SAIL - April 2015

26

APRIL 2015 PHOTOS COURTESY OF (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) HARMEN ROCKLER/FARR;

SHARON GREEN; FAREAST BOATS; WINDSEEKER YACHTS; J/BOATS

T

wo hot new sport boats in the roughly 30ft range, the Farr 280

(Farr Yacht Design) and the C&C 30 (Mark Mills-designed), have

recently been snapping heads on racecourses and at boat shows

around the world. These new production thoroughbreds feature pure

raceboat DNA that includes wide-open cockpits, flush decks, carbon

rigs, massive carbon sprits and more than enough speed to burn. Equally

important, their builders were careful to make use of expensive compos-

ite materials only where they would do the most good in an effort to keep

their price tags on (relatively) short leashes (see their specs and prices

below). For example, both boats use e-glass as the primary hull mate-

rial (vinylester resin is employed in the C&C 30; the Farr 280 uses epoxy

resin) with carbon fiber only utilized to reinforce critical structural areas.

In the ideal world, these speedsters will attract enough critical mass

to create a pair of vibrant new one-design classes. However, they have

also both been configured to do well under various different handicap

systems. According to Farr’s Ian Gordon, for example, the Farr 280 has

now won PHRF, HPR and ORC events, and Kristin McClintock of U.S.

Watercraft (the C&C 30’s builder) says the C&C 30 has been optimized

for HPR. While the two boats are blisteringly fast around the buoys, the

C&C 30 was also designed for offshore work and has an ISO Category A

offshore rating.

So far, at least, both boats are off to solid starts. According to Gordon,

Farr has built 14 boats, “with more on order.” McClintock reports that

C&C has sold 24 boats to date. Stay tuned to these pages for more on

these new classes.—DS

Dynamic Duo

C&C 30

LOA 30ft LWL 28ft 8in

Beam 9ft 10in Draft 7ft 6in

Displacement 3,995lb (light ship)

Ballast 1,579lb

Sail Area 640ft^2 (upwind); 1,643ft^2 (downwind)

SA/D Ratio 40 D/L Ratio 84 Ballast Ratio 40%

Price $137,390 Contact c-cyachts.com

FARR 280

LOA 28ft 7in LWL 26ft 4in

Beam 9ft 5in Draft 6ft 11in

Displacement 3,585lb (light ship)

Ballast 1,425lb

Sail Area 549ft2 (upwind); 1,329ft2 (downwind)

SA/D Ratio 37 D/L Ratio 91 Ballast Ratio 40%

Price $114,900 Contact farr280.com

THREE OTHER SPEEDSTERS TO WATCH

Two sport boats to keep an eye on

One of a number of Farr 280s

racing at this year’s Quantum

Key West Race Week

A brand-new C&C 30 hard on

the wind at the same event

J/88

The 29ft J/88 serves as a kind of “big brother” to the

super-successful J/70, and offers plenty of thrills

along with some space belowdecks.

jboats.com/j88

GP 26

An impressive five of these Jim Donovan-designed

boats are expected to be burning up East Coast

waters by the end of 2015.

jpdonovandesign.com

FAREAST 28R

The Chinese-built, Simonis Voogd-designed 28ft one

design made its European debut this past winter

and looks set to take on the U.S. market as well.

fareastboatsusa.com

UNDER SAIL

RACING