Anyone cruising Corsair/Farrier trimarans?

[charliemagee]

Hello,

My wife and I bought an F-27 last summer and we plan to cruise it now and again. I'd love to see any websites or stories about cruising in these boats. Has anyone seen any?

Thanks,

Charlie Magee
Corsair

[MikeMak]

Hi Charlie -

I have been cruising in my Corsair 242 for the last couple of years while awaiting delivery of my new Lagoon catamaran. I live in southern California and have cruised Catalina Island extensiverly. This summer I am planning a trip than will encompass all the Channel Islands. Before selling my boat this summer, I am also hoping to take in Tahoe again and hopefully a firt time trip to Lake Powell.

Have you checked out Corsair's website and the Yahoo fboats group?

Warm regards,

Mike.

[shipofools]

Hello

We routinely costal cruise our Corsair 31. It is an aft cabin boat which I think is the best possible layout. Very similar to the setup on a 27, but with a bit more space.

Previous to the Corsair we had a Catalina 30 and the new boat has changed the dynamics. While the Catalina was kind of like an RV, I consider the Corsair to be more like a popup camper. Some things that are interesting about the transition.

First, space. We no longer are pack rats. We minimize what we carry, all in an effort to keep the weight down. The Corsairs do not like weight so anything you can do to decrease weight is good.

Power - with an outboard as your only means of generating power, you need to carefully evaluate your battery scenario. We use two house batteries and a starting battery. We supplement the outboard alternator with a solar panel, but honestly could use two large panels to really be effective for long term. For carrying fuel, there are some fuel containers that fit under the crossbeam covers near the mast, good use of wasted space.

We have an engel refrig which is our big power hog. The logic was that the power requirements actually decreased the amount of ice and coolers we kept on board. So far it has been an awesome piece of equipment, and well worth the investment. We keep a small cooler for ice for boat drinks, otherwise everything is kept in the refrig. In an pinch we can actually make ice with the engel, but the power needs jump.

Cooking is typically done on a grill outside. The typical alcohol stove is good for heating water, etc, but we have found that a small camping version does a better job. One thing we do use is a gridle, that covers both burners. This has allowed us to cook some things that most people do not believe we can make on the origo. Also you can use your grill as an oven if you want by adding a temp gauge.

We have a sailing bimini which is awesome, if you want to see some pictures let me know. Highly recommend some way to get out of the elements on these boats, since the high speed and expansive deck area start to wear on your ability to function. Also highly recommend a tiller autopilot. The corsairs/farrier feature a very balanced helm, and therefore a minimal power draw. Also we found we had to upgrade all our weather gear">foul weather gear. While most boats can get away with something less than the top of the line stuff, the constant assult of the wind and water force us into our gear earlier, and we keep it on longer. Doing 17 to 20 knots for hours on end even on a sunny summer day can chill the body.

Lifevests - while we typically did not wear ours on the Catalina except in bad weather, we have made it a habit to always wear them now. Also all of ours are inflatable with harnesses, and we make a habit to clip in when on deck solo. The fact that the boat is so balanced means that it will not round up without a person on the helm, and it is a scary proposition to watch your boat sail away at the typical speeds.

Anchoring - we use a delta 22 with chain/nylon combo. As a backup we have a fortress 16. The delta has been incredible in the area we cruise, but your own conditions will vary. Also it is very easy to rig a bridle, and we typically set the boat about 5 degrees of center. This actually seems to minimize sailing about on the anchor.

Range - all I can say is that the best feature is the speed. While not a speed junky, the idea that I can sail all day at over 10 knots opens up a whole new set of crusing grounds for us. Also lets be honest not many boats can go upwind at 55 miles an hour on the highway, and that is a unique feature of these boats. You can change your whole latitude rather quickly.

Trash - we struggeled to keep control of the trash situation on the old boat. The fact that we can now store trash in the wings far away from the living space is a godsend.

Dinghy - we keep an inflatable dink on the nets when we cruise, and also have a sitontop kayak. We use a old wire halyard as a painter, and lock it to the crossbeam when we are concerned about theft, and also it is a great benefit at certain docks.

Lack of heeling - while I love the feeling of being hard over just as much as any sailor, I have found that the overall experience of being flat(er) is actually more rewarding. You arrive at your destinations less tired, and you have less chance of hurting yourself when underway.

Reefing - we reef early and often. The boats seem to be just as fast reefed, and it is easier to shake a reef out than put one in. Also while we do not sail in the dark often, I recommend you reef before the sun goes down regardless of the expected conditions. It can be a bear in the dark.

more to follow . . .

[charliemagee]

Hey Mike,

Yep, I'm on the yahoo fboat group. I've read as much as possible there, though much seems to be racing oriented. That's fine of course, I'm just more of a cruiser-type.

Charlie

Hey ShipOFools,

Thanks for all the info and suggestions!

Charlie

[sfischel]

Originally Posted by MikeMak

Hi Charlie -

I have been cruising in my Corsair 242 for the last couple of years while awaiting delivery of my new Lagoon catamaran. I live in southern California and have cruised Catalina Island extensiverly. This summer I am planning a trip than will encompass all the Channel Islands. Before selling my boat this summer, I am also hoping to take in Tahoe again and hopefully a firt time trip to Lake Powell.

Have you checked out Corsair's website and the Yahoo fboats group?

Warm regards,

Mike.

Hi Mike -
I'm considering a Corsair 28CC, 31UC or possibly event a 36 for family of four SoCal coastal cruising, Baja and possible trailer over to Florida for Bahamas summer trip. Read through your old post. Good info. Looks like you have your Lagoon now. What's the top one or two things I should think about before making a Corsair purchase?

Thx,
Scott (San Diego)

[blewett_john]

Originally Posted by charliemagee

Hello,

My wife and I bought an F-27 last summer and we plan to cruise it now and again. I'd love to see any websites or stories about cruising in these boats. Has anyone seen any?

Thanks,

Charlie Magee
Corsair

Check out New England Multihull Association (NEMA). There is a group in that club that trailer cruises all summer, i.e. trailer the boat to a good cruising area and then cruiise for a week.

If you are not in the New England area there is at least contacts there that will be willing to give you some tips.

Enjoy,

[son_of_a_sailor3]

I just bought a F27 I cant wait to sail around and chill!