Corsair 36

Brand:: Corsair

Designed by:: Corsair Marine Inc. (based on original Ian Farrier design)

Yard(s):: Corsair Marine Inc.

Description:

The Corsair 36 has the size and accommodation for serious bluewater cruising – yet has the features and flexibility of the smaller models in the company’s line of hugely popular folding trailerable trimarans. With the floats unfolded the beam of the 11 metre boat is 7.8 meters, opening a vast lounging space on the wing nets and providing formidable stability. Of course she has no ballast, and with a highly optimised foam sandwich construction, the boat is very light and capable of exceptional performance.

The light displacement is less than two tons. Like most trimarans the main hull flares out considerably above the waterline. The slenderness of the hull at the waterline keeps the drag low. However, the beam higher above the water is much greater, approaching conventional monohull length/beam proportions, and creating ample internal space for accommodation. As in all Corsairs the bows have a fine entry to reduce drag. Rounded mid sections open out into broad flat sections aft with minimum rocker. This is designed to encourage lower speed transition to planing.

There is a rotating wing mast and retractable carbon fibre bowsprit on which to set an optional asymmetrical spinnaker or screacher. This highly efficient and powerful rig drives the boat very fast at any point of sail, making her a very competitive racer and thrilling to sail.

Apart from raw speed the Corsair 36 is a versatile cruising boat. When the daggerboard is retracted she draws only 0.5 meters (1 ft 8 in), giving her free access to waters where a monohull could not hope to venture. Her design has a long pedigree and her sister designs have been tried and tested and refined over almost two decades. The Corsair 36 is a very rugged and seaworthy and unsinkable craft, easy to handle and capable of being enjoyed at any level.

A very attractive feature of Corsairs is that it is very quick to get from trailer to water and from water to trailer. Owners with a suitable trailer and towing vehicle can enjoy the variety of different cruising locations. They can also save money by storing the boat at home or at least out of the water. The Corsair 36 is a big boat to tow, with a towing weight of around 4 tons, and is unlikely to be moved around as regularly and conveniently at the smaller models in the line. Even so, it folds to a width of just less than 3 meters (9 ft 10 in) and can be towed on the road without special permission in the US (above 2.9 m width is an abnormal load in the UK and some other countries, requiring police notification).

Type:: Cruiser-racer

Multihull type:: Trimaran

Construction:: Hulls: foam sandwich construction
Folding system: Solid aluminium folding struts with stainless steel pivot pins
Construction techniques: Vacuum bagging throughout lamination process to maintain high resin-to-glass ratio
Construction materials: PVC foam core; carbon fibre and Kevlar reinforcing of highly stressed areas

Sails and rigging:

Fractional sloop rig
Aluminium rotating wing mast
Retractable carbon fibre bowsprit
Fully battened, square-topped main
Roller furling jib
Optional screacher (51 sq m); asymmetrical spinnaker (134 sq m)

Sails and rigging images:

Deck layout and gear:

Tiller steering
Two mesh seats built into aft rail
Storage lockers in floats
Anchor locker forward
Long boom, mainsheet traveller well aft

Deck layout images:

Keels, boards and rudders:: Single daggerboard

Accommodation:: Aft cabin: Double berth in aft cabin with access through a hatch behind the cockpit
Main cabin: Bright airy main cabin; C-shaped settee (converts to double bunk) with table to port; galley opposite; heads compartment with shower
Forward cabin: V-berth