Corsair 28R User manual

SAILING MANUAL
For Corsair Trimarans

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
Sailing manual applicable to
Corsair Trimarans
This manual has been compiled to help you to operate your craft with
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.
If this is your first craft, or you are changing to a type of craft you are
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 SECURE PLACE, AND PASS ON
TO THE NEW OWNER WHEN YOU SELL THE CRAFT
Model: __________________________
Hull Number: ______________________________
Owner1:_____________
____________________
____________________
____________________
Owner2: _____________
____________________
____________________
____________________
Owner3: _____________
____________________
____________________
____________________
Built by:
Corsair Marine International
7 Go O Moi Street, Phu Thuan Ward, District 7, HCMC, Vietnam
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................. 4
PREPARATION ..................................................................................................................... 4
LOADING ............................................................................................................................. 4
SAFETY COMPARTMENT ..................................................................................................... 5
OUTBOARD MOTOR............................................................................................................ 6
TRAILERING ......................................................................................................................... 7
RIGGING .............................................................................................................................. 8
LAUCHING ......................................................................................................................... 14
MAST RAISING ON THE WATER ........................................................................................ 18
RUDDER............................................................................................................................. 19
DAGGERBOARD................................................................................................................. 19
MAST SETUP...................................................................................................................... 20
SAILING.............................................................................................................................. 21
THE BASICS.................................................................................................................... 21
ROTATING MAST CONTROL .......................................................................................... 25
WINDWARD PERFORMANCE ........................................................................................ 26
REACHING ..................................................................................................................... 27
SCREACHER ................................................................................................................... 27
SPINNAKER.................................................................................................................... 28
SPINNAKER JIBING ........................................................................................................ 29
SPINNAKER SAILING DOWNWIND ................................................................................ 29
SAFE SAILING RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................. 30
SAILING HINTS............................................................................................................... 33
ANCHORING ...................................................................................................................... 34
BEACHING ......................................................................................................................... 35
RETRIEVING TO TRAILER ................................................................................................... 35
DE - RIGGING..................................................................................................................... 38
LIFTING OUT...................................................................................................................... 40
MARINA DOCKING ............................................................................................................ 40
SAFETY............................................................................................................................... 40
UNSINKABILITY.............................................................................................................. 41
OFFSHORE SAILING ....................................................................................................... 42
CAPSIZE ......................................................................................................................... 42
RIGHTING ...................................................................................................................... 43
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 46
SAFETY IN GENERAL ...................................................................................................... 46
TECHNICAL NOTES ............................................................................................................ 47
WINCH LINE................................................................................................................... 47
SPRING RETAINING CLIPS.............................................................................................. 47
LAUNCHING................................................................................................................... 47
BEAM BOLTS ................................................................................................................. 47

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
HOISTING MAINSAIL ..................................................................................................... 47
BEARING AWAY............................................................................................................. 47
HEAVY HELM ................................................................................................................. 48
RUDDER/DAGGERBOARD HUM .................................................................................... 48
RUDDER VENTILATION.................................................................................................. 48
COMPRESSION PADS..................................................................................................... 49
WING NETS.................................................................................................................... 49
FLOAT/BEAM VENTS ..................................................................................................... 50
RUST .............................................................................................................................. 50
CLEANING FLOATS......................................................................................................... 50
CLEAN BOAT HINT......................................................................................................... 50
COLLISION ..................................................................................................................... 51
HURRICANE SURVIVAL .................................................................................................. 51
SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................ 53
CORSAIR SAIL PLANS: ........................................................................................................ 55
CORSAIR ACCOMODATION PLANS.................................................................................... 62
CORSAIR DECK LAYOUTS................................................................................................... 68
TYPICAL TRAILER SETUP .................................................................................................... 92
MAINTENANCE & SAFETY CHECKLIST ............................................................................... 93
MAST ............................................................................................................................. 93
RUNNING RIGGING ....................................................................................................... 93
STANDING RIGGING ...................................................................................................... 94
HULLS ............................................................................................................................ 94
BEAMS........................................................................................................................... 94
FOLDING SYSTEM.......................................................................................................... 95
TRAILER ......................................................................................................................... 95
CORSAIR DEALERS WORLDWIDE....................................................................................... 96
USA................................................................................................................................ 96
EUROPE ......................................................................................................................... 97
ASIA ............................................................................................................................... 98
SOUTH AMERICA........................................................................................................... 99
OTHER ........................................................................................................................... 99

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
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
follows the recommendations to help make your sailing enjoyable and trouble-free.
Corsair trimarans are designed and built as high performance cruising trimarans, which
when used as intended, with their enormous stability and unsinkability, are among the
safest and fastest trimarans afloat.
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, First Aid kit, fire
extinguishers, flashlight and batteries, life buoy, flares, a chart of the area to be sailed,
food, water, and adequate fuel.
Also check weather forecast, know what you might be sailing into.
LOADING
Multihulls should be treated like aircraft when it comes to 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, while excessive
overloading can also affect safety margins, the ratio of float buoyancy relative to the

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
total weight falling. A higher ratio is faster and safer. Always be conscious of weight and
take care not to carry unnecessary items.
The load-carrying capacity of the different Corsair models 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 dangerous due to greater loads generated in the structure, and
the sluggishness which can prevent the boat from rising to go over, or with the waves,
as it should.
When storing supplies, try to keep all heavy items located as low down as possible and
in the forward end of the cabin. Avoid storing any heavy items inside aft of the main
entry hatch, as too much weight aft can cause transom drag, affecting performance.
Corsair models have a very buoyant bow, which actually lifts at speed, and additional
weight should always be kept forward rather than aft.
Should your model have float storage, 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 items that do not get used. This prevents the gradual buildup of unnecessary
weight.
SAFETY COMPARTMENT
Before sailing, it is important that the safety compartment be loaded with the
appropriate safety gear. This compartment is accessible from top or bottom and is
usually 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), extra line, spare tools, cutting
implements etc. in watertight bags (this is not a watertight compartment). No multihull
should venture offshore without safety gear in such a compartment.
(Bottom safety compartment hatch C28 & Sprint 750 MKII.)

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
(The original prototype Dash 750, with outboard and under lugs rudder system. This type of
rudder can be removed altogether for long distance trailering. Aft cockpit models all now use
transom hung rudders.)
OUTBOARD MOTOR
The recommended motor size is given in the specifications at the back of this manual
and this is more than adequate for most circumstances.
A long shaft motor is the minimum required, and the extra 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 socialist ‘Sail Boat’ motors now available and some of these are
designed for heavy, hard to push, displacement boats, and their propellers are
effectively ‘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 plenty of thrust, but speed is
low, and economy can be poor. 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 for folded and should always be
tilted up when sailing.
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.

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
TRAILERING
The total towing weight can vary considerably, depending on model and options, and
can be determined exactly by using a weighbridge. Check that the vehicle is approved
and equipped as recommended by its manufacturer for towing this weight, and the
capacity of the towing hitch is suitable.
While towing, watch for strong crosswinds. A Corsair is a relatively light boat for towing,
but it still has considerable wind age. For easy, stable towing, the trailer should be
balanced to have 5 to 10% of the total weight on the coupling ball. This can be
measured by a bathroom scale. If you find ‘fish tailing’ occurs, increase this weight. If
necessary, a simple change like shifting the gas tank or outboard forward 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 sure to fit the correct lights on
the appropriate sides. The wire should be run along the top of the boat, looped around
the foredeck cleat and then connected to the towing vehicle. Independent wiring avoid
the frequent breakdowns that occur with wiring through the trailer being towed on its
own, the lights can be mounted directly to the trailer.
Before trailering, check that tires are inflated correctly, the beam locking pins are in
place, the rudder is fully up and tied to one side, the poptop 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 brackets on 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 trailer jockey wheel, and that the
hitch is locked on to the ball.
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 over this may not be possible if the towing
vehicle is a van.
When trailering, always allow extra distance for stopping. Particularly watch for low
bridges, overhanging trees or awnings etc. if necessary, the boat can be partially
unfolded on the trailer in order to pass under a low bridge.
CAUTION
Measure and know the overall height on the trailer. Care should be taken to avoid all
low, overhead obstacles.

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Copyright © 2014 by Corsair Marine International
RIGGING
This procedure has been developed from over hundreds of launchings around the world
and has proven to be safe and easy. Don’t be disheartened if it takes you longer the first
few times. This is not a race. After a few launchings this process will become easier as
you are more familiar with your boat and your confidence builds.
Two people can have a 750, C28 rigged and launched in around 30 minutes. The Cruze
970 may take a little longer as everything is larger and heavier.
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.
DANGER
Before starting to rig, check to see that there are no power lines for the mast not to
touch while being raised, or while being moved to the ramp.
Recommended setup procedure is as follows:
1. Remove the trailer tie-downs, and the trailer lights. The tie-downs can be tied
together and used as the bow line for launching. Saves stowing them, and then
finding a bow line.
2. Undo the trailer winch hook, and pull some slack so the hook will pass over the
bow roller. Leave it lying on the foredeck.
3. Place the mast raising pole on the foredeck for use. Climb onto the bow using the
nonskid areas on the float bows as stepping points.
4. Move aft alongside the mast undoing the mast ties (at each end) and the rigging
ties as you go.
5. Lift the forward end of the mast and walk aft, 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.
(C28 & C31 pivot brackets.)