Design and Construction
Farr gave the 6000 a beamy hull with powerful stern sections. These provide stability and speed, as well as enough interior volume to make the accommodation credible in a 20-footer.
The centerline is built down to form a long, shallow keel. This adds directional stability and doubles as a structural element within the solid-glass lay-up. Construction is conventional solid fiberglass, taken up to a 10-ounce lay-up that includes gunstock and woven rovings, plus foam and wooden stiffening in key areas.
A traditional-looking lapstrake-type molding runs along the hull and adds measurable strength. This molding is common to the other Farr trailer yachts. Inside, two moldings were bonded to the hull as structural members: a forward unit incorporating the bunk frames, and an aft unit forming the galley and bunks. The furniture therefore carries loads rather than simply being fitted into the hull.
Rig and Handling
The fractional rig carries a large but easily managed mainsail, giving the boat excellent performance for its bulk. A tapered Baverstock mast was standard, paired with swept-back spreaders so the standing rigging needs only a forestay and sidestays.
The sail plan combines a moderate-aspect mainsail with a short-footed, high-aspect jib that needs no winches for sheeting. Enthusiasts can also add a spinnaker. A medium-size spinnaker will get the boat surfing in a good breeze while remaining easy to manage.
The halyards can be hoisted from either the mast or the cockpit. Three exit boxes serve the main, jib, and spinnaker halyards, with leads and cleats carried aft.
Test sailors found the helm heavy on every point of sail compared with many other trailer yachts. However, the boat did not share the tendency of most others to screw up in a gust, instead remaining steady in gusts.
Accommodation
The beamy hull and pop-top work well together below. With the pop-top raised, there is full headroom throughout the main living area. Even with it lowered, standing room measures 1.5 meters (4 feet 11 inches).
Removable panels in the sloping aft end of the cabin allow the interior to become an extension of the cockpit, softening the division between the sheltered cabin and the open air. There are five full-length berths, and the starboard settee extends to form a 3-foot 6-inch-wide double.
Forward of the main living area, a privacy bulkhead separates the toilet space, which has ample headroom. The galley provides the facilities needed for weekend or longer cruising, along with good stowage and bench space that doesn’t take up too much of the cabin.
Centerboard, Ballast, and Buoyancy
The 6000 was built with positive foam buoyancy to New Zealand Trailer Yacht Association safety standards. There is enough built-in buoyancy to keep the boat afloat if it is completely flooded.
Total ballast is 242 kg (535 lbs), comprising the solid cast-iron centerboard and associated weight. This guarantees self-righting capability, and the boat has proved self-righting and unsinkable.
The centerboard is a cast aerofoil that pivots from its forward end. A self-sustaining drum winch beneath the bridge deck controls it from the cockpit, while a Perspex window beside the handle shows how much of the plate is raised or lowered. A system locks the board down.
Durability and Known Character
With the oldest examples now more than three decades old, the fleet has proved robust and largely trouble-free. Its solid-fiberglass construction, lapstrake strengthening, and bonded structural interior moldings have aged well.
The Verdict
The Farr 6000 punches above its 20-foot length. It combines a beamy, volume-rich Bruce Farr hull with a fractional rig that is both racy and manageable, plus a practical cabin that opens into the cockpit. The helm is weighty compared with many trailer yachts, but the boat stays composed when the wind pipes up.
Pros
- Beamy hull with powerful stern sections, providing stability and interior volume
- Self-righting and unsinkable, with positive foam buoyancy to New Zealand standards
- Fractional rig with an easily managed mainsail and a jib that requires no sheeting winches
- Pop-top provides full headroom, while removable aft cabin panels extend the living space into the cockpit
- Robust, relatively trouble-free solid-fiberglass construction over more than 30 years
Cons
- Heavy helm compared with many trailer yachts
- Few optional extras under the package-deal, one-design approach
