Catamaran Corsair F-27

Standard on all boats: Fixed aluminium masts, boom roller-furling mainsails
Earlier boats (before 1996): no bowsprit, pinhead mainsails, jibs, genoas and symmetric spinnakers. A lot of the older boats have been upgraded with bowsprits and larger mainsail areas.
Later boats (after 1996): bowsprit. square-top mainsails, jibs, screachers and asymmetric spinnakers
Rigging options: roller furling on forestay
Formula version: The change in rigging, with bowsprit, square-top mainsails and asymmetric spinnakers is often referred to as the 'formula' class. It can also include the slight lengthening of the boat by adding so-called 'swim steps' to the stern.

In January 2004, the Corsair F-27 was inducted into the America Sailboat Hall of Fame, only the second multihull ever to be so honoured.

While ideal for day trips or coastal/offshore cruising, the Corsair F-27 is also a very competitive and fast racing boat. With top speeds of to around 20 knots, she is exhilerating to sail and has many race wins to show for it. Easily handled, the boat can be raced, even in tough conditions, with a crew of three or even two.

The cabin sleeps three adults in reasonable comfort and 2-3 children in addition. There is enough storage space and other amenities for extended cruises. The spacious decks and nets give ample room to spread out on leasurely trips. Heads and other cruising items are optional. The aft cabin, easily supervised from the cockpit, is often used for children to play in or nap, making this a comfortable and safe family cruiser.

One of the first boats to use the ingenious folding system by designer Ian Farrier, the F-27 can be kept on a trailer and launched for sailing (easily done also single-handed, in about 30 minutes). The boat also fits in a narrow marina berth with the floats folded; they are very quickly and easily extended for sailing. The flexibility of the folding system means that owners can extend their sailing areas greatly.

The Corsair F-27 brought the well known virtues of trimarans - fast and level sailing - into an easily managed boat that is fun for the family as well as for racing, and both practical and economical to own. While superceded in production in 1997 by the Corsair 28 Corsair F-27s still constituted over half of all Corsair trimarans built by 2004. Well sought-after on the "previously-owned" boat market, Corsair F-27s have continued to maintain their popularity and value over the years.

Standard on all boats: Fixed aluminium masts, boom roller-furling mainsails