Farr 280
With her low freeboard, hard chines and a foredeck as open as a cricket pitch, the Farr 280 is all about performance, says Matthew Sheahan
At 28ft LOA and weighing in at 1,600kg with a downwind sail area that is just short of three times her upwind sail plan, the Farr 280 is designed to fly downhill, which is precisely what she does. In just 15-17 knots of wind we headed downwind at 13 knots as she rose up onto her bow wave and her flat sections aft ironed out her wake astern. Had the short Solent chop not acted as an endless set of speed bumps I’m sure she would have gone even quicker, especially if we had been able to heat her up just a few more degrees.
Light and responsive on the helm, the Farr 280 provides more warning of a potential broach than you’d expect from a boat with a rudder proportioned like a bread knife, making it easy to explore her handling and to find her sweet spots.
Like most modern performance boats with flat runs aft and aggressive chines, she must be allowed to heel a little to press on the chine in order to generate the maximum righting moment from the hull shape. But you still need to ensure that you don’t over-cook the heel and drag her after leeward quarter like a bucket on a string, putting the handbrake on with the rudder. Fortunately, the rocker in the chine towards the stern lifts her bow slightly as you heel, making it easier to find the groove and therefore easier to steer around the waves.
Controllable
When it comes to her handling there is plenty to recommend …read more
Photos: R Langdon/ywpix
