Multihull Pros & Cons from owning an F27 trimaran
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2020
- This video is about F27 Trimaran Pros & Cons.
This is solely based on my personal experience owning an F27.
Not in any particular order:
PROS:
1. Planing hulls are faster
2. Less heeling and stays "flatter"
3. Sufs great down waves
4. Low draft boat, knee deep water
5. Rudder that tilts up if you hit something
6. Light and maneuverable
7. Large outdoor area: the nets!
8. Trailerable for the road or storage
9. Rated unsinkable!
10. Reefing is quick and easy
CONS:
1. Low inertia: reduced performance in waves
2. Yawing around at anchor: but there is a remedy
3. Poor maneuverability at low speed under the engine
4. Too wide beam for regular marina slip
5. Small interior space
6. Risk of capsizing... not really.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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Great Video! I'm looking at trimarans. I found an F27 I can afford, but I'm years away from purchasing one. This video was very entertaining and informative. Its like the car salesman showing you the car knowing you can't purchase it, but he still gave you the time of day. This video did that for me and I want to thank you for posting this video.
Funny. Car salesman!
Glad you found this informative.
Hope you find the perfect boat you can afford soon!
Merci beaucoup. The light wind performance is amazing. Even the very small gust at the beginning got the boat moving 3 knots.
Trimarans are the most stable configuration.
Exactly! :-)
Thank you for your GREAT videos. Lots of really good information. I hope you keep making them. Love the boat, I currently have a Stiletto 27 I sail on Lake Huron in Michigan. Next boat F27.
Thank you Bob!
Nice! There are quite a few Stilettos in Sarasota. They have a very nice sporty profile.
I’ll make more videos!
👍
I have the same boat and you absolutely nailed the pros and cons.
Cool!
Nice video 😁 love the shot of the mainsail coming down very fast!
Cool. Glad you liked it!
Finally a truth teller... The summer in Florida in no Bueno for sailing
Great video! I very much agree on your pros & cons. I have a - for me a new - Dragonfly 800 (1990 model). Working to make this a great boat for me to tour in. With your years of experience you have lots of good tips. Keep them comin...! :-)
Glad you liked the video and thanks for the feedback. Have fun working on your Dragonfly! Very cool!
Really nice boat. That boom is awesome. Stepless reefing and the sail is easily packed away with no folds.
Exactly. Thanks!
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the vid mate great sail 👍
That mainsail furling is super cool! :D
Yeah, I like it. Quick - that is a big plus when solo.
The downside is performance, it does not have an optimal shape when reefed. I would care if I would be racing, but for what I do it is perfect!
Great video. I concur completely about the lack of low speed maneuverability. I keep my F-27 (1987 hull #18) on a boat lift that resides in a area that is directly exposed to the wind most of the time. I have the additional issue that the water below my lift can be as little as 2.5 feet at very low tides, which means the rudder cannot be all the way down. In moderate winds I find backing the boat into the dock provides much better control. In higher winds its a teeth clenching experience to get my boat into the lowered lift for raising. In anything over 12-15 knots of wind I don't even try. I put it on a mooring until the wind dies down.
Nice!
I totally understand and relate to everything you say here.
On the up side, being able to tilt up the rudder half way and still keep decent control is a big plus in shallow waters.
I put mine in the water on days there is minimal wind, same to pull out.
I wish I had a boat lift!! 👍
Great Info. Thanks from France.
Great explanation ! Well done !
Thank you!
Gr8 Stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Very Educational. Well done
Glad you liked it. Thanks!
Pretty relevant for multihulls of many type
Great to see a new video. Advantage # 11: my F24 can sail faster than the wind sometimes. Helpful when beating the heat and dodging the storms in Sarasota Bay in July.
Ha! Nice! Totally agree!
would you say that its faster than the f27?
Where r you guy@@?
Nice video, thanks. Love the winch hack btw!
Glad you like the hack! Haha! Thanks!
Very interesting, thanks.
Good info thanks for putting this up
Thanks!
Great work man! GPR fibre glass construction for long-term maintenance... Maintenance and storage at home...
Thank you Tomas for putting this together. I'm thinking of trading up to a tri.
Nice!
You are welcome!
Fascinating commentary...had to sub
Cool. Thanks!
very informative video thank you
Thanks!
Always nice to watch your videos....in the pros column I would add the PRIDE of owning such a fast well designed machine! ;-)
Haha! Agree!!!
@@tomaskryan I am wondering where you store the swim ladder I see in your profile pic....many thanks!
@@ech2o2 It use to be in one of the floats, but it got all rusted, so I got rid of it. Now I use a rope ladder, much lighter. Does not work as well, but it does the job.
www.amazon.com/Aoneky-Nylon-Climbing-Ladder-Adult/dp/B07C7GTGKW/ref=sr_1_46?dchild=1&keywords=rope+ladder&qid=1595641623&sr=8-46
Great video, you look like a real dude! Someone I would like to hang around with!
Haha! Thanks man!
You remind me so much of George St Pierre the UFC champion, couldn't not hear him, your accents are identical.
Completely mean that as a compliment, thank you for the video. ;)
I’ve heard that before. I’m ok with a GSP comparison. Haha. Thanks!
I enjoyed your video 👍🙏
Thanks!
Hi Tomas! Your videos have really made me consider purchasing a Corsair Trimaran in the future, big fan of your videos and solo adventures so happy to see a new video. We just had a race not too long ago close to your area to longboat key and back. Cheers from Tampa!
Hey Jack! Very cool. When I have more time I will probably take on some racing.
Glad you enjoy the videos!
@@tomaskryan come sail DIYC! Very friendly community
Sounds great!
0:02 seconds in and I have to comment immediately - what a great lead in to graphically represent one of the best reasons, safety wise, to own a multi-hull. Really impressive! Looking forward to the rest of the video! :)
Edit: Finished video... Outstanding, EXCELLENT VIDEO! Instant Sub... Instant Like! :D
Another great thing about the F27 is if you do flip it, you can pull in the amas, and make it much easier to get back on it's keel.
Exactly! Thank you so much for the all compliments! 😎👍
This was a good video.
Thanks!
Nice video. I’m thinking my next boat will be an F31.
Cool. That is a great boat!
nice video
Thanks!
You forgot that you can just beach it at low tide. Hell of a pro.
you are right!
One nice thing about a trimaran is you could use a wind vane like a monohull.
Yeah, I should explore that. Thanks!
That boat is just taking a nap in the water. It’s fineeeeee.
LOL!
I really like your boat you should give us a full tour of it sometime
Cool. Will do!
@@tomaskryan Waiting for that tour video :)
Ryan, I am here in Delray Beach. I thought you were on the Atlantic side but now see you are in Sarasota. I am Canadian too. Thank you for all those videos. Question: would you recommend the F27 for a couple and a child for 2-3 weeks extended cruising? Keys? The Abacos? Please comment on food, sleeping and, general accommodation. You mentioned storing in the aft cabin and sleeping in main. What would you upgrade to that you can trailer that is within a reasonable budget?
Hey Alex.
The F27 is a small boat, and on a long trip it is almost like going car camping with a sports car. It is feasible and can be quite fun, but you trade comfort for performance. The nets create a lot of outside space, so on a day sail with many people onboard it can be quite fun.
When alone I sleep on the port bench, but the aft cabin work well for two if you do not mind a tight space. A child could easily sleep on a bench or better in the v-berth.
Two or three weeks is feasible but you will have much less comfort than on a monohull of the same length.
I suggest you visit the Finish Line in Stuart FL. That is where I got my F27. Steve can show you a few of F27 and F31, and that will give you a much better idea than anything I can describe.
I keep the food very simple, no cooler just dry food similar to backpacking food. I will probably comment on that in a video at one point.
When I sail alone, I do not sleep much, more like snoozing here and there. Again, probably in an upcoming video.
For comfort, the F31 is so much better, you can actually stand in it, but almost double the price of an F27. The good thing is they do not really loose value over time.
@@tomaskryan you have no idea how valuable that explanation was. Thanks so much
Great video! How stable is the boat when you have the outriggers folded up?
Pretty stable under engine. No problem in 3ft waves. I would not have the mainsail up in that configuration though.
Thanks!
Good video. Thanks for the experience for a non sailor. Why the low headroom in the cabin? What is the height? And does it have a partioned hull floor which is restricting the headroom height? Thanks.
I would say about 5 feet high. Yes, there is a partionned floor which takes about 6 inches.
Once you are in the F27, it basically forces you to sit.
The F31 has plenty of head room.
Great video Tomás, that is one sweet looking F27! She moves water beautifully in light air.
Let me know your thoughts on this, as I’m currently looking at purchasing a smaller trimaran. I’m looking for something trailerable that I can cruise on large bays, lakes and occasional short coastal passages. I would be camp cruising, so the ability to float in shallow water or beach the boat would be a big benefit. I’d also rather an outboard, again to keep it all simple.
I’m looking at buying a Haines Hunter Tramp, it’s a trailerable trimaran made here in Australia. Also an Ian Farrier design, however it’s just under 20 feet. Smaller than your tri, but it’s smaller size would make it easier to store and tow for me.
Do you think it would be a good fit for the job? Even though it’s 20’, do you think most of those trimaran pros would still apply?
Thanks mate, keep up the great production!
Nice litle tri. I think it would be much easier to manipulate and very good at sailing smaller body of water.
It should have all the good characteristics of the F27 and also probably much better steering at low speed.
The F27 feels quite big and heavy putting on and off the trailer alone. Your hunter tramp should be ready in a breeze.
Keeping it simple is key.
I say go for it!
Happy sailing Matt!
@@tomaskryan Thanks for your great, quick reply Tomás. I think I’ll go for it, can’t wait to get on the water. Happy sailing right back at you!
Nice video, where was this video taken?
Florida
Really great video. Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think it would be safe to sail on a F-27 to Hawaii or cross the Atlantic towards Europe?
It has been done before. Even across the entire Pacific solo. I think it can be done safely if you really know what you are doing, and with a bit of luck from mother nature.
The biggest problem that you are going to have is storage for food, water, fishing gear, cooking fuel, etc, on such a long journey at sea. A lot of rice and bean style meals with dehydrated vegetables for vitamins, and catch of the day for meat. A water-maker is not optional, and a back-up water maker... remember the old sailors lament, "Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink."
There is no worse place to die of dehydration than the middle of the ocean surrounded by 100 billion, trillion gallons of water that you cannot drink. Yes, Poindexter - I made that number up... I have no clue how much water is in the ocean, and I don't care. lol
Totally agree. Even for a few days the F27 is like going car camping with a small and fast sports car.
@@tomaskryan
Yup....cross country on an enduro.
@@barking.dog.productions1777 you can regen over 10kw with a Servoprop and use a watermaker.
Winch handle on the tiller actually looks cool. Wouldn't the handle go flying off when you flip up the tiller?
Well, my other winch handle would for sure. This one is a Lewmar OneTouch that locks in place. Works pretty well.
Hi great info, I guess an auto pilot would help as you say. My concern is crossing over to the Bahamas with a new 760, or the 880.
25-30 it winds n 6+ foot waves. Humm I think it will dive through the waves . Your thoughts would be appreciated
I think it should go fine on a good day. 6ft waves downwind is not too bad. Autopilot is a must if you are alone.
Thx
what year is your boat. she is in good shape. I am getting one very soon so I might see you out on the water. your channel is useful and interesting to watch while I wait for my boat to be ready.
Mine is 1991, hull #224.
I enjoy up keeping her. She is in better shape every year.
Glad you enjoy my channel.
Have a blast with your new boat and I’m looking forward to see you out on the water!
Hi Tomas, I'm on the west coast (LA) I recently purchased a nice mk1 f24. Inevitably i need to do some work. - have you ever extended the floats whilst on the trailer, is there a video of this?
Hi Tomas!
Yes I have with my F27.
Don’t know of any video showing that.
The problem is often the trailer fenders are too high. One way to do this is to rock the entire boat so one float is higher than the other. Then you can open it. Rock it to the other side, open the other side. I found that you can “shake” one side of your boat up and down and it will slowly rotate. You might have to lower the side bunks so the opposite float does not rest on the bunk. A bit hard to explain. Next time I am in Florida, probably January, I will do the bottom paint straight on the trailer and will video the entire process.
Thx, I figured the fender on the trailer was going to prove a problem and was going to remove it temporarily.
Yep! I did that too. I got a new trailer made with lower fenders. Good luck and have some awesome time with your F24!
Thanks, learnt a few things. Can the floats unbolt fully from the hull? I'd like to be able to put it in a shipping container and ship it to other places. E.g. the pacific islands.
Nice!
Yes you can unbolt them. I think the F27 was actually designed to fit in a 40ft shipping container. I’ve seen a picture somewhere with an F27 in one. I am not even sure you would have to remove the ammas.
@@tomaskryan Yeah you could I think, but would have to go in 'side ways' or angled in a high cube 40ft container. Since folded beam is 2.57m, inside height 2.69m. Other wise they would have to be taken off, as width of a container is 2.35m. I've read they shipped new ones in containers, but the amas are 'bonded' and bolted.
unsinkable? They said that about the Titanic before she sailed away . . . nice trimaran!
Haha. Good point!
This trimmaran is made of foam core. You cut it in pieces and the pieces float. It won’t sink to the bottom when filled with water. I have never tried though, and I won’t. Lol.
Thanks!
Don’t be too sure you won’t capsize, especially at 16knts. All it takes to capsize is for you to bury your leeward ama at 16 knots, and it will keep going down, acting like a brake. I know from experience....
Wow! Good to know. Thanks for the comment! I will be extra careful when over 12 knots for sure.
@@tomaskryan Good idea. I was completely caught off guard when it happened.
Voici quelques secondes sur le fleuve pas loin de St Jean Port-Joli. J’ai navigué de Montréal au Saguenay avec mon F25A l’été 2019. Mais j’ai chaviré sur un lac dans les laurentides (!)
photos.app.goo.gl/A11hzhiFLuHmT2eGA
Vraiment bien. Ca va vite sur le fleuve!
Je pensais justement monter mon bateau cet été pour en faire sur le fleuve.
Donc tu as chavirer ton F25A!?!! Ayoye!
He says it is a disadvantage being light and slowing down at the bottom of the wave…actually if she was heavy she would bury her nose far more easily
That last con referred to the sunken sailing boat?
Exactly! Haha.
are you from Montreal? nice boat
Québec City.
Thanks!
Great videos. Hoping to someday own a Corsair or a Dragonfly (don't see many of those in the US though). I have watched some good videos of F31s set up for cruising as well. A bit more interior space there. As someone looking to buy one I would add another Con and it is a big one: Cost to buy $$$. At least 2x a comparable mono hull.
You are absolutely right. Purchase cost is very high. As for cost of ownership, I would say less due to trailer advantage. However, resell value is high. I am pretty sure my F27 has gained a bit in price.
The F31 is great, I can actually stand up in it, huge benefit. That could be my next boat.
Dragonflies are scarce here because when one is listed for sale, it will often be bought by someone in Europe and shipped back there. That's what happened to mine when I sold her. Great boat, though, IMO far superior to the F-boats. Faster than a F-31 upwind, but the F-31 is faster reaching. Also the folding system keeps the amas vertical and pushes them down so the boat is stable for powering and can be kept in thw water without the fouling issue that the Fs have.
@@miketaylor5088 Thanks for the response!
@@miketaylor5088 That is so important to note. Tyan and Mike, I am delaying the purchase of my Trimaran but really want to have a pleasurable experience with it when the time comes. Which tri's between 27 and 32 are trailerable?
@@alexm3207 Sorry don't know. The F-27s are easily trailerable. The Dragonfly 800 I had was slightly overwidth unless you removed the amas. Raising and lowering the mast was very easy.
As you know I bought my first F27 last october and I took it out 2 times from out dock, and backing this thing up is different it doesnt move the way you think it should I had to backup for a little while until the bow started to come around. I am wondering if you can give any tips in this area with this boat. I guess it is because the motor is on the side of the boat instead of stern. This is a 9.9 yamaha and not sure if I changed the prop to a different pitch if the boat would move water quicker, I am not sure what i need here, but i think moving this around in a marina might be tricky?
Yeah, any maneuver at low speed is tricky. Folding the boat before getting to a marina helps a bit. Also keep the center board down for better tracking. You can plan to have the wind help you and not fight against you.
That boat under engine is always tricky. You’ll get better with practice and have a better idea what to expect.
@@tomaskryan Thanks Mate! Hey do you know if a Knot meter instrument can be swapped out by just taken the old instrument out and putting a newer one in? I didn't want to mess with the through hull transducer part
It should. Just make sure the existing transducer is compatible with your new instrument. Changing the transducer is also easy, should be just screwed through.
Thanks for the video. I am looking at a Harrir Eclipse 33' tirmaran project boat now. Good price (considering the multihull premiums). Want her SO bad!! My biggest concern is capsizing in offshore storms. Possible?? Idk. Scary! I want to take her offshore, long term. So worried I would get out there and get flipped. But sometimes I suspect this is monohull industry propaganda and old dinosaur sailor poo poo. Do non-racers ever really capsize?
I would not be worried much about capsizing. It does happen but if you are careful and reef for the gust and watch closely the wind forecast, I think the chances of capsizing are close to zero.
I sail plenty offshore and I am not concerned about capsizing. If I would race and push hard, that is another story.
I have not heard of a non racer capsizing. If there is one out there, I would like to know how it happened.
Get that tri! :-)
Hey there, I am buying that F-27! I see your Autohelm control on your wrist, this boat will have an Autohelm ST1000 Autopilot. I am wondering if that is what you have and where do I get that wrist controller or do I have to buy another model? Thanks
I have the Raymarine ST1000+ autotiller. It is compatible with the Raymarine S100 remote. It should be compatible with your Raymarine ST1000 unless it is really old.
I got my remote at WestMarine, you can also get it on Amazon.
www.raymarine.com/view/index-id=848.html
Congrats on your F27 purchase! Very cool!
@@tomaskryan Thanks, I have been watching you for awhile now I have always wanted a F-Boat since the first time I got a ride on one and didn't know anything about them, that was in 2007 , but life wouldn't allow the purchase to happen, plus finding these boats close to home is a chore in its self! I will be me and my wife and sometimes our Hobie friends aboard this machine!
Questions: so the trailer ball is 2"? and Launching is it really easy to put on trailer and take off trailer? thanks
Nice!
Yes, 2" ball for the trailer.
The F27 is easy to put on/off the trailer, but what is harder is everything else you have to do. Some say 20 minutes total, but that is more than one person that are very used to do this and are going really fast. For me, alone, I allow myself two hours from arriving at the boat ramp to sailing. The most tricky part is raising the mast, you have to take your time and be careful. Then install the mainsail boom, the genoa, extend the floats, and attach the shrouds. While I do this I take my time and use this opportunity to verify everything, sort of like an inspection. I usually leave my boat in the water for an entire week or more. It seems to make more sense after going through all this effort. I think planning to do this every sailing day is a lot of overhead. Over time you will become way more efficient. The first few times it will feel like quite a workout!
@@tomaskryan :Ryan thanks for all your tips here, this remote it comes with this
amzn.to/3rlZKfm what is the other box with cord attached? thanks
Yes, that is the remote. Works great!
I keep it in a wrist band, I much prefer that than on a sling around the neck. The cord is from the remote and wrapped around my arm. I am a bit paranoid that the wrist band velcro detaches. The remote fits in an iPhone SE arm band like this one:
www.amazon.com/dp/B00CC4QU8S
do trimaran need a heavy lead keel or will a bord do the thing
No keel. Just a simple daggerboard that moves up and down. It is great!
Does it steer well going backwards?
Good one. It steers, but not very well.
Did you have to modify your hull to fit that Yamaha 9.9? What year is it?
Yep. My engine well was already modified and I had to make it a little bigger. There are two “points” on the rear side of the engine that could be cut instead (I think). Mine is a yamaha 2016.
Tomás Ryan thanks! I think I’m taking the plunge. Appreciate the quick reply. Shout if you’d be willing to talk F-27’s!
Cool. The newer yamaha’s are really good engines. Less noise, less vibration, and less consumption.
Feel free to email me at support@transitionalcontinuum.com
Is that right outside marina jacks in sarasota?
Yep! Right behind me, two nights ago.
@@tomaskryan I love that area, however due to the recent sewage leak near long boat key I've been avoiding the water. Did you smell anything funky near the bridge?
@@blackout4338 Nope, no smell detected. Not a time for a swim...
How do you find the rear cabin? Looks too small to be practical.
Yeah, quite small. Good for one person, fits two but very tight. When I sail alone, it turns into a storage area and I sleep on the port side bench.
Just a thought
If you got rid of the outboard, that space could be part of the rear cabin
For power, two small electric outboards mounted…outboard. And much better manoeuvrability. Ok not much power, but she is a sailing boat
Yep. That could work!
Will it “heave-to”?
Yes, no problem in not so bad weather.
In super bad scary big waves weather, I would probably just run down the wind dragging a sea anchor, maybe.
unsinkable and fast in low winds makes up for the lack of cabin space in my opinion,
Yep. Spot on!
I wouldn’t say unsinkable I would say “hard to sink”
To my understanding this is not a planing hull?
The F27 (trimaran) has a planing hull as oppose to displacement hull.
Background: a typical monohull sailboat has a displacement hull, which has a defined maximum speed = 1.34 x sqrt(hull length).
Planing hull do not have this speed limitation.
There is much more to that, this is just the basics.
@@tomaskryan But what I am saying is the shape is not a true planing hull. I have studied Naval arch for years. that boat has possibly a semi displacement hull, but its not a true planing hull to my understanding. it has a speed limitation. i.e. if you put 100 hp outboard on it, it would not overcome its own bow wave and start to ride on the surface of the water. there's only so fast it could go. the only trimaran planing hull I have seen is Joe Doblers '30+ '
@@CanadianDivergent Well. You know much more than I do.
What you say here makes a lot of sense. The center hull of the f27 looks a lot like a regular sailboat hull.
My max speed with this boat is 17 knots, no waves, no current. That is higher than a 27 ft displacement hull (about 7 kts?), but probably much lower than a true planing hull with the same forward force. So yeah, something in between makes sense.
Thanks!
The only thing that is bad about this tri is the price, these are very expensive
True, but you keep it for 5 years and you sell it the same price. They hold their value.
wanna feel 'real' hot ? come to my country / city..jakarta , INA.
Ouch!!!
I would have a hard time for sure!!!
Haha!