When A Pricey Small Trimaran Isn't

Farrier Marine is well known among trimaran fans. They seem to set a standard for trimarans of all sizes, including as it turns out, smaller ones. The design for the "F-22 Sport Tri" came out not too long ago, and it seems to be quite a boat for its size.

I have to plead "guilty" to any charges made regarding a bias for the work of Ian Farrier. I know Ian Farrier's designs have already created a historical legacy among trimaran designs. But the way he markets them to trimaran fans is also second-to-none.

Go to his site and see for yourself. Read the stories there. Take in the generous amount of information, which is jam-packed with details. Fall into a trance as you gaze upon the trimaran pictures.

You get the idea.

What is unique about the F22 from most of his other design models is that it truly fits my definition for a "small trimaran.It is not much bigger than 20 feet long in length. You can pull it on a trailer easily. And the price tag doesn't stretch up into the stratosphere.

And perhaps the nicest thing for sailors who want to build their own small trimaran is ... well, it's genuinely possible. In other words, it'll be within reach.

According to Farrier Marine's webpage this moel was created in order to give a "high-quality entry-level design" that will justify the expenses to build one. This expense (if you're careful about where you buy your building materials) can be under $25,000.

That isn't too bad considering the fact that a straight-up commercial purchases of boats similar in size usually start in the $40,000 range and then go on up from there. And this could tempt many would-be sailors to take on the building project for a small trimaran all by itself.

Maybe a 22-foot small trimaran such as the F-22 is still larger, and a bit pricier, than what you want at this time? That's understandable. Just keep in mind that there are a few trimaran owners out there who've paid nearly $20,000 in overall costs for boats similar in size that will never provide the amenities and overall comfort a boat like the Farrier 22 potentially offers.

That's something to think about.

The F22 should be compared with other small trimaran models to see if all of its features are truly desired. This is even more true if you are thinking about building a small trimaran yourself.

Of course, along with all of these considerations is how the boat should be constructed. Modern boat building methods provide some nice options these days.

One option some would-be boat builders seem intent to avoid is building with wood. I'm not sure why. Apart from the perception that fiberglass is "always" the way to go with a boat such as the Farrier 22 nowadays, there isn't any reason why a wooden trimaran should be ruled out.

In exchanges with a couple of wooden boat building experts in the past few weeks, I'm even more convinced that a sailor who wants a small trimaran (even one like the F-22) should consider building it with wood.

Modern building techniques, such as "Stitch-and-Glue" for example, create monocoque hulls that are equal in strength and better in performance than fiberglass hulls. Plus, the trimaran can be built a lot faster and easier in the process.