F-22 Trimaran: Discovering a future ‘best-sailer’

Between performance and comfort, which would you choose? To end the debate, Ian Farrier designed the F-22, a folding, transportable trimaran, built for a no-compromise programme combining above average speed and liveability. Until now, it has been built as a one-off by motivated amateurs, but mass production will be starting in 2012.

A few cables from the Croisette and its palaces, ‘Nid d'Abeille’ has just celebrated by parading through the roads of Cannes, clothed in bright yellow and carbon. The F-22 trimaran, built by Thierry Hémard, was impressive on its trailer, but didn’t really have a wasp-waist. The convoy nevertheless threaded its way without difficulty to the small slipway. But when the moment came to manipulate the trailer by hand on the slipway, the mask fell: behind the bulky appearance its ‘body-built’ shape gives it, hides a lightweight young lady, as light as you please, to play the star on the beach…and spoil the fun on the finish lines at regattas. It must be said that the damsel has undergone a strict diet during her construction: lightened foam sandwich at each meal, and liposuction under vacuum to eliminate any excess epoxy resin. Final verdict: less than 600 kg on the scales, when its competitors of an equivalent size show 100 to 200 kg of additional spare tyre. We could also quote the example of spectacular anorexia noted on an F-22 weighing just 480 kg, built completely in carbon by Melvest Marine, whilst other examples have opted for an aluminium mast and less high tech construction,...