Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass, carrying a lead fin keel. With 3,411 pounds of lead ballast against an 8,510-pound displacement, the 1104 draws between 6.07 and 6.37 feet depending on load, a depth that restricts her to major marinas with sufficient water and keeps her away from shallow anchorages. Her wet-surface area of 387 square feet and an immersion rate of 1,183 pounds per inch mean she responds quickly to crew and payload changes but asks for considered loading. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 15.7 is low by cruising standards, consistent with a hull tuned for responsiveness over stillness.
Rig and Handling
The 1104 carries a fractional rig with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 24.2 on the ISO reference sail and 27.8 with a 135-percent genoa, figures that confirm a potent, easily driven platform. Standing and running rigging follow period dimensions: all three halyards run 114 feet at a half-inch diameter, sheets are 36 feet and 0.55 inch, and the mainsheet is a 90-foot, 0.55-inch line. The capsize screening value of 2.33 is the one hard limit in her record — it places her outside ocean-race acceptance, a meaningful boundary for any buyer imagining bluewater certification. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.2 knots, and a Bukh DV20M-powered example calculates to a 6.1-knot maximum under power.
Accommodations and Layout
The builder-context material speaks only to Farr Yacht Design's later corporate history rather than this specific 1975-era hull. What can be stated is that she was offered with different engine alternatives, including an inboard Yanmar diesel, and 63 gallons of water and 29 gallons of diesel capacity frame her coastal-cruising intent rather than long self-sufficient voyaging.
Known Issues
The only cautions that arise are inherent to her numbers: the deep fin keel makes grounding damage a real risk in unfamiliar harbors, and the low capsize screen means she was never qualified for offshore racing rule compliance. Buyers should read those as design boundaries, not as recorded faults.
Refits and Ownership
Because the boat was built at multiple yards and offered with assorted engine choices, owner histories vary widely in equipment and powertrain. The fractional rig and genoa-driven sail plan invite modern sail-handling upgrades. Ownership centers on respecting the light-displacement character — keeping loads within the 1,183 pounds-per-inch immersion budget preserves the handling the design intended.
The Verdict
The Farr 1104 is a pure expression of Bruce Farr's mid-1970s thinking: a light, beamy, easily driven 36-footer that rewards sailors who value speed and responsiveness over motion comfort. She is a coastal and coastal-offshore cruiser-racer, not an ocean-race qualifier, and her draft demands marina planning. For the right owner she offers a direct line to Farr's design DNA at a manageable size.
Pros
- Light-displacement "racer" character with SA/D of 27.8 on a 135% genoa
- Lead fin keel and solid fiberglass hull from Glass Yachts Ltd. and other builders
- Yanmar diesel option among multiple engine alternatives
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.33 excludes her from ocean-race acceptance
- 6.07–6.37 ft draft limits marina and anchorage access
- Motion Comfort Ratio of 15.7 favors performance over calm motion
