Trimaran Offshore F40 Racing Yacht

Relisted due to timewaster – please only bid if you intend to buy. Viewing welcome at Hayling Island.

FX35 is a racing trimaran 35 ft long and 34 ft wide. She was built in 1988 to compete in solo and short handed racing including RB&I, OSTAR, Route de Rhune and Azores. FX35 has been completely rebuilt in 2016 with a new mainsail and complete overhaul of the standing rigging, west system reskim of the hulls and repaint. FX35 is currently on a mooring at Hayling Island and is ready to sail. FX35 is also near the marina and can be towed back to her berth. FX35 has a top speed of 35 knots that was recorded on one of her 3 atlantic crossings. FX35 has Harken equipment a carbon fibre mast and 6 sails. All sails are in good condition with the mainsail new and the Code 0 reconditioned. FX35 accommodates a crew of 2 and has pipecots in the main cabin or can be converted to a double bed. A small Galley and a chart table area complete the accommodation. A large forward cabin is full of equipment, batteries and sails. A complete list of equipment follows and then links to the pictures of her history including the rebuild and then a description and history.

…………………………………..

List for Sale

4 Man Life Raft Ocean Safety reconditioned 2016 – cost £600

Boom Castelated Aluminium Bespoke 10.5 m – original 1996 (not the original but when upgraded to F40)

Running Stays (hold Boom up) – original

Lazy Jacks – new 2017

Mast Carbon Fiber Proctor – inspected and service 2016 – three main spreaders and one top spreader. – designed to have some extra flexibility in the top 10 ft. Diamonds are all steel wire installed professionally and serviced 2016. New electrical cabling installed 2016. Estimated value £50 – 80K

Mast jammers – there are three jammers for the halyards on each side – Harken

Mast Track – Fredriksson Mast track 60.43 Ft fully serviced and working perfectly with separate bolt connectors for each batton (8)

Mainsail – NEW 2016 – designed and made by Doyle Sails. It has a semi square top, 8 battens, 3 reefing points. 60.63m the Main is 60m sq

Standing Rigging – inspected and serviced 2016 cost £5000

Running Rigging – replaced some and re rigged 2016 cost ?

Main Halyard – replaced with 2:1 in 2016 cost £400

Huawei Internet Router 4G – New, requires SIM worth £35

Long Range Antenna for Huawei – mounted on the Radar Platform – ne cost £20

Long Range Shortwave and VHF antenna 25 ft mounted on the transom – not tested. Has a large box in the cockpit which is an amplifier. No idea value

GPS tranceiver New

Trampolines – Double Netted, uses Fishing Trawlernet, handstitched – ready to take the weight of walking or running or jumping on! Great to sleep on in the summer.

Fenders – 5 x Foam Fenders, homemade to save weight and be easy to stow. Made of very expensive closed cell foam.

Spare Rope – there are around 50 ropes that can be used to increase the rigging. All of these have been cleaned and stowed ready to use. The boat does not have any rigging on her that is not in use – so the mizzen sail, spinnaker and screecher all have their own sheets. There are plenty of spares too!

Furler for the Screecher – this is a top of the range French make TBD

Bowsprit – Carbon Fibre Pole – this extends the LOA to 40 ft making FX35 a F40 class. The Carbon Fiibre pole is held in place by three steel wires. Currently it is stowed along with the sail.

ProFurl – the Code 0 Furler is permanently installed and has been thoroughly serviced and tested. It works effortlessly like it should. The Forestay on which it is installed is new 2016. The Forestay track has two tracks.

Inner Forestay – this has quick release and is original from 1996 and in excellent condition

Halyards – the Main Halyard is new and replaced a 1:1 with a 2:1 – we used the best materials we could find and used Harken Bearing Blocks. There are 3 other Halyards all original from 2004 which are in good working condition.

Blocks – there are a dozen Harken Blocks which can be used for additional ratios on the main sheet or for various and creative rigging options.

Foredeck socket – this is a high power socket for a searchlight. The searchlight is good but it should be replaced with a modern LED or Halogen.

Center Board – this is very heavy and is 10 ft long it has lead embedded in its hardwood. It is in good condition and has been greased in its socket. It requires a bit of understanding to use. It was painted using a 2 part epoxy paint and then the bottom half was painted in a flourourescent orange which has worn off but can easily be painted on again.

Winch Handles x 3 – Harken

Code 0 – 30 sqm – original 1990’s sail

Mizzen Sail – 15 – 20 Sqm – original 1990s sail

Storm Sail – unused Red

Asymetric Spinnaker – Blue used but in good condtition with no tears

Screecher – estimate approximately 60 – 70 sqm made of an exotic material ready to use but stretched in places.

Deck – there are two sets of sheet tracks on either side of the deck – one for the Genoa and one for the mizzen. Additional floating/flying blocks would be used for the spinnaker and screecher.

Solar Panel – there is one solar panel and a control unit in the cabin that are sufficient to keep the batteries trickle charged. If offshore sailing it would be vital to carry a generator.

Main Sheet – currently 6:1 but can be varied with the addition of blocks. It has a long mainsheet rope which was replaced in 2016.

Traveller – this is a bespoke custom traveller track built for the original rig in hardened aluminium – Harken traveller – good condition.

Backstays – 4 x Backstays are blocked to provide 3:1 leverage coming back to the cockpit jammers.

Forecabin

Hatch – perspex with deck grip – sealable using two levers.

Porthole with sealable surround

Boat hook – usable but old and needs replacing

Boat Brush x 2 – old and usable

Sea Anchor – Orange in good condition

Rock Anchor – good condition with Chain and Rope

Soft Bed Anchor – good condition with chain and rope

Batteries – 2 X Lorry Batteries replaced 2016 180 Ah – fully charged and working perfectly – they keep topped up on the solar panel and last week they were drained and charged overnight to give them a cycling. There is plenty of space in the battery area which is central and forward of the mast – a logical upgrade would be lithium packs.

Bulkhead removable – there is a separate bulkhead door between the forecabin and the foreward crash zone. Currently it is not sealed but it should be for offshore sailing.

Netting – the fore-cabin has netting shelves all round to store the ropes that are needed on deck. 2016

Bilge Pump – the fore-cabin has a manual bilge which is operated from the main cabin

Transducer Speed – located in the hull of the fore-cabin

Transducer Depth – located in the hull of the fore-cabin

Cabin

Chart table with two levels of storage below.

Breaker Box – breaker switched x 20 was replaced in 2016 – also has 4 x USB outlets, 1 x car lighter outlet, and one three way switch for the Tricolour.

Raymarine GPS control module – tested working, needs to connect to a plotter to see working. This unit controls the auto-helm and all the sensors and transducers. it has an alarm bell.

VHF Radio – not included

VHF Handheld – not included

Navtek – working but screen faded provides Satellite weather reports when offshore.

LED Lighting – 6 circuits which provide RED of White lights from a 12 switch block.

Galley – shelving and storage – designed to contain everything without spillage. Small 12v fridge.

Origo 2 burner alcohol stove – refurbished 2017 – fully working not included in sale

Amplifier with Line In, FM Radio and Memory Stick – connected to a switch which selects between Deck, Cabin or both Speakers.

Cabin Speakers – powerful waterproof stereo pair

Cabin Compass – built into the divider and with light fully working but not recently calibrated, seems accurate.

Cockpit

seating for two! good visibility over cabin roof. originally there was some kind of splash surround/hood.

three section cabin hatch with lockable clasp.

Bilge Pump – hand operated – working perfectly

Storage compartments x for all the ropes

Rigging Bags – there are 4 large canvas bags which hang in the cockpit to hold all the ropes – they are not installed currently but it wont take much to rehang them.

Deck Compass – same as cabin compass and lit, not tested but accurate.

Depth Display Module

Wind Speed Display Module

Radar Display Module

GPS Display Module

Deck Light

Deck Speakers Waterproof Stereo Pair – powerful

Jammer’s – there are two sets of 5 and two sets of three on the cockpit. Two levers have broken but can be replaced easily with parts. They are all Spinlock and harken.

4 winches Andersen 2/4 way working perfectly

Furuno Radar original working but the screen is faded

MOB emergency pod – not included in sale

MOB emergency pole – original carbon pole – refurbished with new reflective materials

Mast

Proctor carbon mast with three levels of spreader plus an extra flexible section at the top 10ft. very good condition, undamaged, straight was fully inspected when the rigging was refurbished.

Radar Reflector New 2016

Masthead Tricolour – NASA replaced 2016 working perfectly

Wind direction and speed Sender – NEW replaced 2016 fully working

Rudder – inserts in the rudder slot on the rear plaform – was reconditioned 2016. Has a small nick where it got stuck but it is perfectly working. The orange paint has come off. There are two Tillers.

Tiller 1 – wooden connects to the rudder with a square section with a bolt to secure. Fully reconditioned and epoxied wood.

Tiller 2 – designed to use a higher slot in the transom. Designed to connect to the rudder direction sensor and for the tiller arm to be moved by a RAM. RAM and sensor are removed from the boat and not included in the sale (I dont have them).

Accommodation Cabin

Escape Hatch and small port hole.

2 pipe cots made from sturdy aluminium poles and deckchair material – fully working – you wont fall out!

Netting racks – racks on both sides to hold all the gear.

Escape Hatch – this is just above water level and opens using two lockable levers. Useful in many ways – doubles up as a head and a place to dunk a bucket or do some fishing or pass in supplies.

Sail covers – Main cover. Foresail cover (for when furled). Bags for all sails.

LED lighting 12 circuits half of them red LED and the other half White from a central switch.

…………………..

More Pictures and detail

pictures show the most recent activity when we let the boat dry out on a sandbank to show the hull exposed. Also, see complete set of pictures of the renovation.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1H2tZsG4GxM9sfoEb3aSRESKYyuyvQLcb?usp=sharing

https://www.facebook.com/fiery.cross.52

https://sites.google.com/view/fx35/

complete set of pictures including the interior, instruments:-

http://s85.photobucket.com/user/sjjborg/slideshow/AAAAAAFIERYCROSS

video starring FX35

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDBPryw8h2A

Call 07968947415 to discuss or email aircoolman@gmail.com

PX considered Cars, Boats, Property etc

FIERY CROSS·SATURDAY, 6 JULY 2019

Fiery Cross was born in 1988 in Looe Cornwall. FX35 was designed and built by Merfyn Owen while he was still a Student and managed to access a Cray Mainframe to design his first racing yacht. FX35 was designed for long distance offshore racing, specifically the RB&I, Route de Roune and the AZAB, OSTAR races. In the late 90’s FX35 was upgraded to F40 class by the addition of a 5ft carbon bow sprit and an upgraded carbon mast. With the new 60ft mast and a screecher FX35 was able to break a speed record on an Atlantic crossing. There were three attempts, with one of them ending in one of the outriggers hitting something and breaking – FX was taken to Newfoundland where two new cederwood outriggers were made. FX35 was abandoned in a yard in Hampshire UK from approx 2000 – 2015 when the current owner acquired her and spent the next three years completely rebuilding. A new mainsail was designed and built and the hulls, standing and running rigging all rebuilt. FX35 was launched in 2017 however has not sailed due to the owners personal circumstances working abroad.

On the Owen Clarke Website Merfyn has this to say about FX35 Shortly after leaving college design on the first yacht began in earnest. The result was the first ‘as wide, as long’ trimaran, Fiery Cross, 35′ long and 34′ wide, which he, Allen Clarke and a small team built in Cornwall between 1987 and 1988. Completed only weeks before that years Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race (OSTAR) in which her owner Rupert Kidd finished second behind a young Brian Thompson. Fiery went on to win the following years Round Britain and Ireland Race.

Operating with three foresails and one Main – FX is a singlehander. Not designed for comfort FX has a cabin with two pipe cots and a very small galley and chart table. The addition of a tupperware bowl and a two burner alcohol stove completed the galley. The main cabin pipe cots are particularly uncomfortable yet practical because when sailing it is almost impossible to get thrown out once wedged in. However the seating area below offered an opportunity to make a more cosy double bed area for when not racing.

The deck is covered in luminous grip and the large trampoline areas are made of deep sea fishing trawler net. Every kind of net was evaluated and the green trawler net proved to be the best solution for many reasons. The arms are made of Kevlar and west system epoxy. Most of the hull is made of glass fiber and west system epoxy. The prow area was rebuilt and made of carbon reinforced kevlar and is a separate compartment to the forward cabin with a sealed bulkhead/crumple zone.

The chart table is surrounded by equipment including radar, raymarine controller, marine vhf. An AIS transponder would be the next addition. The intention was that For the time being the autopilot will stay off and we will sail manually. The chart plotter will be an Android Tablet running Navionics for the time being and that was for the sea trials this summer.

FX is steered using a tiller arm connected to the rudder which is seated in a rudder stock so that if the rudder hits anything the rudder will rise. It is held in place by a sacrificial aluminium strip. The central dagger board is the heaviest element and drops around 2m below the lowest point of the hull. The dagger is raised and lowered using ropes that run through pulleys in the dagger – this has now been tested and adjusted and it works perfectly and effortlessly.

The mainsail was missing when the current owner renovated so it was necessary to design and build a new one. In consultation with a dozen sailmakers a new sail evolved. The sail was designed for long distance and not all out racing. In her wardrobe FX has a Screecher, a Genoa, a mizzen, storm sail an asymmetric spinnaker. The final sailmaker chosen was Doyle of Southampton because they were the only UK sailmaker who agreed to make it in the UK where Ithe current owner could oversee.

FX has a bracket on its rear beam that was used to mount a 9.9 hp long shaft engine. This method was tried but failed and the current owner decided it was a bad idea to pursue this option. Several new attempts were made to power FX with an engine but so far it has not been successful. Several designs are in the pipeline to give FX a lightweight way to power herself along without sails. For the time being we have successfully used a RIB with a 30 HP engine and we will avoid marinas and anywhere that tight manoeuvring is required! The destination this summer is a creek in Essex on the Tollesbury Saltmarshes. Positioning FX in its new home should be possible using just ropes from the shore and nudging using the RIB.

Safety is one of the things focussed on during the rebuild – clip on lines make it possible to access every inch of the boat while clipped on, man overboard autoinflater buoy and throw pole, dual fire extinguishers, double net on trampolines, escape hatch in cabin.

Speed – when I interviewed a previous owner I was informed that FX35 smashed the 35 knot speed barrier – that gives FX a huge operating range – work it out! FX glides through the water with minimal effort so fitting an inboard motor would be highly effective if done right. There is ample room under the cockpit floor for an engine or electric drive. I was reluctant to do this because FX was not designed to have any kind of inboard drive. The amount of sail make for a very large power potential, particularly the new design mainsail and the screecher. The Screecher is probably the next sail that needs replacing and probably has been the sail that did the most work in the past. FX was measured by the crane when lifted and fully loaded with sails at 1.3 ton.

The interior has a new LED lighting system with 12 circuits al controlled from a single switch box. Half of the lighting is red LED and the other half white. After many years of night sailing it was very clear to me that night vision is very important and not to be spoiled by bright white lights. The red LED lighting worked out perfectly.

The wiring loom was mainly replaced with the addition of a new switch/fuse unit, battery isolator, two heavy duty lorry batteries 180 AH, new tricolour, deck socket, deck and cabin waterproof speakers, audio amplifier, internet router SIM based unit, new VHF radio, four extra USB sockets, cigarette lighter socket. There are many other upgrades I intended to make. An AIS transponder is first on the list, followed by a new steering RAM and steering sensor for the Raymarine navigation computer.

Surprisingly a single Photovoltaic panel that was fitted on the cabin roof has kept the batteries topped up for two years without any drop in power. For any serious offshore adventure FX should carry a generator. The Furumo RADAR probably uses the most power and nowadays a navigator would probably use AIS. From my experience as a delivery skipper I prefer to carry all my devices and not have them installed on the boat. The NMEA output from the Raymarine provides, Depth, Windspeed, GPS, direction, Speed in water, rudder position. The next thing I would add is a WiFi enabler for the Raymarine unit so that my mobile devices such as Android Tablet running Navionics can access the NMEA data. The deck instruments are all working and in good condition, they probably survived because they had their weather covers on. The display of the radar is an original RED plasma screen which seems to have lost its definition.

In 2002 FX was owned by Donald Mcarthy who entered the two handed Round Britain race – somewhere near the beginning of the race they suffered serious bow damage and retired. http://www.thedailysail.com/offshore/02/37207/two-handed-round-britain-race-grinds-to-a-temporary-halt

FX finished the AZAB in Falmouth – it was owned by Rupert Kidd from 1989 to 1996 – the highlights were revealed to me in a dialogue with Rupert:-

The original mast was aluminium with a 47 foot mast head rig, when the boat was built in 1987. We extended this in 1992 by 10 feet, so it ended up 57 feet. After I sold the boat in 1996 to Simon Bolt, former skipper of Velsheda, he broke the mast and replaced it with carbon but used the same rigging. It was painted cream. The 1990Twostar is the only major race not finished. The starboard outrigger broke off and we were rescued by a container ship, which picked up the boat and took us to Nova Scotia, where two new outriggers were built (out of strip cedar) and we sailed the boat back the next year. The 1988 Ostar took 24 days, but I was half way in 8 days before the furling gear and then the dagger board broke.The 1989 RBR took 19 days 19 hours (including the 8 days of stop overs) We were 1st in class and 6th overall. In 1993, we broke the forestay and had to stop in Ramsgate for repairsThe repair upgraded FX with a crash bulkhead to support the inner forestay. There is an interesting picture on the inside where a picture has been encapsulated in the resin!

Mainsail – the mainsail was made in 2016 to a design made in consultation with several sailmakers. The new sail incorporates a square top which was a change from the pointed original sail. We decided on an 8 baton sail with three reef points. A total of 60.43 Square M, P=14.70, e=4.70, a/x = 3.5:1, The mast is 17.61m with the Fredriksson track 17.10m.

Genoa – this is 32 SQM and furls on a ProFurl system that has been painstakingly overhauled. It is a sealed bearing system with a dual track so that a second sail can be inserted while the sail is being used!

Mizzen sail – this is smaller, not measured it but it sits between the main and the Genoa on its own steel wire furling drum which is winched up in a halyard.

Screecher – the screecher was an addition for the F40 class and connects to the carbon bow sprit which is held in place by three steel wires connected to the bow and the forward points of the Outriggers. The screecher is a huge sail, not measured and it looks stretched in places but fully usable.

Storm sail – doesn’t look like it was ever used.

Asymetric Spinnaker – this is in good condition and has not been used during my ownership.

There are 4 halyards, the main halyard was replaced with a 2:1. One of the halyards which would be used for the storm sail is also used to help secure and lift the center board for inspection otherwise it protrudes about 2 ft below the hull in its normal UP position.. When afloat the centerboard floats in its socket and goes up and down using two control ropes which go back to the cockpit. After a lot of work and grease the system works effortlessly.

The castellated aluminium boom is very light and maybe it should have been carbon when the mast was replaced but the aluminium boom is perfect as it is and has all the right eyes and openings for the three reefing lines, lazy jacks, sail cover etc.

The rudder sits in a socket and is secured with an aluminium arm. There is a wooden tiller arm attaches to it and an extension piece extends the tiller to the autopilot tiller which is another tiller arm that the autopilot ram can operate. This has a sensor for the raymarine to detect the steering position but that sensor needs replacing.

Liferaft – the liferaft that was fitted was tested after 13 years and worked perfectly! I was told it was superior to anything that could be supplied and that refurbishing it was the best option. So it was completely reconditioned in 2016 and fitted – it is a 4 person liferaft designed for offshore and complete with water, rations and survival kit.

On deck there are four winches all are two/four speed made by Andersen and fully maintained and serviced in 2016. They probably are as good as new and they dont need any attention, just work perfectly. Around the cockpit we have multiple banks of Jammers – there are 14 in all and two have broken levers and need replacing. Additional sets of three jammers on the mast for the halyards.

On the rear platform there is the Radar support made of aluminium and particularly robust. in front of it is a 25 ft VHF antenna that connects to a large amplifier box in the cockpit. this has not been tested – it is the amplifier for the long range antenna.

……………………………

Details of Sale

FX35 is currently on a mooring at Mill Rythe, Hayling Island. It can be viewed anytime but needs to be accessed via the water. The boat yard can provide a ferry or the owner can make arrangements to meet. No timewasters please. If there are a lot of viewings I will bring FX back to her pontoon.

FX35 is sold as seen and is ready to sail, all prepared and tested for this season. The centerboard has been greased, the foresail is furled and the mainsail is ready to haul.

FX35 can be kept on the mooring at £160 a month or kept in the Marina where she has been last year and was well looked after by the marina crew. Here you can access via the pontoon, park, shower, shore electrics and water.

FX35 tows very easily but requires some kind of motor boat to manoeuvre in harbour. The previous owner used a local RIB service to take her out to sea and bring her back. We have been using a 30HP RIB which seems about right for the size and amount of power needed when against the wind and current. There are other options including a service in Chichester Harbour which can meet you and tow you in and out. There is also two outboard mounts – one is the original which held a 9,9 2 stroke long shaft Mariner. The other is a mount designed for a 2.5 – 4 HP Long Shaft (auxiliary). FX35 will move easily on the foresail and a skilled sailor could probably manage without an engine for sailing off the mooring. I believe FX would be in the F40 class when the Bowsprit and Screecher are installed – otherwise she is a 35ft long LOA and a 34 ft Beam.

Current Price: £26995.00

This Trimaran Offshore F40 Racing Yacht boat is located in Hayling Island, PO11 9RG and is being sold on eBay by sjjborg.