Werner, thanks for your expert advice.  Let’s get straight to the point (and this is the one that we at Corsair are most interested in!):  Why are Corsairs the best trailering trimarans?

Number 1, it’s the legal trailering width – which is achieved by the folding system. Much is made of the weight, but the width is so crucial because it is a number which is not flexible across many countries.  The Corsair 970 is 2.55metres width on the trailer.  Right at the legal limit.  The new Corsair 880 will also be within that number.  Many people have been stopped by police on our roads and everything is a waste if you fall foul of those rules.

Number 2, the boat doesn’t become longer when folded.  This makes big difference for maeuverability, but it keeps the total towing package within the legal length.  Other brands might just stay within the width, but you can still have a big problem if you have an accident and your length was illegal.

Number 3, the weight of the boat + trailer is crucial.  I carefully consider the weight of the boat before suggesting which material the trailer is made from.  For a Corsair 970, an aluminium trailer is almost a must.  For the other models, depending on the specification, it might be steel.

Lifting a Corsair Folding Trimaran with a travellift

The wind is blowing you off the dock

How about the Spars?

Again as we said about the total length, it’s important to stay within that number – usually 19 metres total of car+trailer.   Remember that before buying a racing mast – or at least talk to us about it.  And don’t forget that keeping the mast light is also important.  You need to be able to handle it manually, and load it up high. However the boats come with a yoke and all necessary equipment to handle the mast – including raising it.

The length of the mast is a consideration for trailering, as is the overall length of car + trailer.

The wind is blowing you onto the dock

What car do you really need?

Clearly it’s up to you.  But up to the Corsair 28 and new 880 there are a number of family cars that can tow the package.  Consider the additional gear you’ll carry, and look to your car papers.  The total carrying load of car + trailer might also be printed inside your door.  And it will be different from country to country.  Finally, consider that 4-wheel-drive (4WD) is extremely helpful when departing the ramp (in retrieving your boat from the water).  It’s not such a bing concern for the actual driving part, unless the conditions demand extra grip for some reason.  But 4WD is very helpful indeed when driving up a slippery ramp with a heavily-laden boat on trailer behind.  As such the BMWX5 with X-Drive (shown below) and the Land Rover Discovery have been very attractive for Corsair owners.

Towing weight is critical – as is 4WD for larger models

Do you always launch in the water from the trailer?  Or do you often need a crane?

I prefer the ramp. But the boats are also prepared to lift from the trailer by crane or large forklift.  In that situation the boat should be lifted by lifting the main hull only – don’t wrap the straps around the floats.  I don’t like compressing boats regardless of the quality of the construction.  All of the trailers I provide are marinized and ready to launch boats in the water on the ramp.  We use a brake washing system, and stainless steel brake systems so they are well protected from the salt water.

Careful consideration should be paid to the trailer construction material and brakes

Are the trailers single axel or double axel?

We use single axel up to the Corsair 760, and any models above that size use a double axel. Again, it’s worth talking to us about this early on.

Why don’t you trailer the Corsair 37?

Even I don’t have the car, or rather truck, to pull this boat.  With a Corsair 37 I suggest you consider having a professional driver. The trailers for such a boat are expensive.  So unless you’re changing your cruising ground frequently, it sometimes makes better sense to have a professional driver.

How safe is trailering?

It comes down to how you load your boat on the trailer.  Always use CE certified straps.  You should spend time with us loading and unloading your boat when it is delivered, so you know exactly what to do.  This is a useful service we provide.  The AA has a lot of information about trailering.  If you have their breakdown service its worthwhile notifying them that you have a boat on trailer.

A big point is to know your maximum speed allowance in all of the countries you’re driving through – it will be different from country to country.

You also need to have the correct signal and break lights, and in Italy (where a lot of my boats go) you need a special plate with the load striping (a form of signal striping).  We’ll make sure you are prepared for such technicalities and are kept safe on the road as much as we can assist you.

Final point on safety – it’s important to know the weight at the point of the ball on the hitch.  That capacity varies from car to car, and it’s something that we will look at when we know which car and boat you have.

Anything you would like to add?

You didn’t ask me about the maximum height.  That’s important for obvious reasons.  For example, when entering a petrol station.  That’s a situation that’s all-too-often forgotten.  Know your height.  The Corsair 970 is 3.6 metres.  That’s too tall for the passenger train on the Eurotunnel for example.  You would have to take the cargo train (which is a common occurrence).  You really must just know your height.

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Christoph, thanks for your expert advice.  Before answering questions, please give us the basic preparations for docking a trimaran in the harbour:

Number 1: The boat is very light, so you should think in advance even more than usual.  Know where the wind is coming from and know where the current is going.  A performance trimaran will be taken by the wind more easily.

Have your daggerboard down.  The boat pivots on the daggerboard so you need it to turn correctly, and especially if there is some wind the daggerboard is crucial. With anything like a strong wind the boat simply won’t turn, it will just drift, so the daggerboard must be down.

You’re planning in advance, so don’t dock bow-in even into the wind. When the wind is coming from the dock, you’ll ideally plan on docking stern-in. The boat follows the power of the engine every time in a lightweight trimaran. So keep the power at the leading end of the boat (stern-in in this situation). It’s also far easier to dock stern-in for beginners, especially as they can see the engine. If you’re tying up side-to, do the same thing: move along-side the space and shimmy (or drift) onto the dock using the engine to keep you in place, and the engine+rudder to control the lateral motion toward the dock.

The wind is blowing you off the dock

And if the wind is from behind or blowing you onto the dock?

Exactly the opposite. The engine needs to act like an anchor – it needs to be to the wind. So the bow goes into the dock, and you use the engine to control your speed and angle. Move in slowly and just be aware of your bowsprit.

The wind is blowing you onto the dock

2.  What are the big differences between docking the different Corsair models?

The big differences between docking the various models is between the aft-cockpit models, and the aft-cabin versions. In the aft-cockpit versions ranging from the Pulse 600, to 760’s, and older-versions like the 28, there is no outboard linkage between outboard and rudder. So YOU must be that link – literally you have the outboard in one hand and the rudder in the other.  You need to move them simultaneously. This means docking stern-in is even more important. And you’ll need to be standing to dock.

The new Corsair 880 has a generational improvement on the outboard linkage (see image). That will make docking the new 880 easier as the helm will feel in control. You have a more elevated position, and a bigger place to put a big fender at the stern (perhaps tied on the dock). So although the stern of the boat looks taller and flatter in a completely modern trimaran like the 880, the docking situations we’re talking about are where it comes in really handy.

Handling the new 880 will be made easier with an updated engine-tiller link

Now you’re approaching the dock so I’m thinking about some of the pitfalls! It’s also important to know that the stainless steel eyes used for tying the bow nets and wing nets are NOT used for docking lines – especially on the smaller models. You might use them for extra fenders – that can be useful because fenders on trimarans can ride up the dock and pop out. So it is useful for some extra fenders (anyway, be aware of that when attaching fenders). But don’t use the stainless eyes for docking lines – they’re meant to tension the nets where the forces are applied from a completely different angle, and I regularly see them damaged from misuse as a dockline fixing point. It is especially true on the smaller models where the eyes are obviously smaller as well.

3.  What about mooring?

The key difference between mooring a Corsair trimaran and something like a Seawind catamaran is in the use of the bridle.  A really heavy trimaran might not do this, but a Corsair is light enough to make forward motion just due to the windage of the boat itself! It will literally move forward over the bridle, anchor, mooring line, or whatever you’re tied to – sometimes resulting in loosening the anchor and starting to drift. So make sure the bridle is asymmetrical so that the boat wants to sit on a “tack” – this prevents the forward progression.  Also, take the daggerboard up. The daggerboard provides lift, so enables the boat to sail itself forward more efficiently. If you don’t know the waters, the sea bottom, and conditions, then do the opposite – Almost! Put about 20-25cm of daggerboard down because if the boat does drift and run aground its better for the daggerboard to run aground and catch on the bottom than for the boat hull to run aground. Allow the daggerboard to take the punishment because replacing that is a lot cheaper and easier.

4  And Mooring alone?

Well in advance of approaching a mooring field, I take my own (the boats) bow mooring line and attach it through the clew at the bow. I run it outside the shrouds back to the cockpit. Then I manoeuvre the boat stern-toward the mooring and pick up the mooring line. I then feed the bow line through the eye of the mooring line, keeping the line in hand, and put the engine in neutral. Then I walk the line forward and attach the line to one of the floats – in effect making a bridle. This is a manoeuvre that, once you’ve done it a few times, really takes the stress out of mooring. With a second person, obviously they can do some of this running around. Even still I often do the initial stern-in maneuver because the routine is now perfected. It allows me to approach the mooring from the correct angle, with the engine and rudder in easy reach. And even better it allows me to slowly ease the boat into the mooring position I want – because the boat and engine did all of the work in advance.

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