First sea trials conclude for the Farr 400

Dee Smith and Farr Yacht Design's Luke Shingledecker comment

Testing of the new Farr 400 has been completed. This was carried out in a range of conditions varying between 6-20 knots, the boat being put through its paces by Dee Smith, Bill O’Malley (Farr Yacht Sales), Naval architect Luke Shingledecker (Farr Yacht  Design) and members of Team Premier, the Premier Composite Technologies crew.

Dee Smith’s impressions were very positive: “Sailing the Farr 400 is very rewarding. She is light but very stiff. The full bow makes it a very balanced boat as conditions change, while the rig is easy to tune and is stiff enough to handle high forestay loads. The way the rig  works, in combination with the boats high stability, means that she responds well to changing conditions and turning around marks.

"The Farr 400 is also a fast boat but a friendly balanced boat to sail. The construction is a good balance of strength and cost - Infused carbon construction with foam core. This method is very consistent as only the correct amount of resin gets into the part, and the foam core provides better sheer strength.”

The Farr 400 is now back in the PCT factory where fine-tuning of some details and adjustments are being made to ensure optimum performance before the boat is shipped to Barcelona for the Conde de Godo Sailing Trophy, 20–22 May

This will be followed by

- Giraglia Rolex Cup Yacht Race, St Tropez, 15-28 June
- XII Trofeo SM La Reina Valencia 1-3 July, 2011
- Copa Del Rey Audi Mapfre, Palma del Mallorca 30 July-Aug 2011.

With 10 boats already sold, there should be enough boats already for a one design class in 2012 and between them,  Farr Yacht Design, PCT and Dee Smith are currently working on the class rules to make a more consistent, one design class that is fun and fast for everyone.

Speaking on the future of the Farr 400 as a non-complex but competitive race boat, Luke Shingledecker, naval architect of the FARR 400 comments: “The asymmetric halyard layout allows all pit functions to be lead aft to the pedestal-driven primary winches. This is a central part of sailing the boat, as it allows for easier spinnaker hoists and gybes. The layout also includes a sliding foredeck hatch with a pedestal-driven spinnaker takedown system. I believe these features, which have been borrowed from TP52’s and other grand prix classes, will prove to be highly desirable as sailors become familiar with them. Some observers might initially have the impression that they add to the boat’s complexity, but once understood, it should become clear they allow the boat to execute quicker boat handling maneuvers without requiring exceptional strength or rare crew skill. I definitely think this style of layout is more fun to sail, and points to the future for racing
boats in this size range.”