F-32RX on display

Latest version of Ian Farrier's trimaran to be shown at Annapolis Boat Show

Ian Farrier's latest F-32RX design will be on display at the 2008 Annapolis Boat Show, in a joint effort by Farrier Marine with builder Lombardi Yachts of Virginia. This will be the first time Farrier will be present on one of his trimarans at Annapolis since having an F-27 there in 1989, while still associated with Corsair Marine. The F-27 went on to be voted into the US Sailboat Hall of Fame, and Farrier says the F-32RX will be a very worthy follow on.

Farrier setup Corsair Marine and all its production systems in the eighties, but differences with Corsair's subsequent management finally decided him to separate completely in 2000. Farrier then developed the production F-33, which was built in Australia, and, even though a very roomy cruiser, one won the multihull class in the 2004 'Round the Island' race in the UK (with 1682 boats taking part), establishing a giant killer reputation. The same boat did it again this year:



However, unfavorable escalating exchange rates, along with limited capital meant the F-33 had to be put on hold late in 2004, as margins had become too small to ensure it could be built and backed properly, something Farrier believes to be essential. Molds were put into storage and Farrier then developed the F-32 series for amateur and custom builders as an alternative to the F-33, until production could resume, and there are now ninety F-32s being built.

The Annapolis F-32RX has been custom built by Lombardi Yachts for North Carolina-based Mike Secrest, and has all the latest Farrier features, as first developed for the F-33. These include new third generation beams (manufactured by Farrier Marine) with internal folding strut mounts, carbon fibre traveller, a unique bow wing, and an all carbon-fibre daggerboard rudder (also from Farrier Marine).

Once the F-32 was established, Farrier then focused his production efforts on an easier to finance small boat, and is currently developing the all new F-22 at his factory in New Zealand. Farrier has always believed that there would be a huge market for a truly low cost and properly developed modern trailerable trimaran like the F-22, and feels it will be another breakthrough boat that will popularize trimarans even more than the original F-27.

The F-22's development has taken a while, but it has to be a low cost boat to succeed, with too many sailboats now well above a comfortable price level for most. Farrier believes that only careful and methodical development, in order to establish highly efficient and simple building procedures will achieve the necessary low price level, and this will in turn ensure mass production, another important aspect for low pricing.  

There are already 95 F-22s being built (from plans) around the world, with the first two just launched in Germany and the USA, with a third due next month in Australia. The final production design details are almost complete and the full production version should be ready for manufacture in 2009.

Read more about the F-32RX here