Farr 395
A rewarding dual-purpose yacht with speed to burn and civilizing touches

They’re at it again, the formidable trio of Farr Yacht Design, Carroll Marine and Farr International. Whenever this group pools its considerable talent the result is always exciting. From the Mumm 30 to the Corel 45 and Farr 52, this team has designed, built and organized several of the most successful one-design fleets of the past decade and a half. The new Farr 395 OD is no exception. It will tingle the toes of performance sailors (a class is already taking shape) but this boat also has a cruising side. The 395 continues a subtle shift that began with the Concordia 47, a handsome and powerful racer-cruiser introduced by the same group a couple of years ago.

Naturally the 395 will be fast. Bruce Farr’s office and Barry Carroll’s shop couldn’t produce a sluggish boat if they tried. However, the 395 has a comfortable interior that gives it 1,500 more pounds of displacement than the comparably sized Farr 40. It’s designed to be a genuine dual-purpose boat, and the new 395 is capable of serious ocean racing and far-flung cruising.

The details
The 395 has a modern, utilitarian look that is textbook Farr, a look he should have patented as it has been copied by many designers. The bow is almost plumb, the wide stern has a short overhang and the run between the two is nearly a straight line. The low-slung cabintrunk blends naturally into the flow of the deck. Although a lightweight carbon spar is standard, the prime reason the 395 can take your breath away under sail is what’s below the water, or actually what isn’t. There is not much wetted surface area.

The forefoot and midbody sections are flat and narrow, although the slight roundness of the bottom will make the hull slippery in light air. The deep keel section has a very short chord, and a hefty bulb serves to lower the center of gravity and maintain an impressive 124.5-degree limit of positive stability. Although a 5-foot, 10-inch shoal-draft version is available, I suspect most 395 owners will go with the deep 7-foot, 10-inch keel. While the 395 certainly has the strength to stand up to a blow, this hull shape won’t heave-to well and will pound in a seaway. It will also require aggressive sailing when the weather turns nasty. Of course, that is the trade-off for the superb performance you will experience the other 95 percent of the time you’re sailing.

The hull is a Kevlar and glass composite that is vacuum bagged and infused with epoxy resin. Balsa coring is used in high-load areas and in the bottom sections. Foam is used in the topsides. E-glass and vinylester resin are used in the deck, which has a foam core in low-load areas while a high-density composite is used underneath load-bearing deck fittings. An anodized aluminum structural frame supports the rig and keel loads. The keel is lead and fastened with beefy 316-grade stainless steel bolts. The rudder stock is hardcoat anodized aluminum.

On deck
My friend Carol Dean and I recently joined Tink Chambers from Farr International to test sail the 395 on a moderately windy day on the Chesapeake Bay. The first feature I noticed about the cockpit was that it has a “back end,” unlike the open-transom, sport-boat style of the Farr 40. There is even a sleek step molded into the stern that makes boarding more graceful when coming alongside in a dinghy as we did. The second thing I noticed is how the cockpit is designed for efficient steering and sail handling. Farr never loses sight of the fact that at the end of the day, it is still all about the sailing.

The 60-inch stainless steel wheel is perched well aft, making for effortless steering as the helmsman can sit on either rail with good visibility and foot support. Harken winches are standard, including B48.2 primaries and B44.2STAS for the two mainsheet and two halyard winches. All sail controls are led aft through Spinlock rope clutches on the cabintrunk. I like the fact that the control lines are not run under a false deck, which looks slick but can be a problem waiting to happen. The 6:1 mainsheet traveler is easily adjusted from the helm, and the 12:1 purchase on the outhaul is cleverly led to a cam cleat next to the companionway for quick trimming.

The tapered, double-spreader carbon fiber mast from Hall Spars has an air draft of 61 feet, 2 inches. The boom is aluminum, a practical arrangement that helps to control costs. The standing rigging is discontinuous rod, and a Hood Seafurl headsail roller furling system is standard. A Hall Quick Vang, which is led aft, is also standard, as is an Antal mainsail track.

The fractional rig is designed for nonoverlapping jibs and does not include runners, making the 395 extremely easy to handle. The main, spinnaker and jib halyards as well as the jib sheets are Spectra. The sail inventory, as dictated by the class rules, includes a main with a top full batten, a roller-furling jib and small and large masthead spinnakers flown from a retractable carbon sprit. No exotic sail materials are allowed, another practical measure to keep the cost of competitive one-design racing in line.

The nonskid is aggressive and provides secure footing on deck. Stainless handrails are mounted on the cabintrunk, although once forward of the mast, you are on your own. Double lifelines and well-supported stanchions lend security when working the foredeck. If you plan to cruise the boat, you should consider the optional anchor roller and flush-mounted amidships cleats.

Down below
The interior of the 395 is a pleasant surprise. The layout is simple and functional, but the workmanship and level of finish are high quality. The forward cabin features a V-berth that is long enough to sleep in, with storage in drawers underneath. The molded head compartment is forward to starboard and has access from the forward cabin and the saloon. The saloon has opposing settees that make good sea berths, but unfortunately the only real storage is underneath them. This means that the cushion, and whoever might be sitting on it, has to be removed before any item can be fetched. The trim is ash, and the bulkheads are of a lightweight composite material.

The L-shaped galley is to starboard and includes a small single stainless sink and a two-burner propane stove with oven. The counter space is adequate and 12-volt refrigeration is optional. There is plenty of storage below the sink, above it and next to the stove. A handsome curved stainless handhold is incorporated into the galley fiddles.

The nav station is to port and includes a good-sized chart table with storage underneath, although the seat back is a bit abrupt. A look behind the electrical panel revealed an immaculate wiring scheme. There is room for instrument repeaters just forward of the electrical panel. There are large quarter berths aft, giving the interior an overall open-air feeling.

Mechanically speaking, the 395 is powered by a Volvo MD2040 40-horsepower diesel saildrive with a two-bladed folding prop. We motored easily at 6 knots after our sea trial. Access to the engine is terrific. A single tank with a remote gauge holds 38 gallons. Two group 27, 105-amp-hour batteries are standard, as is a 60-amp alternator. Cruising options include a third battery, high-output alternator, inverter/charger and 110-volt shore power.

Under way
The wind was steady at 8 to 10 knots when we raised the main, unfurled the jib and accelerated upwind. The helm was precise, a small turn of the wheel resulting in a course change, and it took me a few minutes to stop oversteering. Once in the groove, we made an easy 7 knots sailing at 35 degrees apparent. Squeezing up a bit, we slowed, but not dramatically. The 395 tacks in a boat length and is quick to accelerate. There was a decent chop on the bay, and the 395 tended to ride over it without as much motion as I expected.

Easing off to a close reach, the 395 found her stride. It is important to keep the boat relatively flat, and with the true wind at 12 knots, we were pushing 8 knots. As mentioned earlier, the class rules allow for two chutes and we had the small one aboard. Set from the retractable sprit, the No. 2 asymmetric spinnaker has a sail area of around 1,600 square feet. Steering on a fairly broad reach, the boat was completely in control, although the extra horsepower was obvious as we went scooting across the bay. Still, an experienced couple could easily fly the kite on the 395 without much fuss. In fact, despite the great performance, my lasting impression of sailing the 395 is how easy it is to handle. The toughest boat to design and execute is one that delivers speed but doesn’t require micromanagement to achieve it.

The Farr 395 satisfies on many levels—it really is a sailor’s boat. It is a spirited performer and nothing is more fun than one-design racing. The 395 will also be a tough competitor under PHRF with a handicap around 35. When the bluewater beckons, you can point the 395 toward the open sea and follow your cruising dreams, dreams that will likely include being the first boat to make landfall.