Why choose a trimaran over a monohull?:

Safety

The first item on this list might surprise you.  But trimarans are exceedingly safe – in fact many, including all of the Corsair trimarans, are virtually unsinkable.  They’re foam cored, and relative to the displacement of the boat, the buoyancy of the materials is very high. Even were a Corsair to be fairly well destroyed (think passenger ferry) the remaining debris would remain at the surface providing something to cling onto. But there are some other interesting stats as well.  Kids love trimarans – the nets make for great fun.  And were they to fall into the water its reassuring that there are so many places for a person (or child) overboard to grab onto – see the net lines and the beams themselves in the picture to the right.  There are also good places at the main transom to haul out a wet, heavy, miniature crewmember.

Speed

No gimmicks. Trimarans simply deliver stunning speed without foils, wings or electronic aids. Speed might have slipped from number 1 factor to number 2 in recent years – and given the advent of foiling monohulls you might think that’s fitting.  But consider the costs involved in foiling monohulls and you’ll quickly find that Corsair trimarans have a far greater dollar-to-knot ratio. Operationally, trimarans are now seen as almost conventional in high-speed terms.  So you can clock up 20-knot plus speeds with a boat that has a 35-year track record of success and safety, and without the need for professional crew.

Stability

While you, the reader are no doubt the hardiest of sailors, there’s also no doubt that not everybody you sail with will be! Corsair trimarans, and most others, have a max heel angle of 12-14 degrees depending on the model.  That’s “flat sailing” in monohull terms.  And it means that rudders and daggerboards keep a reassuring grip and the speed therefore feels more effortless on the helm.  That surefootedness transfers over to your crew – they’ll detect the confidence in the boat and the skipper.

Small Marina Footprint

To achieve anything like the speed, and just a bit of the stability and comfort underway, you’d need a relatively large monohull by comparison.  But due to the folding mechanism, a Corsair trimaran keeps a very modest marina footprint.   Better still, they can be lifted (when folded) and are therefore easy to keep ashore.  Want to keep your boat in the water but worried about growth on the floats/pontoons?  Anti-fouling wraps from 3M are available from Corsair dealers – remarkably long lived, these are easily replaceable, and maintain a very quick surface.  Boat bags, which keep growth away from the floats and main hull, are available for mooring and marina use.

Above Deck Space

Anyone with children will immediately identify with this one – Corsairs are fantastic for their wingnet and bownet space.  When unfolded, the huge beam provides pound-for-pound the best boating platform around.  The nets are often used as sleeping hammocks in extremely hot climates – not just for an afternoon nap, but actually during the night.  And most trimarans can be fitted with a bimini, sail shade, or canopee when the sun is strong.

Trimarans are Synonymous with Trailerability

In the next article, we’re taking a deeper look at trailering trimarans through an interview with the undisputed supremo in trailering tri’s – our very own dealer Werner Stolz from Germany.  Trailerability is absolutely central to creating a new holiday experience every year, and for the racers it opens up a whole new world of high speed multihull regattas.  That’s why Corsair trimarans are built light – of course it improves your sailing speed, but it also keeps your trailering weight down and reduce road risk.  And that’s why the floats fold underneath – so your boat doesn’t get longer on the trailer when folded.  For those who don’t want to commit to the same sailing grounds every year there’s no better solution than a Corsair folding trimaran.

Read more:

Trimaran docking made easy

Corsair 28R won third place in Kieler Woche 2019

Corsair 880 design news