Carroll Marine brought substantial experience, having earned seven previous Sailing World Boat of the Year awards, including the 1998 overall win for the Farr 40 One-Design. The Farr office also had a reputation for fast racing boats.
Design and Construction
From the dock, the Farr 395 looks purposeful but well proportioned. Its profile angles work together, while the well-styled cabinhouse earned good marks for aesthetics from all the judges. A plumb bow and short overhang aft define its new-millennium silhouette. These features aren't merely stylistic: they create a faster, higher-volume hull for the given length overall.
The boat measures 39.3 feet LOA, with a 12.1-foot beam and 7.8-foot draft. Displacement is 12,250 pounds, and a wedge of lead ballast carried low in a bulb keel gives the boat the kind of stability a performance sailor feels immediately.
Wide side decks make it easy to move around the boat. In the cockpit, a removable locker and seat forms the after portion of the seating. When removed, it leaves a stainless-steel footrest for the mainsail trimmer and provides real flexibility in the cockpit layout.
Rig and Handling
The rig clearly reflects a racing mindset. A German Admiral's Cup-style mainsheet leads forward along both sides of the boom to the gooseneck, then down to the deck near the chainplates and back to a winch beside the traveler. This arrangement puts mainsheet and traveler control at one station.
Running the sheet above deck produces less friction than an under-deck route. During windy jibes, a crewmember at the mast can overhaul the sheet to help the trimmer. The mainsail outhaul runs from a 12:1 purchase inside the boom to a swivel cam cleat near the companionway, allowing fingertip adjustment from several positions.
A large-diameter wheel makes steering pleasant, and well-placed foot braces give the helmsman a secure position, whether sitting on the weather rail to watch the jib telltales or steering from leeward in light air. The backstay has a quick release at its cylinder, allowing it to be led forward downwind in light conditions. With the cylinder fully extended, however, a standing helmsman must duck beneath it.
Performance
The Farr 395 should appeal strongly to performance sailors. In about nine knots of breeze, she came to life, remaining controllable and accelerating quickly through simulated pre-start maneuvers. On reaches, fellow judge Chuck Allen found her easy to steer without losing the rudder.
She showed obvious breakaway potential and a willingness to leap onto any wave. With a PHRF handicap of 30-36, she also passed the powering tests—ease of steering at speed, maneuverability, and tracking in reverse—with flying colors.
The high-aspect-ratio foils demand care at the helm because the rudder can stall during a tight turn. The trade-off is a racer that one could really cruise.
Accommodations and Cockpit Comfort
The interior finish is good, and the simple layout is very comfortable both at the dock and at sea. The head has two entrances, allowing access from the aft cabin without disturbing the forward cabin. The forward vee berth is genuinely long enough for sleeping.
Buyers could specify an enclosed quarter berth to port, creating an aft stateroom. The tester and most buyers, however, preferred the open arrangement.
In the cockpit, the seatbacks are a little too upright for lounging, although they were considered as good as or better than those on most tested boats. The helm area accommodates several sitting positions.
Known Issues
Testing identified two points concerning cockpit ergonomics. With the backstay cylinder fully extended, anyone standing at the wheel must duck beneath the backstay. A net at the front of the wheel well would also be needed to prevent lines from catching in the steering wheel.
The high-aspect rudder can stall in a tight turn. This calls for care at the helm rather than indicating a defect.
The Verdict
The Farr 395 brings grand-prix one-design thinking to a yacht with genuine racing pace and a few civilizing touches below and in the cockpit. The team behind it had a proven record, and details such as the convertible cockpit seat and German Admiral's Cup-style mainsheet show a racing mind at work without ignoring cruising comfort.
Pros
- Dual-purpose performance, with a PHRF handicap of 30-36 and lively acceleration
- Well-proportioned, plumb-bow hull with wide side decks and a flexible cockpit
- German Admiral's Cup-style mainsheet and fingertip outhaul adjustment
- Simple, comfortable interior with a two-entry head and usable vee berth
Cons
- Fully extended backstay cylinder forces a standing helmsman to duck
- High-aspect rudder can stall in tight turns
- Cockpit needs a wheel-well net to keep lines clear of the steering system
