At 5,300 pounds of displacement, with 2,400 pounds of lead ballast, the Farr 11 S sits firmly in the modern performance-cruiser lineage rather than the heavy-displacement tradition. Its 45.28 ballast-displacement ratio and 37.84 sail-area-displacement ratio reinforce that focus: this is a boat designed to be driven hard and sailed fast.
Design and Construction
Premier Composite Technologies built the Farr 11 S with a solid-fiberglass hull and deck rather than cored laminates. Its lead-ballasted bulb keel gives the boat a low center of gravity for its stature and draws 8.86 feet.
The 66.99 displacement-length ratio describes a hull that is light for its length. A 2.58 capsize ratio indicates that it is reasonably proportioned against inversion. Farr Yacht Design shaped this performance envelope after the firm’s production partnerships during the 1990s and 2000s had already helped create grand-prix one-designs.
The 9.6 comfort ratio is modest, reflecting a boat whose priorities lie in upwind and offwind speed rather than a sofa-like motion.
Rig and Sail Plan
The tall fractional sloop rig carries a documented 719 square feet of sail area and suits the class’s race-derived purpose.
A surveyed 2009 example shows the kind of sail inventory with which these boats were delivered or raced. It included a North 3DL carbon square-top mainsail; a J1 Kevlar-carbon laminate practice sail; J2 sails in both 3DL practice and carbon-laminate race construction; a J4 Kevlar race sail; and asymmetric A1.5 and A3 kites, all from a surveyed 2009 example.
That combination of carbon and Kevlar laminates across the jib range points to a wardrobe intended for sustained regatta use, where shape retention matters more than cruising longevity.
Accommodations
The 36.68-foot length and 11.25-foot beam give the Farr 11 S the footprint of a 36-footer. However, its 9.6 comfort ratio and race-oriented sail inventory suggest that any interior was arranged more to support a crewed sailing program than to serve as a couple’s retreat.
Verdict
The Farr 11 S is a focused performance sloop from Farr Yacht Design. Premier Composite Technologies built it in solid fiberglass, with a lead bulb keel and a race-grade carbon-and-Kevlar sail wardrobe. It is a light, quick hull with serious regatta DNA and little pretense toward the heavier end of the cruising spectrum.
Pros
- Low-displacement, high-sail-area hull from a respected design firm
- Lead-ballast bulb keel for stability, with a 2.58 capsize ratio
- Carbon and Kevlar laminate sail inventory on a fractional rig
Cons
- Modest 9.6 comfort ratio points to a firm-riding hull
- Solid-fiberglass construction, with the cruising interior secondary to the sail plan
- 8.86-foot draft limits access to shallow water
