Corsair F-24 Mk II Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Corsair F-24 Mk II means entering a world where performance is the unambiguous priority and the compromises — most of them below the waterline — are well understood by every buyer who has done their homework. Ian Farrier's folding trimaran occupies a narrow but devoted niche: a boat that trailers on a standard ramp, docks in a single slip, and then unfolds into a 17-foot-11-inch performance machine capable of speeds that embarrass much larger vessels. The Mk II generation, distinguished by its rotating single-spreader rig, transom-hung rudder, and retractable daggerboard in place of the earlier pivoting centerboard, represents the refined end of the F-24 lineage. Buyers who understand what they are getting — a daysailer and weekend coastal cruiser first, a liveaboard never — will find the used fleet consistently well-maintained by owners who care deeply about the boats.
Layouts on the Used Market
The F-24 Mk II offers essentially one interior arrangement, and it varies little across the production run. The forward V-berth is proportioned for one adult or two small children, and the starboard settee converts to a double that, when extended, occupies the full cabin width — movement below at that point is on hands and knees. A compact port-side galley with sink, single-burner stove, and icebox rounds out the accommodation. Headroom is limited to the companionway area, where the pop-top opens to allow a person to stand. A porta-potti stows under the V-berth. On deck, the picture is far more generous: a large cockpit, trampoline netting stretched between the main hull and the folded-up amas, and substantial rail space create an outdoor platform that owners routinely describe as comfortable for a full crew. The cockpit-centric layout is consistent across the used fleet, and buyers should expect no meaningful variation in interior configuration from hull to hull.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used examples commonly arrive fitted with a spinnaker — often an asymmetric — reflecting the racing and spirited daysailing culture around these boats. Trampoline nets between the main hull and the amas are near-universal and worth inspecting carefully for UV degradation and lacing integrity. A chartplotter and autopilot are frequently fitted, the latter particularly practical for short-handed coastal passages where the helm demands attention for extended stretches. Owners who push the boat's offwind performance often add a code zero on a furler at the retractable bowsprit, and this has become a recognizable owner upgrade on better-equipped examples. The screacher or code zero setup rewards buyers who intend to spend time reaching in light to moderate conditions, as it substantially extends the boat's effective speed range. Outboard engine brackets and motor mounts vary, and it is worth confirming the recommended 5-horsepower outboard is present or budgeting for one, since the boat is designed around that modest auxiliary rather than a heavier alternative.
What to Inspect
The Farrier Folding System is the boat's most distinctive and most scrutinized component. The pivot bolts, aka sockets, and interior bulkhead reinforcements should be examined carefully for wear, corrosion, and any signs of elongation in the pivot holes — the system is precisely engineered, and slop here is a flag worth investigating before purchase. The aluminum bracing struts beneath the crossbeams should be free of corrosion and firmly seated. Early production batches of Corsair boats experienced oil-canning in the crossbeams due to improperly catalyzed PVC foam core; Corsair addressed this with a recall and retrofit, and buyers of the Mk II should confirm any such remediation was completed on a given hull.
The daggerboard trunk deserves close attention. Unlike the earlier centerboard, the Mk II's high-aspect daggerboard is a rigid, non-pivoting foil — grounding at speed can damage or destroy the daggerboard, and the design offers less forgiveness than the pivoting centerboard it replaced. Inspect the trunk for delamination, cracks at the case base, and smoothness of operation. The transom-hung rudder pintles should be checked for slop, as sloppy rudder pintles have been reported by owners. Rudder cavitation at high speed has been noted by some owners; Farrier designed an optional rudder fence as a remedy, and its presence or absence is worth noting. Hull gelcoat, while high-quality, is acknowledged to scratch easily given the thin skin, so cosmetic condition should be evaluated with that in mind rather than treated as a proxy for structural integrity. The mast-raising system — designed for single-handed stepping using the trailer winch — should be tested through a complete cycle to confirm all components are present and functional.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The F-24 Mk II circulates most actively in the United States, particularly along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, where the trailerable trimaran culture is strongest and Corsair ownership communities are well established. Examples also surface in Germany and elsewhere in northern Europe, where the boat's trailering convenience resonates with sailors navigating inland lakes and coastal waters with limited marina infrastructure. Because Corsairs hold their value tenaciously — a function of strong build quality, active class associations, and a buyer pool that knows exactly what it wants — the used market is not a place to find distressed bargains. Condition, equipment level, and the presence of a serviceable trailer all move used prices meaningfully.
Before making an offer, work through this checklist:
- Fold and unfold the amas; inspect pivot bolts, socket reinforcement, and aluminum struts for wear or corrosion
- Cycle the daggerboard through its full range; look for trunk delamination or base cracking
- Check rudder pintles for play; ask whether the optional rudder fence has been fitted
- Inspect trampoline netting for UV degradation and lacing failure
- Confirm mast-raising system is complete and test it with the trailer winch
- Assess hull gelcoat and topsides with the understanding that surface scratching is common and largely cosmetic
- Verify the recommended outboard is present, correctly bracketed, and running
- Review any history of crossbeam foam-core remediation
- Confirm trailer registration, tire condition, and winch function — the trailer is integral to the ownership experience
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Corsair F-24 Mk II. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $ 29,900 | — |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $ 34,900 | +16.7% |
| Sep 25 | 5 | $ 24,900 | -28.7% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 24,500 | -1.6% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $ 25,500 | +4.1% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 26,000 | +2.0% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 29,736 | +14.4% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $ 24,900 | -16.3% |
| May 26 | 6 | $ 31,950 | +28.3% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 2,900,024 | +8976.8% |
Where they're listed
Corsair F-24 Mk II listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 18 (94.7%), followed by Germany.
Country view
19 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 26,750 | 18 | 7 | 94.7% |
| Germany | $ 29,736 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 24 | 24.61' | $ 70,338 | 25 | 9 |
| Corsair F-24 Mk IIYou are here | — | $ 26,750 | 20 | 7 |
