About the Farr 40 One-Design

The Farr 40 One-Design Boat and Class:

Designed by Farr Yacht Design, Ltd., built by U.S. Watercraft, administered and marketed by Stagg Yachts Inc. – there is no better pedigree for a modern offshore one design. These are the people that brought you the Mumm 36, and then the Mumm 30 and Corel 45 – three of the most successful yachts of the decade. They are defined by what you, the owners wanted in your racing boats. It can be summed up in one sentence…

If that’s the kind of sailing you’re looking for, come to the team with a track record for providing it. Following on from the success of the Mumm 36, then the Mumm 30 and Corel 45, is the Farr 40.

User Friendly
Sailing the Farr 40 is a lesson in how advanced technology can yield simplicity of function with high performance. From the carbon fibre, runner-less rig, through the clean deck layout and simple interior, you will appreciate the care, thought and attention to detail that has gone into this yacht.

A Great Value
At $390,000 (ex sails and electronics), a NEW Farr 40 is a great value!  And it’s a value protected by a healthy and strong One-Design class, ensures healthy resale values.  Compare the price of a Farr 40 to a new modern IRC 40’ racer/cruiser or a new J/Boat if you have any doubt.

Used, the Farr 40’s present a real bargain in a race boat.  Still well valued, most top level Farr 40’s include a wealth of sails and equipment and continue to be very competitive in later life.  The prices range by year, equipment and condition; as a guideline we present a range of price examples. (This is just an example, not absolute !)

• $350,000 – $280,000 usd for a 2007 – 2005 boat in near perfect condition (a better than new boat)
• $275,000 – $150,000 usd for a 2004 – 2000 boat in excellent to good condition but needing updates
• $140,000 – $90,000 usd for a 1999 – 1997 boat in varied condition and in need of some deck repairs

One Design
From the beginning the Farr 40 has had a set of strict one design rules in place. They are rules designed for owners, for fair and even sailing. Your needs and suggestions are reflected in the rules for example, having an owner driver rule. Should an owner not wish to drive then he may nominate a Group 1 (Amateur) driver who also has to meet other stringent Class criteria and be approved by a Class review panel. This rule is one example, others are the limitation on professional crew members to four and predetermining owner’s weight so that an owner does not need to weigh in.

Class Association
Any successful one-design class needs a strong class association to promote its interests and to protect its One-Design. The Farr 40 Class Association ensures that the class is run according to the consensus of the owner’s wishes, that there is a cost effective, fun racing circuit. The Class is governed by an Executive Committee of owners from all the active racing regions in conjunction with a Management Group consisting of representatives from Stagg Yachts, Farr Yacht Design and builder consultant.

A Modern Grand Prix-Type Yacht
The yacht was designed to offer fast, exhilarating, cost controlled, fun sailing for owners driving their yachts. It was designed to be fully compatible with the IMS rule and highly competitive yet has not exploited current formulation in directions that encourage better handicap at the expense of speed. This results in a concept that has lighter displacement, higher stability and more sail area than is typical in present IMS optimized boats. These attributes ensure a boat that is safe, fun and one with exceptional performance relative to its size. A true Grand Prix boat, and one which should remain competitive in an every changing rating rule environment. Despite these concessions for performance over handicap, the yacht’s record under the IMS rule has been most impressive. Hull No 1 owned by Dr Steve Garland was named the top IMS yacht at Block Island Race Week for 1997 for winning its very competitive IMS class and Hull No 2 owned by Ken Bruneflod was second overall IMS in the 1997 Round Gotland Race. The simple rig and efficient interior also make the boat competitive under the popular CHS rule. Sailing World named the Farr 40 overall “1998 Boat of the year” Judge Betsy Alison said “The boat is awesome to sail”.

Fast, user-friendly sailing in a value-for-money one-design with strong class support and proven winning performance in handicap fleets. Easy enough to say, much harder to do. Many elements need to come together to make the formula work, to make the concept real. You need the design skill and knowledge to make the boat both fast and easy to sail. The manufacturing skills to construct it to high levels of quality and consistency – and to do that at the right price. Then you need the management team with the energy and commitment to make it all work. With the Farr 40 the proof of all this is right there in front of you.

Rig and Sail Plan
The mast, spreaders, and spinnaker pole are all built from carbon fibre – the lightest, strongest material available in the place where it most counts. The rig configuration of swept back spreaders and hydraulic top mast backstay is the ultimate in simplicity. There are no running backstays, which would require extra crewmen and increase the risk of rig damage if they are not handled efficiently. Result in the Mumm 30 and Corel 45 have demonstrated that this elegant and simple rig meant no compromise in performance. Experience with the America’s Cup and the Whitbread Race had established that you don’t necessarily need big overlapping jibs for high performance in light air. And with little or no downside in performance, the advantages in handling and cost are significant. Non-overlapping jibs are cheaper, fast longer and don’t require gorillas to haul them round when tacking.

Deck Layout
When we came to plan the deck layout the criteria was the same as for the spars – clean and functional. There are minimal lines on deck on the Farr 40; most have been led below to keep the working cockpit clear. The jib track lines and mainsheet traveler purchases are under the deck and every block, track, winch, and jammer has been positioned after extensive planning and testing. The result is that everything works beautifully.

Hull and Deck
The hull and deck are constructed from a PVC/Balsa core. The laminate is a vacuum-bagged, wet pre-preg epoxy with a E-Glass matrix. This is then post-cured in an oven for maximum strength and durability. Construction techniques are scrutinized periodically and are designed to ensure the highest levels of consistency in hull weighs and finishes. Down below the detail and finish are consistent with the high standards set on deck. There is everything you would expect of a boat this size.

There is a sensible navigation area with ample room for chart work and an efficient galley by racing standards. The interior has plenty of stowage space, all carefully designed to keep clutter and weight to a minimum. The same thought has gone into making engineering work as practical as possible. The Farr 40 is a structurally sound and sturdy boat, capable of offshore racing and deliveries.  For convenience of trucking, the keel flange and hull were designed for quick and frequent removal.