Corsair Marine F-24 User manual

SAILING MANUAL
For All Corsair Models
24
28

CORSAIR MARINE, Inc. Page 1 Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine
November, 1997
Including F-24, F-28 and F-31
Sailing Manual For All
Corsair Models
Thismanualhasbeencompiledtohelpyoutooperateyourcraftwith
safety and enjoyment. It contains details of the craft, the equipment
supplied or fitted, its systems, and information on its operation and
maintenance. Please read it carefully and familiarize yourself with
the craft before using it.
Ifthisisyourfirstcraft,oryouarechangingtoatypeofcraftyouare
not familiar with, for your own comfort or safety, please ensure that
you obtain handling and operating experience before assuming
command of the craft. Your dealer or national sailing federation or
yacht club will be pleased to advise you of local sailing schools or
competent instructors.
PLEASE KEEP THIS MANUAL IN A SECURE
PLACE, AND PASS ON TO THE NEW
OWNER WHEN YOU SELL THE CRAFT
Model_____________________
Hull Number__________________________________
Built By: Corsair Marine, Inc.
150 Reed Court, Chula Vista, CA 91911, U.S.A.
Owner 1. ___________________________ Owner 2. ___________________________ Owner 3. __________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________
___________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________

Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine Page 2 CORSAIR MARINE, Inc.
Contents
General............................................... 3
Preparation..........................................3
Loading ..............................................3
Safety Compartment........................... 4
Outboard Motor.................................. 4
Trailering ............................................5
Rigging................................................6
Launching........................................... 9
Mast Raising On The Water................11
Rudder.................................................11
Daggerboard........................................11
Mast Setup..................................................11
Sailing..........................................................12
The Basics.........................................12
Reefing..............................................13
Rotating Mast Control.......................15
Windward Performance.....................15
Reaching............................................16
Screacher...........................................16
Spinnaker...........................................17
Spinnaker Jibing................................17
Spinnaker Sailing Downwind............18
Safe Sailing Recommendations.........19
Sailing Hints......................................21
Anchoring............................................23
Beaching..............................................23
Retrieving To Trailer ..........................23
De-rigging ..........................................24
Lifting Out.......................................... 26
Marina Docking..................................26
Safety...................................................26
Unsinkability.....................................27
Offshore Sailing ...............................27
Capsize..............................................27
Righting.............................................28
Personal Responsibility ....................30
Safety In General ..............................31
Technical Notes...................................31
Winch line......................................... 31
Spring Retaining Clips......................31
Launching......................................... 31
Beam Bolts........................................31
Hoisting Mainsail..............................31
Bearing Away.................................... 31
Heavy Helm...................................... 31
Rudder/Daggerboard hum.................31
Rudder Ventilation............................ 31
Shroud Tensioners.............................32
Compression Pads.............................32
Wingnets............................................32
Bimini Top Storage............................32
Float/Beam Vents.............................. 32
Rust....................................................33
Cleaning Floats..................................33
Clean Boat Hint.................................33
Collision............................................33
Hurricane Survival............................ 33
SPECIFICATIONS ............................ 34
F-24 Mk II Sail Plan........................... 35
F-28 & F-28R Sail Plan...................... 36
F-31 Sail Plan......................................37
F-31R Sail Plan...................................38
F-24 Interior........................................ 39
F-24 Deck Layout............................... 39
F-28 Interior........................................ 40
F-28 Deck Layout............................... 40
F-31Aft Cockpit Interior.................... 41
F-31Aft Cockpit Deck Layout............41
Typical Trailer Setup ..........................42
Warranty & Limitation of Liability.....43
Maintenance & Safety Checklist ........44

CORSAIR MARINE, Inc. Page 3 Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine
LOADING
Multihullsshouldbetreatedlike aircraftwhenitcomesto
loading. Corsair trimarans are light, responsive craft, and
due to their narrow waterline do not have an unlimited load
carrying ability. Overloading can affect performance and
handling,whileexcessiveoverloading canalso affectsafety
margins,theratiooffloatbuoyancyrelativetothetotalweight
falling.Ahigherratioisfasterandsafer.Alwaysbeconscious
of weight and take care not to carry unnecessary items.
Theload-carryingcapacityofthedifferentCorsairmodels
is listed in the back of this manual. Some overloading is
acceptable for general sailing in sheltered waters, the only
adverse affect being a loss in performance. However, an
overloaded boat offshore in large waves can become dan-
gerous due to greater loads generated in the structure, and
thesluggishnesswhichcanpreventtheboatfromrisingtogo
over, or with the waves, as it should.
Whenstoringsupplies,trytokeepallheavyitemslocated
as low down as possible and in the forward end of the
cabin. Avoid storing any heavy items inside aft of the main
entryhatch,astoomuchweightaftcancausetransomdrag,
affecting performance. Farrier designs have a very buoyant
bow, which actually lifts at speed, and additional weight
GENERAL
This manual contains important information about the safe
operation and maintenance of your Corsair built trimaran. Read
it carefully, become familiar with the procedures described, and
follow the recommendations to help make your sailing enjoyable
and trouble-free.
Corsair trimarans are designed and built as high perfor-
mance cruising yachts, which when used as intended, with
their enormous stability and unsinkability, are among the
safest and fastest yachts afloat.
Asyou becomefamiliarwith yourboat,youmay discover
alternative methods of operation that have advantages. We
wouldappreciateifyouwouldsharethesewithussothatwe
can share them with other owners.
PREPARATION
Before going sailing, you will need to provide the proper
safety equipment as required by local regulations. This will
usually include life jackets for all crew members, safety
harnesses for children, anchor, compass, bilge pump, fog
horn, FirstAid kit, fireextinguishers, flashlightand batteries,
life buoy, flares, a chart of the area to be sailed, food, water,
and adequate fuel.
Corsair trimarans taking part in the 1997 U.S. National Titles, Pensacola, Florida. Farrier designs have now been sailing
extensively world wide for over 20 years, and the experience from all these years is the basis for this manual.

Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine Page 4 CORSAIR MARINE, Inc.
should always be kept forward rather than aft.
Shouldyourmodel havefloatstorage,avoid heavy loads
in the floats. These should only be used for light bulky items
such as sails, fenders etc. Heavy weight in the ends of any
boat, be it the bow, stern, or floats, can adversely affect the
general motion.
To maintain a light boat, and that sparkling edge to
performance, it is highly recommended that you go through
everything on board several times a year, and take off any
itemsthatdonotgetused.Thispreventsthegradualbuildup
of unnecessary weight.
SAFETY COMPARTMENT
Before sailing, it is important that the Safety Compart-
ment be loaded with the appropriate safety gear. This
compartmentis accessiblefrom toporbottomandisusually
located in a cockpit coaming, or under the cockpit seat.
Its purpose is to keep important safety equipment that
should be available to the crew in any emergency situation,
including a capsize. The equipment stored here should
include flares, a handheld VHF radio, EPIRB (offshore),
extraline,sparetools,cuttingimplementsetc. in watertight
bags (this is not a watertight compartment).
No multihull should venture offshore without
safety gear in such a compartment
OUTBOARD MOTOR
The recommended motor size is given in the specifica-
tions at the back of this manual and this is more than
adequate for most circumstances.
Alongshaftmotoristheminimumrequired,andtheextra
long 25" shaft motors are the best. A remote control can
also help make operation very easy with aft cabin models.
With weight being important, try to choose a light outboard.
There are a number of specialist ‘Sail Boat’ motors now
availableandsome of thesearedesignedfor heavy, hardto
push, displacement boats, and their propellers are effec-
tively ’geared down’ to give high thrust at low speeds.
However, Corsair trimarans have a very easily driven hull
and may not need such a propeller. The result can be the
same as always driving your car in low gear. You will have
plentyof thrust, butspeedis low,andeconomy can bepoor.
These motors do have advantages, and if used, you may
need to experiment with different propellers to get the best
and most efficient performance.
Refer to the engine manual for details of operation,
maintenance and winter storage. Always be sure you have
enough fuel for your planned trip.
The motor can be used while the floats are extended or
folded and should always be tilted up when sailing.
The original prototype F-31 aft cabin, with outboard and underslung rudder system. This type of rudder can be
removed altogether for long distance trailering. Aft cockpit models all now use transom hung rudders.

CORSAIR MARINE, Inc. Page 5 Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine
foredeck cleat and then connected to the towing vehicle.
Independent wiring avoids the frequent breakdowns that
occur with wiring through the trailer being attacked by
saltwater. When the trailer is being towed on its own, the
lights can be mounted directly to the trailer.
Beforetrailering,checkthattiresareinflatedcorrectly,the
beamlockingpinsareinplace,therudderisfullyupandtied
to one side, the pop-top or hatch is secured, and the boat is
tied down to the trailer. There should be one tie-down per
side,these being looped around the winches or bracketson
the cockpit coamings, and tied to the tie-down loops on the
trailer. The bow eye should also be tied down to the winch
post, in addition to the winch line. Check that all the trailer
supports always bear equally against the hulls.
When trailering, BE SURE to pivot up or remove the
trailerjockeywheel,andthatthehitchislockedontotheball.
Should the mast extend back past the trailer lights by
more than the legal amount, the appropriate warning flag
should be tied on the back. The mast can be positioned far
enough forward to eliminate any excessive overhang, but
this may not be possible if the towing vehicle is a van.
Whentrailering,alwaysallowextradistanceforstopping.
Particularly watch for low bridges, overhanging trees or
awningsetc.Ifnecessary,theboatcanbepartiallyunfolded
on the trailer in order to pass under a low bridge.
The daggerboard SHOULD ALWAYS BE DOWN when
motoring, to prevent any sideways movement. If not, the
boat will have a hovercraft like motion with wide skidding
turns. With the board down, handling is excellent.
TRAILERING
Thetotaltowingweightcanvaryconsiderably,depending
on model and options, and can be determined exactly by
usingaweighbridge.Checkthatthevehicleisapprovedand
equipped as recommended by its manufacturer for towing
this weight, and the capacity of the towing hitch is suitable.
Whiletowing,watchfor strong crosswinds. A Corsair is a
relatively light boat for towing, but it still has considerable
windage. For easy, stable towing, the trailer should be
balancedtohave5to10%ofthetotalweightonthecoupling
ball. This can be measured by a bathroom scale. If you find
‘fish tailing’ occurs, increase this weight. If necessary, a
simplechange like shifting the gas tank or outboardforward
can make a considerable difference to trailer behavior.
Trailer lights are fitted either on special brackets or as a
separate light bar on the boat’s transom. They are thus
independent from the trailer, and the wiring never gets near
the water, considerably improving reliability. If separate, be
suretofitthecorrectlightsontheappropriatesides.Thewire
should be run along the top of the boat, looped around the
Light bar being fitted on an F-28. Note vertical position of transom hung rudder blade for trailering

Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine Page 6 CORSAIR MARINE, Inc.
CAUTION
Measure and KNOW the overall height on the trailer.
Care should be taken to avoid all low, overhead
obstacles.
RIGGING
The following is a general rigging procedure and applies
to all models. There is also a separate more specific proce-
dure for each model. For ease of rigging, it is highly recom-
mended that you follow this general procedure, it having
beendevelopedfrom hundreds of launchingsandprovento
be fast, easy and efficient.
CAUTION
Always park into the wind, or uphill to help the mast
stay in line while being winched up. Trailer should
remain hooked to towing vehicle.
Two people should be able to completely rig an F-24, F-28
orF-31readyto launchinunder20minutesofarrivingatthe
ramp by using the correct procedure. It is possible in fact, to
be launched, unfolded, and sailing within 15 minutes with
just two. One person should be able to have the boat rigged
and launched in around 30 minutes. However, note that
loading any extra gear or supplies onto the boat is not
counted in these times.
DANGER
Before starting to rig, check to see that there are no
powerlines for the mast to touch while being raised,
or while being moved to the ramp.
Don’tbedismayedifittakesyouconsiderablylongerthefirst
few times out. It will take a little practice to become familiar
with the procedures, and the more you rig the boat, the
easier and quicker it will become. However, it is very impor-
tant to follow a set procedure each time.
Recommended Set-Up Procedure Is As Follows:
1.Removethetrailertie-downs,andthetrailerlights.The
tie-downs can be tied together and used as the bow line for
launching.Saves stowing them,andthen findingabow line.
2.Undothetrailerwinchhook,andpullsomeslacksothat
the hook will pass over the bow roller. Leave it lying on the
foredeck.
3. Place the mast raising pole on the foredeck ready for
use.Climbontothebowusingthenonskidareasonthefloat
bows as stepping points.
CAUTION
The float bows can be slippery - particularly warn
children to take care while climbing up or down.
4. Move aft alongside the mast undoing the mast ties (at
each end) and the rigging ties as you go.
5. Lifttheforward end of the mastandwalkaft,rolling the
mast on the aft mast roller while checking that the rigging
wires do not catch. Stop once the mast foot is over the pivot
brackets.Now’s thetime tofitanymasthead indicatortothe
topofthemast.Liftthemastupuntiltheindicatorcanbefitted
to the masthead from the ground behind the boat. If rigging
single-handed, the mast can usually be balanced in this
position to enable fitting.
WithF-28&F-31Rrotatingmasts,the mast
yokewillnow need to befittedtothe mast foot
using the through pin (yoke can also be fitted
prior to rolling mast back, or be left on the foot
at prior de-rigging). Another alternative is to
attach the yoke to the deck first, then fit the
mast to it.
6. The mast foot is now connected to the
mast step as follows:
F-24 Mk II: Plugged onto pininthedeck step.
F-28: Yoke is attached to the two deck brack-
ets with fast pins
F-31: Plugged onto pin in deck step.
F-31R rotating: Attach yoke to deck brackets
with fast pins
Mast rolled back and being fitted to deck pivot brackets

CORSAIR MARINE, Inc. Page 7 Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine
With the F-31 non-rotating mast, it may be necessary to
pushthemast firmly aft tofitonthe pin. If difficult,checkthat
all stays are clear, the terminals into the mast have not
snaggedsideways,andthemastiscenteredontheaftroller.
7. Fit the mast raising wires . These are led from the eye
around8'upthefrontofthemast(sideofthe mast with non-
rotatingmasts)tothesideanchorsonthecabinroof(aligned
withthemastpivotpoint).Theseraisingwireanchorscanbe
'clip on' or 'lift up loops' or extra chainplates, depending on
model.
Note that the length of these raising wires is adjustable
and they should be slightly loose and monitored on the first
mastraising.Thisistoensuretheycannotbecomeovertight
during the initial raising procedure. They should never be
more than moderately tight, and, once ad-
justedandset,shouldneednofurthermonitor-
ing or adjustment.
An alternative to raising wires is to use the
spinnaker and screacher halyards. These can
also provide an extra backup in difficult condi-
tions, but they do take longer to setup. If used,
theymustbecleatedatthebottomtothemast.
8. Position the mast raising pole on the
mastorintheyokesocket.Attachthewirefrom
thetopof thepole totheeye on thefrontof the
mast, with the pole being approximately per-
pendicular to the mast.
Ifconsiderednecessary,(strongcrosswinds
orsingle-handed)additionallightsidelinescan
be fitted from the pole end to the raising wire
anchors to stabilize pole sideways.
Where the yoke is used (F-28 and F-31R
rotating masts) the length of the wire from the
pole to the mast can also be adjusted, and a
little experimenting will give an almost perfect
Mast raising pole in position on an F-28 with winch line
connected to jib halyard, ready to raise mast. Shrouds must
be attached to floats to prevent mast falling forwards.
moderate tension on the raising wires throughout the com-
plete raising procedure.
9. Take the trailer winch line hook, pull it back over the
pole and connect it to the jib halyard snapshackle (after it
has been unhooked from the mast). Winch line should
extend at least 2' aft of the mast pole fork.
Check to see that the jib halyard is SECURELY TIED
OFF at the cleat on the side of the mast.
CAUTION
With rotating masts, the shrouds must always be
connected to the floats, otherwise there is a danger
that mast could topple forward with over-winching.
10. The mast is now winched up, CHECKING AGAIN
FOR POWERLINES.
Check to see that all rigging wires are clear and have not
snagged anywhere, particularly aft chainplates on F-31s.
Raising wires should initially be slightly loose, and tighten
slightly on the way up.
WARNING
During mast raising, it is very important to be alert to
all items of rigging lifting or supporting the mast. If any
resistance to raising is felt at any point, STOP and
check that nothing has fouled. Do not proceed until
any obstruction is clear
Ifthemastraisingpoletendstotwistsidewaysthiscanbe
controlled by light lines to the raising wire anchors as
mentioned earlier.
Mast on its way up and being held from going sideways by raising wires

Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine Page 8 CORSAIR MARINE, Inc.
Check that the socket in the rotating mast foot aligns
correctlywiththepivotballonthedeck,asthemastnearsthe
fully up position.
CAUTION
Winch operator should be careful to ensure that the
trailer winch line lays evenly across the drum while
mast is being raised. With an offset bow roller, there
can be a tendency for the incoming line to pile up on
one side of the drum, to where it can suddenly slip off.
Monitor the float shrouds with rotating masts on initial
rigging to ensure they do not become too tight or catch on
anything during raising. F-28 and F-31R (rotating masts)
haveeitherspeciallinkplatesoraHighfieldleversystemon
the float decks that allow the shroud enough slack for the
mast to be fully raised when the float is folded, while
preventing any danger of the mast toppling forward. The F-
24's special folding geometry allows this on its own.
These Link Plates are an important safeguard against
accidentlydroppingthemastwhilefoldingorunfolding,sodo
not remove.
The F-31 mast is large and heavy, with high loads, and
extracautionshouldbetakentoensureitisnotabletoswing
too far sideways. Never park in a cross wind or sideways on
a slope, unless extra help is available to steady mast.
11. Once the mast is fully up, connect forestay. At initial
rigging mast rake should be set to around 3 to 4°, which is 1
to2°morethantherakeoftheaftedgeoftheforwardbeams
whenviewedfromtheside.Onceinitialadjustmenthasbeen
done,theforestay turnbuckledoes not need to be undone
during normal rigging or de-rigging, only the clevis pin is
removed or inserted.
Lower and intermediate shrouds on the fixed F-31 mast
remain connected during all rigging and de-rigging
procedures. After the initial adjustment, there is also no
need to undo these or disconnect them from the shroud
chainplates.
12. Once forestay is connected, slacken off the trailer
winch, disconnect the jib halyard, and return it to the mast.
Remove raising pole, mast yoke, rewind the winch and
reconnect hook to the bow eye.
Leave mast raising wires attached to the mast, as
these are still required for support until after the floats are
unfolded and shrouds properly connected to floats.
13. The topping lift is now disconnected from the mast
lowerendandconnectedtotheendoftheboomtohelptake
theweight.Removethesailbagfromthemainsail/boomand
connect the boom to the mast.
14. Tighten all the battens in the mainsail, if required.
Connectthemainsheettotheboom.Feedthemainsailhead
into the track on the mast and connect the main halyard
Link plate system on the F-28. Pulling the lower left clevis
pin releases the shroud, but it remains secured to the float
by the link to the u-bolt to the right, while allowing just
enough slack for the float to fold (see page 24).
Always leave mast raising wires attached until after the boat
is unfolded. F-28 'fold down' anchoring loops shown here.

CORSAIR MARINE, Inc. Page 9 Copyright © 1997 By Corsair Marine
15. Run all the halyard lines from the mast
through the turning blocks back to the correct
rope clutches on the aft end of the cabin roof.
16. Connect the mast electric plug if re-
quired.
17.Theheadsailcanbefittednowifwished,
orafterlaunching. Thesheetsarelaid out and
connected to the clew (sheets can be kept in
the anchor well for quick access). The head-
sail can be kept under control by a shockcord
which can be left on the foredeck for this
purpose. Just keep it hooked to the toerail or
pulpit.
18. Untie the rudder, and check that the
daggerboardup-lineiscleated.Theoutboard
motor should also be in the up position.
19. The aft mast support is now removed
and stored. You are now ready to launch.
LAUNCHING
WARNING
Before taking the boat to the ramp, check to see that
there are no powerlines for the mast to touch.
Back the trailer down the ramp until the trailer is sub-
merged up until just past the inward bend of the side frame
members (about 6 to 8' back from the winch post).
Disconnect the winch hook and push the boat off, while
holdingon to the bow line, or you can get on board(but start
the motor first before pushing off). Be careful of crosswinds
or wind from the stern. The boat, with its shallow draft, will
move quickly sideways in such conditions, and you should
not launch until there is sufficient maneuvering room along-
side.
This ability to go sideways is one drawback of shallow
draft,andyoushouldalwaysmakeallowanceswhenlaunch-
ing/retrieving or under power. First priority at every launch
shouldbe toLOWER THE DAGGERBOARD! Thishelpsto
prevent any sideways movement, and gives excellent ma-
neuverability under power.
The F-31 is a large boat to handle at ramps, but because
of its lightness, it is easy to move around. The trick is not to
fightit,buttoplanaheadwhatyouaregoingtodo,andgently
guide it in the correct direction.
An offshore wind at the ramp is ideal, as the boat will just
lie quietly downwind at the end of the bow line. It is just then
asimplematterofboardingoverthefloatbows,andbacking
off or just walking her over to a boarding dock, if available.
Anonshorewindisthemostdifficult,astheboatwillswing
sideways once launched, and come towards the ramp. In
this situation the boat should be held off the ramp from a
central position on the side. You will find a balance point
where it will lie evenly until you are ready to board.
If a dock is alongside it is a good idea to run a stern line
to the dock, so that the stern can be pulled to the dock after
launching, thus preventing it from swinging around.
A good way of launching in all conditions, if extra help is
available, is for someone on board to start the motor before
launching, and simply back the boat away from the ramp -
remembering,ofcourse,todropthedaggerboardonceclear
of the trailer.
Allmodelsarealwayslaunchedfolded,andunfoldingcan
be done either at the dock, or while motoring away, even in
choppy conditions. Folded stability is very good, but it is
limited, particularly on bigger boats like the F-28 and F-
31. Always take care in strong crosswinds and avoid fast
tightturns, asitispossibletorolltheboat over!Ifnecessary,
immediately unfold at least one side to avoid any risk. The
F-31 also has a secondary wider folded beam of 9' 6" which
improves folded stability, and if you intend motoring very far
while folded, you should use this position.
WARNING
Always take care in strong winds while fully folded
and with mast up. A combination of a fast tight turn
and mast windage and weight could cause a roll over
in such conditions. If in doubt, unfold one or both
sides to eliminate this danger
To unfold, first check that there are no ropes across the
The F-31 - folded stability is very good, but don't push your luck!
Launching the F-28