I do like going fast, and have sailed at 25 knots crossing The Bass Strait on a Chris White 48 and while this was a peak speed we often sailed a 20 knots for hours, and it was the best sailing ever... Cheers Rustie.
As an owner of a 2016 Dragonfly 32 Supreme, it was great to see PS do a review on this amazing sailboat. I’ve been a dedicated multihull sailor since 1992 starting with a Prindle 19, then raced a Tornado, and still in a love affair (since 2001) with the A-Class catamaran. So in 2006 I bought and owned for 16 years a 24’ Corsair Sprint 750 trimaran which I both raced and daysailed/cruised. It was a dream to be able to afford buying our DF32 in 2022 and move up from the Corsair. Two comments this review made I feel I need to address. The first is that the swing wing system is very proven, very robust, and the boat does not “rack” at all under sail in big seas or chop. It is also pretty simple to inspect and maintain (FWIW, the Corsair/Farrier folding system is also very proven and robust, not a single issue with it on my Sprint 750 in the time I owned it). The second is that both Corsair and Dragonfly have excellent resale value. After 16 years of ownership, I sold my Sprint 750 for 70% of what I paid for it in 2006. Used Dragonfly trimarans do not remain on the market for long and from what I see of current listings sell for over 80% of what they cost new. As long as you maintain the boat properly, IMO they are one of the safest boats to own from a financial standpoint. While you do give up some space in these tri’s, it’s balanced by the fun, speed, and comfort. My wife did a passage trip in the North Sea from Sweden to England this past summer with 59 North on their Farr 65 Falken. She had an awesome time and Falken is a fantastic boat but she also came home with a new appreciation of how fast and comfortable our Dragonfly is. If you combine the storage capacity we have in our floats (300-400 lbs of gear max in each float) with the storage in the center hull, I think we might actually exceed the volume of gear we could carry in an equivalent size monohull but we do have to keep the boat’s payload limits in mind (max about 2,500 lbs). We can also can carry our fully inflated 11’ long Takacat dinghy secured to a trampoline and not have it hanging off the stern or taking up space on the foredeck. Just a final note. Both the DF32 and the DF40 can sail at speeds in the high teens to low 20’s but that is pushing the limits and should only be done with an experienced crew. You also have to respect and follow the reefing guidelines recommended by the builder/designer. But what these boats really offer to the cruising sailor is very easy and safe cruising for a couple at 8-12 knots of boatspeed. My wife and I recently did an overnight crossing of the upper Gulf of Mexico and had 8 hours of night sailing in 19-22 knots of wind. With the second reef in the mainsail set and full jib, we broad reached at 9-12 knots of boatspeed. It made the solo night watch shifts for both of us fun and very comfortable.
As an older sailor of cats like yourself I loved the fun sajng cats coming from mono hulls up to 37 feet. Unfortunately never got to experience tri's outlived your excellent points on both. Fair Winds Calm Seas⛵️⛵️
owned a 25 and Ill have to tell you its built really well loved it and miss the boat ,, they are super expensive if you go up in size and hopefully I get to sail on a 40 soon
Getting warmer...Simplicity requires visionary engineering or a third world sailing community where survival is evolving along with sailing design inovations with all the best compromises. You are still the best reporter out there. The force is with you.
Back in the day, a lot of west coast surfers began sailing tris in the 70’s, and I’m one. Sailed a 24’ Piver Nugget around the So. Cal. area with several trips to the. Channel Islands (and never a motor). Then, sailed a fg production ‘24 Triumph on SF Bay for several years. That speed is addictive. When it gusts, you accelerate rather than heel. Also the shallow draft and beachability is hard to beat. I lost a mast singlehanding when a spreader went on blustery Summer day on the Bay, but the fault was mine. You reef for the gusts on a tri. Sailed properly they are safe passage boats. In the early 70’s a friend took his ‘24’ Nugget around the world (via the Panama Canal and Suez),He met his future wife on the trip and they finished the last leg together. He said the boat handled everything he encountered.
I love motorboats, watch some sailing channels for true salt dog tales and yarns and tips, I have to say this is the first sailing boat that would make me want to literally learn the ropes.
My wife's favorite comment about multihulls is "I'm not sailing on any boat that needs an escape hatch in the bottom" We know of two tri's that flipped on the Chicago Mac race. That said it was racing situation, and know of plenty of monohulls that lost their mast. Driving a Max speed on a McLaren isn't for the faint of heart.
I saw an older version of the 40 ft dragonfly (the 1200?) for sale on yachtworld for under 500k. I think the overall length was 38 ft. Looked like a great way to sail fast!
Great for those who can afford it. This is yet another example of a high stress design that, though clearly seaworthy, is likely to wear out fast I have to wonder if all this high performance is worth the cost.
These boats hold their value very well. I’m not sure about the $1million end of things but there are 20 year old Trimarans still selling for near their original purchase price of 70-100k.
@@danielt63 Yeah, I'll give you that. I think for me it's less the sail rig and more the monohull. For me, having a monohull is a connection to the past. There's something about heeling too that makes sailing seem right.
@@mikenb3461 I felt the same way for many years, and I hated the Hobie 16, which at the time was the only multihull I had been exposed to. I also dislike the tris on the market that are 20 feet and under. They just look off to me. If I was interested in crossing oceans, I'd probably look at monohulls over something like a Dragonfly 40...
This is the Bentley of sailboats. Corsair the Porsche. We only have a Corsair Sprint, a 24 little speedster and I could never go back to hauling around a chunk of lead. Tris rule.
As an owner of 3 Dragonfly trimarans over a 21-year period here's where some of your conclusions are off base. 1) Carbon rig is very durable and does not need special care compared with aluminum, except if modifying it. 2) Resale is much higher than more mainstream boats because of the niche market and supply/demand. Keep in mind that the cost of a new boat and availability (lead time) sets the bar for the used market. Of the 3 Dragonfly tris I owned 2 were sold for more $ than I paid, and on the 3rd I lost only 26% after 11 years of ownership. In my experience TCO (total cost of ownership) was MUCH less than most production boats would have been, due to the high resale price. All my boats were sold quickly. In the case of Dragonflies the exchange rate of the dollar to the Euro also is a factor. Also your point about selling a 10-year old boat is moot -- condition is the most important factor in ANY 10-year-old used boat.
My introduction to cruising was through a beautifully home built Farrier F27, and while the experience at anchor was more akin to car camping than typical multi-hull luxury, she sure was an intoxicating boat to sail. Our primary learning curve was around repeatedly smashing out miles at speeds far exceeding our passage planning and arriving at tidal gates too early. I guess that’s not the worst problem to have, just something to recalibrate expectations around. Once you get used to double digit average speeds, exhilarating surfing even on a reach, sub 1’ draft for close in anchoring and that feather light tiller, it’s hard to step onto a typical cruising cat without just a twinge of disappointment. Maybe when the family is grown one of these will finally be in my price range…..
The ultimate rich boy's toy! Very interesting boat Tim, crewing would rock. But 24kn, I'd rather do it in a skiff. Btw you'd have to get the 80hp lol. I'm more the MacGregor end of this market! 🇦🇺 ⚓
Hi Tim. I have been giving boats like this, some extra thought, and it is hard to avoid facing up to the Real issues that they bring with them and relates to the thinking distance and the intensity of Concentration demanded of everyone on watch, on what is frankly an unavoidably fragile Sailboat, which no amount of carbon fibre can get around. On Land, there is a similar problem, as the vast majority of Drivers don’t think nearly far enough ahead on the road, and have far too low an awareness level, which is not helped by things like extremely poor Suspension and braking system design being covered up with things like power steering, power brakes, abs etc etc. As a former professional Driver, my best Training, was as a motorcyclist, which gave me a thinking distance of at least a mile further ahead on the road than most other drivers.As an aside, the worst thing ever put onto retail motorbikes is abs braking Systems as people have rapidly forgotten how to take corners properly, which is revealed by the heavy wear on the sides of the tyres , confirming they are going into corners far too fast and are braking hard to compensate, and placing a total reliance on abs to save their butts. On a Fast Trimaran like this, total reliance is being placed on 100% awareness level of Skipper and Crew at all Times, but the Ocean hides lots of things which can be hidden just out of sight below the water surface doesn’t it ? Personal perspective- at no point would I like to be Skipper or Crew on Any boat like this. I will take a cruising Sailboat that includes design lessons learned from autonomous Sailboat Drone designs and construction. Bottom line for me ? This Trimaran Totally Sucks, and even if I could afford one, no way in hell would I be buying one. What on Earth are these people thinking ? 🤔
Wow! I don't think resale is as great a problem as most multihulls. This would fit nicely into my 46' monohull's slip. All the other multis are on the ends of the docks or on mooring balls in the next marina up the coast. When you said ocean crossing? My heart starting beating faster. This boat seems well worth its price. The real question about boat pricing is: Can you afford it? It doesn't matter than the Beneteau 50 in the next slip cost less and has more room -- just don't mention it to your partner after she's bumped her head in your Dragonfly.
I am an old trimaran owner (37' Searunner and Cross 42 - both designs from the seventies), so I love sailing fast, and sailing 20+ knots is thrilling in protected waters - but white knucklers on ocean passages where things can go wrong quickly at those speeds. The Dragonflies are surely fast and the high quality builds put most other multihulls to shame. The swing-in out-hulls are wonderful when one is looking for marina moorage which is always a huge problem for trimarans. I could never afford this Dragonfly but I'd love one for local sailing in Puget Sound area which often has light winds. I would like to add that all the sleekness and speed comes at a cost of interior volume and deck space - the boat is tight inside compared to a similar sized cat or DS monohull. One last thing - personally, I miss the hard decks and larger interiors of the older designs. Neel trimarans are too much on the cruising side of the ledger. Dragonflies are too much on the performance side. How about something in the middle?
You talk about giving up accommodation in favour of speed, but there's more to it: monohulls have more space, but trimarans have *better* space. Stuff doesn't have to be designed to work sort-of-acceptably through 60° of possible angles, so it can work much better through 20°. This is great for usability, and also can reduce fatigue--an important safety feature on long passages. When a trimaran heels, the leeward plumbing comes further up out of the water, easing constraints on layout and operation. There's no bilgewater sloshing around and growing new life forms--there's no bilge. So... are you giving up space?
Hi Tim. After it was forcibly brought to my attention just how much Catamarans hate me, after encountering the really violent Corkscrew Bucking Bronco Motion that almost all Catamarans suffer from, I took a very close look at a folding Trimaran very similar to this, and it rapidly became very clear that it was not something to get caught out on in bad weather, and annual Maintenance needed to be very thorough and meticulous, which itself was ok, but the inevitable expense of that was definitely not ok,and pushed it way beyond my pay grade. Also I do not in any way like Carbon Fiber used in Masts, due to long experience with Carbon Fiber Fishing rods, and getting the damned things out of your hands fast if there was any lightning around, because they really are Lightning Magnets. So pass, and back to what can Sailing drones offer as improvements to Cruising Monohull Designs,and that back to the Not insignificant reality that all Sailing Drones, clearly for very good Reason seem to be Monohulls ? Cruising Monohulls, just like those Drones, do not need to be Very Fast, they only need to be Fast Enough, and Monohulls can definitely be Fast enough for Decent Cruising Speeds, so adjust expectations and the resulting downward Pricing accordingly? I will take a Comfortable Cruising Catalina thanks very much. 🤔 Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Tim and All. 👍🌟🌟🌟❤️⛵️🎄
If you want a fast trailerable weekend sailboat nothing beats a small dragonfly and corsairs, if you looking for anything else then it's not for you, this is not a boat to live aboard so i don't understand people complaining about space...
Just too much money. Love the concept & the build is no doubt great. Quality, and exciting but very expensive but hey, if you like, & want. Then go for it guys. I bet they will build a d3sign for us old , cheap guys ( say a nice 48, cat, lots room , and great performance for comfort, yes speed, safety, and fun when you want some, but a super all round boat. I am older & that's what I would want & pay for. The market is bigger, more Alffluentstill has some internal spirit for a challenge. Come up with a great design, can go fast, give comfort , and y3s look great. ( Then You Got A Winner..) even if it's abit more money$$$$. All from the cockpit too. You will sell a lot of boats.
Sorry I will stick to my old solid glass and slow boat! The word cruising means by definition to sail without destination. So what's your hurry. I may be slow but I will get there and I guarantee you, I will be less stressed than someone sailing at 20 knot's! Good luck and smooth sea!
If money were no object, I'd probably have this boat. If I were a millionaire, I'd probably consider having a dragonfly 28. Alas, I am neither. Fun to dream about though.
Given that performance cruising cats like the HH44 OC are well north of $1M at half the speed, this seems like a bargain. Not that I can afford any of it.
@@terryroth9707 Agreed, but if the target market is a sailing couple, there's plenty of space. Of course it's nice to have more space, but this boat seems like a time machine.
I have raced 5 times in various mono hulls to Hawaii in the Transpacific yacht race. . My last ride was an Andrew’s 68 sled. Super fun boat crew of 13 and very fast. One Mexican race we did 750 miles in 2 days averaging over 20 knots for 18 hrs., Talk about a rush. We hit 29 knots briefly on one surf. The DF400 would be a super fun boat to race on the West coast in these mostly down wind races to PV, Cabo and Honolulu. . It would be cheaper to race because you could use a much smaller crew. I could see racing to HI with 4-5 crew in style and as fast as most of the much bigger mono race boats. For an old guy like me the twin helms, dodger and electric winches would be plush.😊
One does not buy a Ferrari or Rambo for kids to school either do we? So You spent money for pure sailing fun. pro one, second is comfort...combine these and you get this or similar big fast tri's and cats like Gunboats etc etc. You will never cross oceans at more than 8-10 kt average 24h speeds on these. or break stuff (F27/C31 owner since 2003) UCC9pI8oT9Dsno48ljwSdo5A
800k for a 40ft boat that offers 80% of what a 500k 40ft monohull offers? Speed isn't worth that much, especially since the journey is half the well,.. journey. I get that speed is attractive. but not at that price and not at the sacrifice of comfort. Not to mention this dragonfly cannot carry anywhere near as much as a similarly sized catamaran. You load this boat up with folding bikes, scuba gear, and the other stuff cruisers need and want and the performance of this boat will diminish to the point that it may actually be an unsafe boat. And no mention of dinghy. i guess the builders think that since it can beach nobody would "need" a dinghy. cool boat. I'd call it a weekend cruiser. A very expensive weekender.
I'm not interested in world traveling. I've spent most of my sailing on beach cats so the idea of picking up a slow monohull cruiser is a recipe for boredom. I've crewed on an Island Packet, god what a dreadful experience. My lottery boat is a Dragonfly 25 or Corsair 760. I don't see the need to go any bigger.
To what sea state do you trust the Corsair? Interesting financial perspective. Buy that boat and save $800K. 5% interest is $40K/yr. $100/day cruising budget. Spend most nights with basic land accommodations, camp out in occasional remote locations. 50-100 miles/day pretty doable.
@@artsmith103 The Corsair 760 is rated for seas up to 7 feet, but I've taken 14' (4.3m) catamarans out in that sea state with no problem (as long as the waves were rolling and not breaking), so I'd be willing to take it out in worse (not as a plan, but if the seas were building I wouldn't be too alarmed.) The boat would do fine on a Florida to Bahamas run. It could probably even handle a Florida to Cancún run (which would be 3-4 days at sea.) I don't think I would be willing to stay at sea any longer than that though. But like I said, it's a lottery boat. Even if money were no object this is what I'd choose. Without a sudden financial windfall, I'll be sticking to beach cats. ($10-20K for a *new* boat. Store on my property, so virtually no storage or maintenance costs.)
If you want a fast trailerable weekend sailboat nothing beats a small dragonfly and corsairs, if you looking for anything else then it's not for you, this is not a boat to live aboard so i don't understand people complaining about space...
I do like going fast, and have sailed at 25 knots crossing The Bass Strait on a Chris White 48 and while this was a peak speed we often sailed a 20 knots for hours, and it was the best sailing ever... Cheers Rustie.
PS this cat sailed at 12 knots upwind and often sailed higher than racing mono hulls.
@@rustie4242 Chris Wihte boats are fast, safe, efficient, relatively comfortable.
As an owner of a 2016 Dragonfly 32 Supreme, it was great to see PS do a review on this amazing sailboat. I’ve been a dedicated multihull sailor since 1992 starting with a Prindle 19, then raced a Tornado, and still in a love affair (since 2001) with the A-Class catamaran. So in 2006 I bought and owned for 16 years a 24’ Corsair Sprint 750 trimaran which I both raced and daysailed/cruised. It was a dream to be able to afford buying our DF32 in 2022 and move up from the Corsair. Two comments this review made I feel I need to address. The first is that the swing wing system is very proven, very robust, and the boat does not “rack” at all under sail in big seas or chop. It is also pretty simple to inspect and maintain (FWIW, the Corsair/Farrier folding system is also very proven and robust, not a single issue with it on my Sprint 750 in the time I owned it). The second is that both Corsair and Dragonfly have excellent resale value. After 16 years of ownership, I sold my Sprint 750 for 70% of what I paid for it in 2006. Used Dragonfly trimarans do not remain on the market for long and from what I see of current listings sell for over 80% of what they cost new. As long as you maintain the boat properly, IMO they are one of the safest boats to own from a financial standpoint.
While you do give up some space in these tri’s, it’s balanced by the fun, speed, and comfort. My wife did a passage trip in the North Sea from Sweden to England this past summer with 59 North on their Farr 65 Falken. She had an awesome time and Falken is a fantastic boat but she also came home with a new appreciation of how fast and comfortable our Dragonfly is. If you combine the storage capacity we have in our floats (300-400 lbs of gear max in each float) with the storage in the center hull, I think we might actually exceed the volume of gear we could carry in an equivalent size monohull but we do have to keep the boat’s payload limits in mind (max about 2,500 lbs). We can also can carry our fully inflated 11’ long Takacat dinghy secured to a trampoline and not have it hanging off the stern or taking up space on the foredeck.
Just a final note. Both the DF32 and the DF40 can sail at speeds in the high teens to low 20’s but that is pushing the limits and should only be done with an experienced crew. You also have to respect and follow the reefing guidelines recommended by the builder/designer. But what these boats really offer to the cruising sailor is very easy and safe cruising for a couple at 8-12 knots of boatspeed. My wife and I recently did an overnight crossing of the upper Gulf of Mexico and had 8 hours of night sailing in 19-22 knots of wind. With the second reef in the mainsail set and full jib, we broad reached at 9-12 knots of boatspeed. It made the solo night watch shifts for both of us fun and very comfortable.
As an older sailor of cats like yourself I loved the fun sajng cats coming from mono hulls up to 37 feet. Unfortunately never got to experience tri's outlived your excellent points on both. Fair Winds Calm Seas⛵️⛵️
owned a 25 and Ill have to tell you its built really well loved it and miss the boat ,, they are super expensive if you go up in size and hopefully I get to sail on a 40 soon
Let us know how it goes😊
I have been building my trimaran. For the last 2 years.. nearing completion. Hull speed 23 knots. 20 feet x 18 . 10 mtr mast. Cannot wait. Next year.
Getting warmer...Simplicity requires visionary engineering or a third world sailing community where survival is evolving along with sailing design inovations with all the best compromises. You are still the best reporter out there. The force is with you.
Dragonflies are definately niche. Very niche.
They are also absolutely brilliant.
Back in the day, a lot of west coast surfers began sailing tris in the 70’s, and I’m one. Sailed a 24’ Piver Nugget around the So. Cal. area with several trips to the. Channel Islands (and never a motor). Then, sailed a fg production ‘24 Triumph on SF Bay for several years. That speed is addictive. When it gusts, you accelerate rather than heel. Also the shallow draft and beachability is hard to beat. I lost a mast singlehanding when a spreader went on blustery Summer day on the Bay, but the fault was mine. You reef for the gusts on a tri. Sailed properly they are safe passage boats. In the early 70’s a friend took his ‘24’ Nugget around the world (via the Panama Canal and Suez),He met his future wife on the trip and they finished the last leg together. He said the boat handled everything he encountered.
I love motorboats, watch some sailing channels for true salt dog tales and yarns and tips, I have to say this is the first sailing boat that would make me want to literally learn the ropes.
My wife's favorite comment about multihulls is "I'm not sailing on any boat that needs an escape hatch in the bottom" We know of two tri's that flipped on the Chicago Mac race. That said it was racing situation, and know of plenty of monohulls that lost their mast. Driving a Max speed on a McLaren isn't for the faint of heart.
Ah yes, the old debate: multihulls can capsize, and monohulls can sink. Choose wisely :)
I saw an older version of the 40 ft dragonfly (the 1200?) for sale on yachtworld for under 500k. I think the overall length was 38 ft. Looked like a great way to sail fast!
Wow. Imagine crossing the Atlantic in 10 days. Unbelievable
Great for those who can afford it.
This is yet another example of a high stress design that, though clearly seaworthy, is likely to wear out fast
I have to wonder if all this high performance is worth the cost.
These boats hold their value very well. I’m not sure about the $1million end of things but there are 20 year old Trimarans still selling for near their original purchase price of 70-100k.
I'll never fault anyone for their choice in a sailboat, but nothing beats the beauty and symmetry of a sloop rigged monohull.
Sorry, if you are going to talk beauty, then only a schooner rig will do.
@@danielt63 Yeah, I'll give you that. I think for me it's less the sail rig and more the monohull. For me, having a monohull is a connection to the past. There's something about heeling too that makes sailing seem right.
@@mikenb3461 I felt the same way for many years, and I hated the Hobie 16, which at the time was the only multihull I had been exposed to. I also dislike the tris on the market that are 20 feet and under. They just look off to me. If I was interested in crossing oceans, I'd probably look at monohulls over something like a Dragonfly 40...
This is the Bentley of sailboats. Corsair the Porsche. We only have a Corsair Sprint, a 24 little speedster and I could never go back to hauling around a chunk of lead.
Tris rule.
As an owner of 3 Dragonfly trimarans over a 21-year period here's where some of your conclusions are off base. 1) Carbon rig is very durable and does not need special care compared with aluminum, except if modifying it. 2) Resale is much higher than more mainstream boats because of the niche market and supply/demand. Keep in mind that the cost of a new boat and availability (lead time) sets the bar for the used market. Of the 3 Dragonfly tris I owned 2 were sold for more $ than I paid, and on the 3rd I lost only 26% after 11 years of ownership. In my experience TCO (total cost of ownership) was MUCH less than most production boats would have been, due to the high resale price. All my boats were sold quickly. In the case of Dragonflies the exchange rate of the dollar to the Euro also is a factor. Also your point about selling a 10-year old boat is moot -- condition is the most important factor in ANY 10-year-old used boat.
Best sailboat money can buy. 😅
Will you .make a video on the Vendée globe race. All the machines are in race for about a month now
My introduction to cruising was through a beautifully home built Farrier F27, and while the experience at anchor was more akin to car camping than typical multi-hull luxury, she sure was an intoxicating boat to sail.
Our primary learning curve was around repeatedly smashing out miles at speeds far exceeding our passage planning and arriving at tidal gates too early. I guess that’s not the worst problem to have, just something to recalibrate expectations around.
Once you get used to double digit average speeds, exhilarating surfing even on a reach, sub 1’ draft for close in anchoring and that feather light tiller, it’s hard to step onto a typical cruising cat without just a twinge of disappointment.
Maybe when the family is grown one of these will finally be in my price range…..
The ultimate rich boy's toy! Very interesting boat Tim, crewing would rock. But 24kn, I'd rather do it in a skiff. Btw you'd have to get the 80hp lol. I'm more the MacGregor end of this market! 🇦🇺 ⚓
Hi Tim. I have been giving boats like this, some extra thought, and it is hard to avoid facing up to the Real issues that they bring with them and relates to the thinking distance and the intensity of Concentration demanded of everyone on watch, on what is frankly an unavoidably fragile Sailboat, which no amount of carbon fibre can get around. On Land, there is a similar problem, as the vast majority of Drivers don’t think nearly far enough ahead on the road, and have far too low an awareness level, which is not helped by things like extremely poor Suspension and braking system design being covered up with things like power steering, power brakes, abs etc etc. As a former professional Driver, my best Training, was as a motorcyclist, which gave me a thinking distance of at least a mile further ahead on the road than most other drivers.As an aside, the worst thing ever put onto retail motorbikes is abs braking Systems as people have rapidly forgotten how to take corners properly, which is revealed by the heavy wear on the sides of the tyres , confirming they are going into corners far too fast and are braking hard to compensate, and placing a total reliance on abs to save their butts. On a Fast Trimaran like this, total reliance is being placed on 100% awareness level of Skipper and Crew at all Times, but the Ocean hides lots of things which can be hidden just out of sight below the water surface doesn’t it ? Personal perspective- at no point would I like to be Skipper or Crew on Any boat like this. I will take a cruising Sailboat that includes design lessons learned from autonomous Sailboat Drone designs and construction. Bottom line for me ? This Trimaran Totally Sucks, and even if I could afford one, no way in hell would I be buying one. What on Earth are these people thinking ? 🤔
The more I read about them the more I hope you do an episode on the Contessa 32
Particularly GiGi
I am eager to see their new 36'.
You can stop for night on every beach!
It's a trimaran, not a "try-a-maran" lol
He meant try a trimaran
Don't get me started on fillet, basil, coriander, orange, mirror, basil, oregano...
Can you rent or charter one for a week or 2?
Wow! I don't think resale is as great a problem as most multihulls. This would fit nicely into my 46' monohull's slip. All the other multis are on the ends of the docks or on mooring balls in the next marina up the coast. When you said ocean crossing? My heart starting beating faster. This boat seems well worth its price. The real question about boat pricing is: Can you afford it? It doesn't matter than the Beneteau 50 in the next slip cost less and has more room -- just don't mention it to your partner after she's bumped her head in your Dragonfly.
The amas folding bearings need attention. Measure the play. The maximum tolerated deviation value is given by the manufaturer to each owner.
I am an old trimaran owner (37' Searunner and Cross 42 - both designs from the seventies), so I love sailing fast, and sailing 20+ knots is thrilling in protected waters - but white knucklers on ocean passages where things can go wrong quickly at those speeds. The Dragonflies are surely fast and the high quality builds put most other multihulls to shame. The swing-in out-hulls are wonderful when one is looking for marina moorage which is always a huge problem for trimarans. I could never afford this Dragonfly but I'd love one for local sailing in Puget Sound area which often has light winds. I would like to add that all the sleekness and speed comes at a cost of interior volume and deck space - the boat is tight inside compared to a similar sized cat or DS monohull. One last thing - personally, I miss the hard decks and larger interiors of the older designs. Neel trimarans are too much on the cruising side of the ledger. Dragonflies are too much on the performance side. How about something in the middle?
You talk about giving up accommodation in favour of speed, but there's more to it: monohulls have more space, but trimarans have *better* space. Stuff doesn't have to be designed to work sort-of-acceptably through 60° of possible angles, so it can work much better through 20°. This is great for usability, and also can reduce fatigue--an important safety feature on long passages. When a trimaran heels, the leeward plumbing comes further up out of the water, easing constraints on layout and operation. There's no bilgewater sloshing around and growing new life forms--there's no bilge. So... are you giving up space?
Hi Tim. After it was forcibly brought to my attention just how much Catamarans hate me, after encountering the really violent Corkscrew Bucking Bronco Motion that almost all Catamarans suffer from, I took a very close look at a folding Trimaran very similar to this, and it rapidly became very clear that it was not something to get caught out on in bad weather, and annual Maintenance needed to be very thorough and meticulous, which itself was ok, but the inevitable expense of that was definitely not ok,and pushed it way beyond my pay grade. Also I do not in any way like Carbon Fiber used in Masts, due to long experience with Carbon Fiber Fishing rods, and getting the damned things out of your hands fast if there was any lightning around, because they really are Lightning Magnets. So pass, and back to what can Sailing drones offer as improvements to Cruising Monohull Designs,and that back to the Not insignificant reality that all Sailing Drones, clearly for very good Reason seem to be Monohulls ? Cruising Monohulls, just like those Drones, do not need to be Very Fast, they only need to be Fast Enough, and Monohulls can definitely be Fast enough for Decent Cruising Speeds, so adjust expectations and the resulting downward Pricing accordingly? I will take a Comfortable Cruising Catalina thanks very much. 🤔 Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Tim and All. 👍🌟🌟🌟❤️⛵️🎄
If you want a fast trailerable weekend sailboat nothing beats a small dragonfly and corsairs, if you looking for anything else then it's not for you, this is not a boat to live aboard so i don't understand people complaining about space...
Pretty cool
Almost same price as a HH
man if i had a mil, is this what id get
They are all beautiful but I'd have to rob a small country to buy one
Just too much money. Love the concept & the build is no doubt great. Quality, and exciting but very expensive but hey, if you like, & want. Then go for it guys. I bet they will build a d3sign for us old , cheap guys ( say a nice 48, cat, lots room , and great performance for comfort, yes speed, safety, and fun when you want some, but a super all round boat. I am older & that's what I would want & pay for. The market is bigger, more Alffluentstill has some internal spirit for a challenge. Come up with a great design, can go fast, give comfort , and y3s look great. ( Then You Got A Winner..) even if it's abit more money$$$$. All from the cockpit too. You will sell a lot of boats.
Sorry I will stick to my old solid glass and slow boat! The word cruising means by definition to sail without destination. So what's your hurry. I may be slow but I will get there and I guarantee you, I will be less stressed than someone sailing at 20 knot's! Good luck and smooth sea!
If money were no object, I'd probably have this boat. If I were a millionaire, I'd probably consider having a dragonfly 28. Alas, I am neither. Fun to dream about though.
Given that performance cruising cats like the HH44 OC are well north of $1M at half the speed, this seems like a bargain. Not that I can afford any of it.
But the cat has way more room. That's my only desire for the trimaran.
@@terryroth9707 Agreed, but if the target market is a sailing couple, there's plenty of space. Of course it's nice to have more space, but this boat seems like a time machine.
I think I would rather have a Neel for cruising.
Are you pronouncing it "tri-ah-maran"? Have I been saying it wrong?
He's Canadian, eh. Or at least Canadian adjacent. 😂
I have raced 5 times in various mono hulls to Hawaii in the Transpacific yacht race. . My last ride was an Andrew’s 68 sled. Super fun boat crew of 13 and very fast. One Mexican race we did 750 miles in 2 days averaging over 20 knots for 18 hrs., Talk about a rush. We hit 29 knots briefly on one surf. The DF400 would be a super fun boat to race on the West coast in these mostly down wind races to PV, Cabo and Honolulu. . It would be cheaper to race because you could use a much smaller crew. I could see racing to HI with 4-5 crew in style and as fast as most of the much bigger mono race boats. For an old guy like me the twin helms, dodger and electric winches would be plush.😊
If you just want speed, a 30-footer would be way more economical.
First comment !
One does not buy a Ferrari or Rambo for kids to school either do we? So You spent money for pure sailing fun. pro one, second is comfort...combine these and you get this or similar big fast tri's and cats like Gunboats etc etc. You will never cross oceans at more than 8-10 kt average 24h speeds on these. or break stuff (F27/C31 owner since 2003) UCC9pI8oT9Dsno48ljwSdo5A
Try a maran 😂
Nah, can get a Moody DS 45 for that price
800k for a 40ft boat that offers 80% of what a 500k 40ft monohull offers? Speed isn't worth that much, especially since the journey is half the well,.. journey. I get that speed is attractive. but not at that price and not at the sacrifice of comfort. Not to mention this dragonfly cannot carry anywhere near as much as a similarly sized catamaran. You load this boat up with folding bikes, scuba gear, and the other stuff cruisers need and want and the performance of this boat will diminish to the point that it may actually be an unsafe boat. And no mention of dinghy. i guess the builders think that since it can beach nobody would "need" a dinghy. cool boat. I'd call it a weekend cruiser. A very expensive weekender.
Fun? Yeah because dropping over $700k for a boat is fun.
I don't care for catamarans because they can get stuck upside down.
Piece of junk . Wouldn’t survive a day in a rough sea.
Wrong ! The Dragonflies te awesome
Just buy and restore a McGregor 65. It will point to weather better and has a better top speed for a lot less money.
I'm not interested in world traveling. I've spent most of my sailing on beach cats so the idea of picking up a slow monohull cruiser is a recipe for boredom. I've crewed on an Island Packet, god what a dreadful experience.
My lottery boat is a Dragonfly 25 or Corsair 760. I don't see the need to go any bigger.
To what sea state do you trust the Corsair? Interesting financial perspective. Buy that boat and save $800K. 5% interest is $40K/yr. $100/day cruising budget. Spend most nights with basic land accommodations, camp out in occasional remote locations. 50-100 miles/day pretty doable.
@@artsmith103 The Corsair 760 is rated for seas up to 7 feet, but I've taken 14' (4.3m) catamarans out in that sea state with no problem (as long as the waves were rolling and not breaking), so I'd be willing to take it out in worse (not as a plan, but if the seas were building I wouldn't be too alarmed.)
The boat would do fine on a Florida to Bahamas run. It could probably even handle a Florida to Cancún run (which would be 3-4 days at sea.) I don't think I would be willing to stay at sea any longer than that though.
But like I said, it's a lottery boat. Even if money were no object this is what I'd choose. Without a sudden financial windfall, I'll be sticking to beach cats. ($10-20K for a *new* boat. Store on my property, so virtually no storage or maintenance costs.)
@@danielt63 Sailing Soulianis bought a Farrier F9A (~$50K) and shared some info. Unfortunately not many episodes after buying the tri.
If you want a fast trailerable weekend sailboat nothing beats a small dragonfly and corsairs, if you looking for anything else then it's not for you, this is not a boat to live aboard so i don't understand people complaining about space...