a well-designed multihull was the way to go.

In 1972 he arrived in Brisbane, Australia, where the growing popularity of the monohull trailer sailer was noted while crewing on a local trimaran. A trailerable trimaran appeared to have many advantages over trailerable monohulls, so he decided to look at what could be done.

The Farrier Folding System™ was then invented, patented, and the prototype Trailertri 18 was built and launched in 1974. It worked beautifully and he then built five more Trailertris of various sizes, while trying out many different configurations.

In 1984 Ian and his family moved to Chula Vista (San Diego), where financial backing had been found to set up Corsair Marine. He then designed the F-27, built the prototype, and developed and established Corsair’s full production system and quality controls.

Almost immediately, this new design was a huge success. The sailing public loved the versatility of this new trimaran with its patented folding mechanism which allowed it to easily folded to a width that enabled it to be trailered behind a family car or fit a regular marina berth. Once extended to its full width for sailing, this new design proved itself as an awesome performance sailboat.

Farrier resigned from Corsair in 1991 and moved to Bellevue, WA to concentrate on new designs which Corsair was licensed to build. Farrier ended all relationship with Corsair in December 2000, working on his own as Farrier Marine to concentrate on his own projects.

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Ian Farrier, Designer & Builder of Folding Trimarans

Ian Ferrier

The Sailing Anarchy blog has posted a note from Rob Densem, General Manager of  Farrier Marine , of Christchurch, NZ.:

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you Ian Farrier passed away in San Francisco on his way back from the USA yesterday. We are in deep shock as we come to terms with the huge loss of our captain, and our focus is on Ian’s immediate family and the Farrier Marine team.

Ian was a visionary, a multihull genius, an all-round nice guy who leaves behind a huge legacy to the sailing world.

Farrier Marine Limited is a strong business with a three year order book for the revolutionary F-22 sailboat. Despite dealing with our grief, it is very much ‘business as usual’ at the factory today. It is our job now to carry on the Farrier legacy and ensure his vision is carried out. 

Ian Farrier has been described as an icon of the multihull world. He designed more than twenty trimarans and catamarans.  Most of his trimaran incorporate his patented  Farrier Folding System , which allows the amas, or outer hulls, to fold inward for trailering or to limit width in docking. More than 2000 of his designs are said to be sailing the world today. –>

Farrier designs have won multiple awards . In 1981 Farrier’s Tramp was awarded Australian Boat of the Year. The F-27 was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1985. The F-24 Mk II was Sailing World’s 1996 ‘Performance Multihull of the Year’ in 1994 and the F-28 was awarded Sailing World’s 1998 ‘Performance Multihull Sailboat of the Year’ in 1997.

The F-22 is currently being manufactured in New Zealand , for worldwide export. The tri is designed to fit inside a shipping container for easy shipping. In October, Farrier Marine announced that to mark New Zealand’s victory in the America’s Cup they would be bringing out a limited edition all carbon foil assisted F-22F.

Ian Farrier, Designer & Builder of Folding Trimarans — 2 Comments

Sorry to hear of Captain Ferrier’s passing. I sail an F-27 and it’s the perfect boat for an old Hobie sailor! It’s a truly remarkable boat. Sailing it to New Zealand after retirement is on my “bucket list” Would have loved to have met him

I respect and honor this man. And like him, I recently received an U.S. patent, on a boat. This patent covers the US , and patent pending in Canada, US patent 9,849,942 ( foldable boat ramp). For the purpose of making a small or medium sized amphibious landing craft. I’am sure the worlds military’s and construction companies will use this. This isn’t a sailboat, but sailboats need docks and breakwaters, and could of been used in Houston Tx. , the Carribean and the Florida Keys . And Happy New Year

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Corsair F-24 Boat Test

The corsair f-24 mk i cooks up a budget-friendly taste of fast..

In May 1999 Practical Sailor reviewed the then-new Corsair F-24 Mark II trimaran. Nearly 20 years later, were here to follow up with a focus on the Corsair F-24 Mark I, a boat that can represent a good value today since many newer designs have entered the market.

The late Ian Farrier (1947-2017) designed fast, trailerable trimarans for more than 40 years. A New Zealander, his first production success was the 18-foot Trailertri. His 19-foot Tramp was Boat-of-the-Year in Australia in 1981. In 1983 John Walton (of the Wal Mart family) founded Corsair to build high-performance multihulls, lured Farrier to Chula Vista, California, and the result was the very popular F-27 ( PS September 1990 ). Almost 500 have been sold since it went into production in 1985. It has since been superceded by the F-28.

In 1991, Corsair added the F-24 Sport Cruiser. This abbreviated version of the F-27, with a starting price more than 30 percent lower than the F-27, was designed to be affordable.

While she remained sharp in the performance department, her accommodations were even more spartan. We spoke with Ian Farrier several times about anchoring and cruising; it was pretty clear that his heart was in racing and he even suggested we were probably better in tune with the needs and practicalities of small multi-hull cruising than he was. Still, he designed a cabin that can handily do both, if you can accept the compromises.

The deck layout is similar to the typical 24-foot monohull, except that it is wide-18 feet-with wing trampolines on both sides. In addition to providing stability, this gives lounging space in fair weather and greatly increases safety in rough weather. Though lacking railings and lifelines-other than a pulpit and wrap-around stern rail-its hard to fall off the F-24 if jacklines and tethers are used. A single large Lewmar foredeck hatch provides ample ventilation. The cockpit will easily seat six, but three is more comfortable for vigorous sailing.

The cockpit is equipped with four Lewmar 16 winches (the jib winches are one-speed self-tailers, the reacher winches are standard two-speed), two multi-line jammers, and ten cam cleats. All essential sail controls, including halyards, are accessible from the cockpit, making for easy single-handed sailing.

The mainsail furls by winding around the boom; fast, convenient, and very gentle on the typical Mylar/carbon laminate sails. Reefing requires a quick trip to the mast to crank the boom around and attach the down haul, but that is it. The set up makes a vang impractical but few multihulls use them anyway, preferring to control the boom with the traveler.

The bow anchor locker holds two anchors and two rodes, so long as they are folding designs. Trimarans are best anchored using a bridle; the test boat uses a 20-foot Dyneema bridle that is retracted onto the wing nets when not in use.

The typical 6 horsepower outboard delivers about 5.3 knots at 1/3 throttle and about 6.5 knots wide open. The side mount provides decent performance in chop, pitching less than transom-mounted engines.

The portable fuel tank is protected from the sun and solar heating in an under-seat locker. It is wide is open for venting (but sealed from the cabin) and drains out through the open transom, safe and out of the way.

Since the emphasis was fast cruising and racing, storage and amenities are sparse. In the cabin there is storage behind the seat backs. The large rectangular top-opening lockers in the galley counter and under the seats can be fitted with hanging bags for easier access.

The head compartment has sufficient space for toilet paper and cleaning supplies. There is a large bottomless locker in the cockpit that also provides access to under cockpit areas. Lockers in the amas (outriggers) can hold light, bulky items.

There is sitting head room and ample seating for four on the starboard settee. An Origo alcohol stove and sink with rocker pump provide a minimal galley. A large cooler slides easily under the companionway. The forward V-berth is quite long, though a little pinched at the foot. The settee converts into a twin-sized bed using filler boards that slide neatly into storage slots under the companionway.

A portable head sits in a well behind a curtain, and is typically moved into the cockpit at bedtime for better privacy. Some owners rate the interior as poor, but most call it camping-out comfortable, suitable for an overnight or weekend.

Performance

Everyone wants to know how fast the little trimaran will go. To windward it points as well as most monohulls, thanks to a deep centerboard. Shell tack through less than 90 degrees if you pinch, though it’s faster if you bear off just a little. Keeping up with 40-foot cruisers is easy on any point of the sail, and you quickly chase them down on a reach.

With the wind free, expect to match true wind speed up to about 12 knots, after which you may reef or bleed power, depending on your mood. In lighter winds, pop out the reacher and you’ll get a whole new gear, easily exceeding wind speed.

In stronger winds, bear off until the true wind is on the quarter, and you’ll see 14 knots or more, although handling requires sharp attention if you haven’t reefed.

Compared to the Stiletto 27 (see PS July 2016), it is more weatherly, tacks faster, can safely handle more wind, but is slightly slower off the wind (though not as scary).

Upwind reefing begins at about 15 knots true for those who like fast sailing, but there is no reason not to reef a little earlier and enjoy more relaxed, but still spirited sailing. Maximum angle of heel is about 15 degrees.

With two reefs and the jib rolled up a little, shell take quite a lot of wind, perhaps 30 knots, without much excitement. Upwind in 20 knots is fun with the right reefs in, and that’s pretty good for a 24-foot boat. Farrier designed these conservatively, with windy conditions in mind. They are quite popular on San Francisco Bay, an area known for strong breezes.

The Mark II was touted as the new and improved version of the Mark I. By replacing the centerboard with a daggerboard, weight was reduced, and a rotating mast increased power, making the Mark II noticeably faster. The Mark I has more usable cabin space, since the centerboard case is hidden inside the settee, and the Mark I cockpit is also several feet longer, a boon to fun daysailing.

The centerboard is also a blessing in shoal water, automatically pivoting up if it smells the bottom, instead of breaking things when you find a sandbar at 15 knots. The Mark I has a kick-up rudder fitted into a cassette, keeping it under the boat, while the Mark II has a transom hung rudder. The Mark I works as a day sailor and weekender, while racers prefer the Mark II.

As with any multihull, there is always the capsize canard. Sailed poorly, any sailboat can capsize, says Farrier. My designs are not immune to this. With over 1,000 Farriers now sailing, even a low 1 percent capsize ratio would mean 10 capsizes a year. However, the capsize rate actually appears to be averaging .03 percent.

Large ocean-going monohull yachts are foundering annually, sometimes with loss of life. The basic safety difference is that the monohulls ultimate stability is resting on the bottom, while the multihulls is floating on top.

Reef appropriately and the risk is truly small. F-27s have completed successful transpacific and transatlantic crossings, and even the first circumnavigation of the North Pole under sail. Finally, the F-24 can’t sink. Built-in foam flotation, light construction, and multiple crash tanks in the amas and foam-filled akas (cross beams) make this impossible.

The F-24s main hull is fine, with a V-entry forward, U-sections mid-ships, and a relatively flat transom to damp pitching and provide lift for planing. Going to weather, most of the weight is on the amas, with fine V-sections that cut nicely through waves. Powering through short chop is not a strong suit among multihulls, but she has demonstrated considerable ability in choppy waters such as San Francisco Bay and the Chesapeake.

The heart of Farriers designs is the patented Farrier Folding System. Refined over the years, the mechanism allows the akas to fold-up, which reduces the F-24s beam from 17 feet 11 inches to 8 feet 2 inches.

We kept our F-24 in a small boat marina for a time, folding after every sail; we did this while motoring in the channel, requiring only a few minutes of light effort by one person.

While the claim of trailering to sailing in 20 minutes may be true for seasoned crews that race every weekend, allow two hours for the transition if you do this only occasionally.

Although no single step is physically difficult for a single person, there are many steps and a second pair of hands makes for safer work. The engineering has proved very reliable, and now that the patents have expired, copies abound.

Construction

Performance multihulls built to their designed displacements are hardly ever built on production lines. Corsair has been the exception to that rule. Light weight is an essential if you want a cat or trimaran to sail up to its speed potential, but you’re not likely to achieve it with normal materials and common construction techniques.

Turning out an F-24 that weighs 1,800 pounds (1,650 pounds for the Mark II) is no simple matter. It involves almost 50 separate molded parts, considerably more than same-length monohulls.

Carbon fiber and Kevlar reinforcement, vacuum-bagging, double-biased fabrics, acrylic-modified epoxy resin, and NPG gelcoat are all elements you’d expect to see in a custom shop. They all go into the F-24.

Glass/resin control, published laminate schedules, a computer-generated production protocol, universally bonded top hat joints between hull and deck, barrier coats of vinyl ester resin, isopthalic resin throughout the rest of the laminate, and bulkheads tabbed in seven places to the hull makes for a light but sturdy boat.

The akas appear to be held in place by the anchor bolts inserted when unfolding, but the sailing forces are actually carried by strong pivot arms connecting the akas to anchor points near the waterline, anchored deep within the hull, and by compression blocks where the arms meet the hull at deck level.

After 20 years we’ve had a few minor issues related to failed bedding and damage to the balsa core, but nothing affecting the main structural elements.

Conclusions

Whether you’re downsizing from a cruising cat, or upsizing from the family Hobie, the F-24 offers the sports car of youthful dreams, on a budget.

Is it worth paying three times as much as you would for a 24-foot mono-hull with more room? Not if you’re looking for cabin space and need an enclosed head. On the other hand, if fun sailing is the goal, the dollar-to-grin ratio is very high. Market demand is dependable and you will get your money back. It’s not the best beginners boat.

You can’t just sheet-and-forget, and getting the best from her requires experience and attention. But if you have a beach cat or fast dinghy background, it’s a great way to gain weekender capability without losing any of the fun. If you need a little more comfort or more speed, look at the Corsair F-27. And if money is no object there’s a world of Farrier designs to choose from.

Cruising in an F-24 is a tiny step above camping, but for the bare-bones cruiser who wants to cover some ground quickly, it fits the bill quite handily.

1. An alcohol stove and a small sink serve the micro-galley. 2. The V-berth is tight, but the convertible settee in the main cabin makes a twin-sized bed. 3. The porta-potty sits under the V-berth. It is often moved to the cockpit at night while sleeping. 4. A folding table seats one for dining.

• Fast, weatherly, and quick to tack.
• Stable. Only 15 degrees heel.
• Reefing starts at about 18 knots apparent.
• Easy to fold from 18-foot beam to
• 8-foot in about two minutes.
• Roomy cockpit. Tramps are fun in the summer.
• Eighteen-foot beam makes it hard to fall off.
• Well-built with stout rigging.
• Cramped cabin. No standing headroom and few amenities.
• Limited storage space.
• Portable head and no head compartment.
• Quick motion.
• Slow under power.

• Corsair Marine

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By far the most comprehensive review of the F-24 I was able to find online. Many thanks for the write-up, very informative and helpful.

Lakeside Marine & Motorsports has been awarded Best of Forsyth Boat and Marine Service as well as Used Boat Sales. Please contact us for any kind of Boat work or Purchase.

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Ian Farrier

An icon of the multihull world. It is said that there are more 2000 Farrier designs (mostly trimarans) sailing around the world. Begining in the 1970’s with TRAILERTRI series in Australia, Farrier sold detailed plans (as well as kits) for the amature builder. Most of these boats, (and most Farrier designs to follow) incorporated his ingenious system for folding the floats close the main hull allowing for ease of docking and storage. Many of his later designs have been commercially produced in volume by several manufacturers. Best contact Information: Farrier Marine (NZ) Ltd 231 Annex Road, Middleton, Christchurch 8024, New Zealand Mailing address: P.O. Box 80197, Riccarton, Chch 8440, New Zealand Phone (03) 338 6502 (International 64 3 338 6502) Mobile (021) 1108 109 (International 64 21 1108 109) Fax (03) 354 4342 (International 64 3 354 4342) Email: [email protected]

23 Sailboats designed by Ian Farrier

F-27 Sport Cruiser

Corsair 24 mkii.

F-24 Sport Cruiser

F-31 Sport Cruiser

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Corsair 31/F-31

Corsair sprint 750.

Trailertri 720

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CORSAIR F-27: A Fast Folding Trimaran

First introduced in 1985, this trailerable trimaran quickly became a seminal boat in the world of multihull sailing. Designed by Ian Farrier, a Kiwi who emigrated to California (by way of Australia) with the specific goal of perfecting his concept of a production-built trimaran with folding amas, the F-27 is both an excellent high-performance coastal cruiser and a competitive one-design racing machine. During a 12-year production run that ended in 1997, a total of 453 hulls were launched, making this by far the most successful boat of its type to date. Arguably, the boat is still in production, as Corsair’s successor design, the F-28, though it has a rotating wing mast and is generally more sophisticated, is quite similar and is built with much of the same tooling.

The F-27 is certainly not a boat for anyone interested in roomy accommodations. Though the body of the main hull flares out a great deal above the waterline to maximize interior space, the layout and furnishings are cramped and strictly minimal. There is only sitting headroom, except under the pop-top roof near the companionway where the simple galley is located. Berthing is limited: in the tiny aft cabin there is a narrow double berth, there are two narrow settee berths in the saloon (separated by a small removable table), plus there’s a tiny berth suitable for a small child in the forepeak.

Even a couple sailing alone on this boat will want to spend much of their time, weather permitting, hanging out in the cockpit or on the wide nets between the amas and the hull. As such, the F-27 serves best as a weekend cruiser with perhaps occasional stints aboard as long as a week or two. Though several of these boats have made ocean passages, they are not really suitable for long-range bluewater cruising unless you are something of a masochist.

Nicely finished saloon on a F-27

A less nicely finished saloon, but with the berths all filled in

The forepeak. The small single berth forward is rarely used as such, due to the close proximity of the toilet

The best way to expand living space aboard is to add a cockpit tent

What the F-27 lacks in amenities and comfort it makes up for in cruising range. Because it can be trailered, the boat can get to all sorts of places–inland lakes and distant shorelines, for example–that would otherwise be out of reach. And because it is so fast, it can cover a lot more ground than most boats once it is in the water. In a little speedster like this you can potentially travel over 100 miles during a long daysail. If you don’t really care about sailing fast and aren’t interested in taking advantage of this sort of capability, this is definitely not the boat for you. But if you want to both cruise and race, you should give the F-27 a hard look. Many people cruise these boats, and there is a very active one-design class.

Folded up and packed to travel on a trailer. You can easily expand your cruising range by simply hauling the boat to a new body of water

As originally conceived the F-27 carries no bowsprit and flies a conventional triangular (or “pinhead”) mainsail hoisted on a fixed aluminum mast. In 1996 a “formula” version of the boat was introduced with both a square-headed main that carries a lot more roach and a fixed bowsprit for flying a big screecher or asymmetric spinnaker. Many of the earlier boats have since been updated with formula rigs, as they are both faster and easier to manage.

On the whole, the boat is not hard to sail shorthanded. The self-draining cockpit is quite small with the mainsheet within immediate reach of the tiller, which extends from the transom over the top of the short aft coachroof and under the raised main traveler. Other controls, likewise, are right nearby. If anything, unless you can convince idlers to stay clear of the cockpit, the boat is harder to sail with a big crew.

There is a large central daggerboard to hold the boat to weather and unlike many multihulls the F-27 is rather closewinded and makes excellent progress to windward in light air. I once spent a delightful hour beating up a very narrow channel in an F-27 in a mere whisper of breeze and had no trouble maintaining apparent wind angles of 40 degrees. In a moderate breeze the boat points as high as 35 degrees apparent and chugs along at 8 knots no problem. With the wind on the beam, if you press hard with a spinnaker up, you can get up to 20 knots, which is a thrill and a half in a vessel this size.

If there are kids aboard and you don’t want to terrify them, just douse the headsail and the boat still sails well under main alone. Or stash them all in the aft cabin where you can keep an eye on them while steering and let it rip anyway.

A formula-rigged F-27 sailing to windward

Here’s one way to carry a tender while cruising on an F-27

The F-27’s construction is structurally impeccable and thoroughly modern. The S-glass laminate is set in epoxy resin with a PVC foam core to reduce weight and increase stiffness. Kevlar and carbon fiber are used to reinforce high-load areas, and all components are vacuum-bagged when laid up so as to minimize voids and achieve uniform resin saturation. The patented folding ama arms are well engineered, with few if any reports of failures or problems. The amas can be folded up while motoring through the water, which is a great convenience when pulling into a marina berth. When launching the boat from a trailer it takes about 30 minutes for an experienced owner to step the mast and set up the rig without assistance. Because they are so well built these boats are not cheap given their size, but if you factor in the savings realized from being able to store the boat on a trailer, they are in fact quite affordable over the long run.

Systems are primitive and therefore are easy and inexpensive to maintain. Auxiliary power consists of an 8 or 9 hp outboard engine hanging in an offset engine well at the stern. The stove is usually a simple two-burner non-pressurized alcohol rig; the ice box (never mind any kind of refrigeration) is a loose cooler dragged aboard and stowed in a convenient nook or cranny. The boat has a 12-volt electrical system powering a few lights and instruments and probably requires some extracurricular charging from a solar panel or two if used very much. The toilet is often nothing more than a porta-potty stashed under the forward berth. To those who value comfort and convenience all this no doubt sounds unpleasant, but to those who enjoy sailing fast and cherish simplicity it should seem like heaven afloat.

Specifications

LOA: 27’1″ LWL: 26’3″ Beam -Amas extended: 19’1″ -Amas folded: 8’5″ Draft -Board up: 1’2″ -Board down: 4’11” Displacement -Light ship: 2,600 lbs. -With maximum payload: 3,800 lbs. Sail area -Original rig: 446 sq.ft. -Formula rig: 502 sq.ft. Fuel: 6 gal. Water: 14 gal. D/L ratio -Light ship: 64 -With maximum payload: 94 SA/D ratio -Original rig/Light ship: 37.69 -Original rig/Max load: 29.26 -Formula rig/Light ship: 42.42 -Formula rig/Max load: 32.93 Nominal hull speed -Light ship: 11.6 knots -With maximum payload: 10.3 knots Typical asking prices: $35K – $50K

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SUMMER CRUISING (NOT) 2023: Hurricanes and Other Complications

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Farrier F-22

The king of the trimarans serves up 3 versions of a new model.

Ian’s newest folding trimaran is the F-22, available in three versions: Standard, Premium and Race models. The D/L is 125. There is a single, deep centerboard with a board-down draft of 4 feet 11 inches. The cassette-style rudder make beaching and trailering a breeze. Board- and rudder-up draft is 12 inches. Max beam is 18 feet 1 inch. Note the flat profile to the hull through the middle then it kicks up around station 8. The main hull has that typical inverted bell shape that provides volume where you need it for accommodations and a narrow BWL for speed. There is a very clever galley module that disappears into the seatback area when not being used. This would be camping-style cruising in the F-22 but it would make a great singlehander.

Construction uses the infusion method to insure light weight and strength. Resin is vinylester and epoxy. Carbon fiber is used in high-load areas and the hull is reinforced with kevlar, both sides of the core, for durability. The centerboard on the race model is carbon.

I’m pretty certain that it won’t be long before this class takes off. I would very much like a ride.

LOA 22’11”; LWL 22’3”; Beam 8’2.5” to 8’6” (folded) to 18’1”(amas extended); Draft 12” (board up) to 4’11” (board down); Displ. 3,078 lbs.; Sail area 328 sq. ft.; Auxiliary Yamaha 6- or 8-hp. outboard; SA/D 24.8; D/L 125; L/B 1.26

Our best estimate of the sailaway price  $85,000

Farrier Marine Ltd.

P.O. Box 80197

Riccarton, Christchurch 8440, New Zealand

425-443-1694

www.f-boat.com

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Trimaran Designer Ian Farrier Passes Suddenly

Rob Densem, the general manager for Farrier Marine wrote on Sunday: “It is with a heavy heart that I tell you Ian Farrier passed away in San Francisco on his way back from the USA yesterday. We are in deep shock as we come to terms with the huge loss of our captain, and our focus is on Ian’s immediate family and the Farrier Marine team.”

“Ian was a visionary, a multihull genius, an all-round nice guy who leaves behind a huge legacy to the sailing world,” said Densem. “Farrier Marine Limited is a strong business with a three-year order book for the revolutionary F-22 sailboat. Despite dealing with our grief, it is very much ‘business as usual’ at the factory today. It is our job now to carry on the Farrier legacy and ensure his vision is carried out.”

A multihull designer professionally since 1973, Ian Farrier’s hometown was Christchurch, New Zealand, but he and his family moved to Chula Vista (San Diego) in 1984, setting up Corsair Marine, and that’s where the F-27 took shape. Ian left Corsair in 1991, moving to Bellevue, WA (near Seattle). Farrier and Corsair continued their association with a licensing agreement until 2000. Farrier Marine is located in Christchurch, NZ, with a US office in Plano, TX.

A spokesman for the Bay Area Multihull Association noted that “The introduction of the Corsair 27 was largely responsible for growth in BAMA racing in the late ’80s early ’90s. Initially BAMA was primarily a support group for multihull builders, many of whom built their own boats and then went cruising, reducing the ranks of membership. With the Corsair 27 introduction there was need for a local multihull racing organization which was already in place with BAMA.”

After Ian Farrier created the Corsair line, it attracted the backing of John Walton, son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Despite a net worth of many billions of dollars John was a hands-on guy and, in the early days, John came to San Francisco Bay with an F-27 and contacted Latitude 38 to see if we could help do a photo shoot for the F-27 brochure. We were lucky to spend the day with John Walton on our photo boat .38 Special trying to keep up with and shoot the F-27.

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Reader Submissions: The ‘Freda B’ Reader Jan Passion — who sometimes captains the famed Golden Rule — submitted this picture of the Freda B back in October, when the days were about an hour longer and the temperatures noticeably warmer.

Sailing Cambodia On a recent trip to Southeast Asia, we spent a few days on the small island of Koh Rong Sanloem, about 12 miles to the east of Sihanoukville in the southern part of Cambodia.

Boater ID Card and Quiz Ready or not, here it comes. And like it or not, the law mandating the California Boater Card is going into effect on January 1, 2018.

Fram's Building and Sailing Pages

F-39 trimaran design by ian farrier.

The Farrier F-39 trimaran, a further development of the Farrier F-36 trimaran, is a large ocean going sport cruiser, with the now third generation Farrier Folding System™ incorporated. This gives tremendous versatility for an ocean capable boat. Folded beam is 15' (4.57m) and is thus small enough to access most inland waterways and locks.

The fractional rig is efficient and easy to handle in all conditions, and the boat can be sailed to its full potential with a minimum of sails. The jib will be self tacking and the screacher, set from the bow pole, eliminates the traditional genoa and multiple sail changes, making sail handling a breeze. It's even more ideal for cruising.

The daggerboard is centered in the main hull, while the new designed transom hung daggerboard style 'kick-up' rudder is housed in its own composite case. The self-draining center cockpit with wheel steering can seat six. The 30HP Yanmar inboard engine is located in an accessible area under the cockpit. Maneuverability is excellent under power, due to the trimaran's superior turning ability, its center hull and daggerboard being natural pivots.

Interior will accommodate eight, with standing headroom throughout. Galley is to port, and a chart table is on the starboard side, along with a wet locker. Dinette will seat five, and can be converted into a large double bunk. Starboard settee is wide and comfortable, and can be converted into top and bottom bunks. Forward, there is a private bathroom with head, washbasin, and a separate shower. Forward cabin has a double berth, with seating room aft, and large storage areas underneath. The aft cabin has a double berth with full sitting headroom. Access is through a hatch in the aft cabin front, or through under the cockpit.

After obtaining the F-36 plans Ian Farrier updated this design to the F-39. So finally, it is this combination of the best aspects of the F-25C, F-31, F-31R, and F-36, coupled with many improvements from F-36 owner feedback, that I am building. A number of other new features to incorporate in the F-39 are now being tested on the also new F-33. I think these new designs are the next generation Farrier tri's, with the addition of the newest materials and visions, among other things influenced by the recent successes of the big multihull races.

While the F-36 is provide with a fixed beam, but demountable for occasional transporting, for me the most important modification to the F-39 is the addition of the Farrier Folding System for marina docking, or canal traversing. Other new features:

F-39 compared to F-36 :

Using the vertical foam stripping building method the numbers of formframes are reduced (by 4);  The cabin roof is lifted 40 mm. making it possible to lift cabin floor also 40mm for more width and better storage underneath;  Floats (15% larger) and main hull are extended at bow and stern, making the overall length 39'4" (12 m.);  A redesigned and simpler 'third generation' Farrier Folding System™. This has been specifically optimized for serious ocean going, with a more integrated structural support system. The beam recesses (notches) in the center hull deck are now gone, for a cleaner and safer deck, while also eliminating any interior intrusion. Virtually all metal brackets, and the numerous large bolts required have also been eliminated, saving significant weight and complexity; Floats will fold in more vertical to eliminate the need for any anti-fouling high on the float side;  Floats incorporate a shaped deck that comes up to form a flat raised area for mounting the outboard edge of the wingnets. This eliminates any fore and aft aluminum tube for this purpose. When folded, the side of this raised area also forms a flat walkway on the float inner edge along the cabin side; Carbon fiber folding struts are set higher and further away from wave tops and have much less frontal area which is combined with sleek faired leading edges for minimal drag and spray generation; Beam outer ends tapered off slightly more (thinner vertically) and sweeping slightly higher, and are slightly longer to give a little more overall beam; Carbon fiber 'molded in' mounting points (replacing Bracket Plates) for the Beam Struts, to considerably reduce weight and frontal area;  Taller rotating carbon rig; Synthetic rigging - now considered more reliable than wire, while being much lighter; Carbon fiber chainplates in float and bow; Main hull bow is now slightly more vertical; A bow wing, providing additional bow side netting area and a storage place for the anchor; A fully retractable carbon bow pole; Transom hung daggerboard style 'kick-up' rudder with composite case. For the records, below the original Farrier files: The   Farrier  F-39    and the    Farrier  F-36

Please be warned! If anything on this web site appears to be a recommendation on how to build a boat it is an error of writing or editing. This site is my builder's documentation to chronicle the adventure I had in building Fram.

The Internet is such a lovely open source. Remember this when you see something in this website what you think is yours. If I didn’t ask you before then there was no copyright and I borrowed it. If you think I made a mistake in this, I will give it back to you. If you think I forgot to mention my sources, please let me know. However, everything on this site is mine and no part of this may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing by me. As you may have noticed, this site is a labor of love with lots of free information that has been assembled for your entertainment. Please respect the spirit of this site and don't engage in behavior that I consider hostile.  

All information is composed with care and consideration using my background and personal experiences. You may disagree with my opinions or, better, let them support you in your own dreams. You are free to do the same things or to use the procedures, practices or methods as described in this site, but you should always use your own common sense when applying this information to your personal projects and you do this on your own risk for which I am not responsible. I do not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the materials, practices or methods on this site or linked sites in terms of their correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise. The only thing I can promise you is that I have or will have enough confidence in the info supplied that I already have or will use it in my own project.

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Farrier International

a Division of Daedalus

F-9A, F-9AX and F-9R Trimaran Designs

The F-9A was used as the basis for the F-31 production trimaran, which was initially built in Australia in 1991 – see Launching Report reprint. The F-31 was then implemented at Corsair Marine in 1994.

Both the F-9 and F-31 are virtually identical, with the same hulls, beams, folding system, and rig. Many F-31 parts can still be used for the F-9A, but several areas of the F-9 series have been improved over the F-31 as currently built by Corsair Marine. These include larger and more efficient Mk II floats (430lbs more buoyancy), carbon fiber chainplates, and a daggerboard rudder option (as used on the F-32/F-33).

There are three versions as follows:

F-9A – a larger, more long term performance cruiser, yet still easily trailerable for great versatility.

F-9AX – has a 15% wider center hull for even more interior room

F-9R – a higher performance version of the F-9A with a taller rotating mast.

All models can be built with different cabin versions as follows:

Aft Cabin Version

The aft cabin version has ample room for 4 or 5 adults, with standing headroom in the galley area. Galley is large and can be customized to individual taste. A chart table can be located on the starboard side (with a fold down flap).

Cabin settees are 6′ 3″ (1.9m) long and these are also used for berths, with storage areas underneath. A cabin table will easily seat four, and can fold down or away when not in use.

The aft cabin has a double berth with full sitting headroom. Access is through a hatch in the aft cabin front, or through under the cockpit.

The forward cabin has a separate toilet area on the port side which can be curtained off, a vanity unit is to starboard, and a cozy (snug) double berth, or large single is in the bow.

Aft Cockpit Version

The aft cockpit version has a longer main cabin, for more interior space, while the larger cockpit extends to the transom. Major advantage is a separate ‘walk in’ head and shower area besides the daggerboard case, and a very large double berth in the bow.

Both cabin versions have a 2 1/2″ (64mm) higher cabin roof option, for more standing headroom if required.

A daggerboard is used for simplicity, its case helping to support the mast. A kick-up spade rudder is housed in its own retractable rudder box in the transom.

A new transom hung rudder is recommended for either the aft cabin or aft cockpit versions, due to its lighter weight, simplicity and adjustability. If desired, the original F-9A underslung rudder still remains an option.

The fractional rig is very efficient and easy to handle in all conditions. Farrier designs do not need an oversize rig to perform well, and this coupled with the F-9A’s enormous 47,000 foot-lbs righting moment results in a very safe cruising boat. Boom is roller furling.

An outboard of 8 to 15 HP is recommended on the stern with remote controls being located in the cockpit if needed.

F-9A™ Specifications

Same as the F-9A but with a 15% wider center hull for considerably more interior room, a 16% higher load capacity, and 8″ (200mm) wider overall beam (23′ 1″ or 7.04m).

The trailering width is increased to 9′ 6″ (2.9m) but this can be easily trailered in most states, and many countries without major difficulty. Usually just a written permit. Has the same options as the F-9A.

The F-9R is a very high performance version of the F-9A, with a taller rotating mast, while still retaining the same F-9A roomy interior and easy setup. It is the home builders equivalent to the F-31R which has been setting race records in both the U.S. and the U.K.

The wider F-9AX center hull can also be used to build an F-9RX, which will have very similar performance to the F-9R. The F-9RX will have less wetted surface area, for the same load, so it should be faster in light airs, and the wider center hull will encourage it to plane earlier, so it could also be faster in heavier airs.

It is recommended that the F-9R interior be kept very simple and basic, to save weight for the best performance, and it can be upgraded later if necessary, when racing days are over. A large double berth can be either in the aft cabin, or the forward cabin of the aft cockpit model. Settees run down both sides of the main cabin, with footwells aft under the cockpit for quarter berths as required. A galley unit can be fitted in several different areas, and a fully enclosed head is optional.

The rotating mast is an aluminium or carbon fiber section (wing section preferred where available). Special new mast handling systems have now also been developed to make raising or lowering a rotating mast easy and safe whether the boat is folded or unfolded.

Sail wardrobe is simple and consists of a square top main, boomed or boomless, a blade jib, plus a screacher and an asymmetric spinnaker using an extended bow pole. The roller furling screacher is one of the most versatile sails in the inventory, and can be used to windward in light airs instead of a genoa.

Construction of the F-9R must be in foam and glass to achieve the required light weight, while high tech modern fabrics such as Kevlar or carbon fiber are optional for any F-9 version.

F-9R™ Specifications

Some more assorted F-9A interior photos (Dean Snow’s race winning F-9R FULL BORE shown):