Design and Construction
The Telstar 28’s main hull was initially built by hand-layup using ATC Core-Cell foam core, a top-of-the-line material, before the builder moved to closed-bag vacuum infusion that yields a composite composite with very low void content. Adopting that infused process stripped 800 pounds from the design. The hull and deck are bonded with Methacrylate adhesives at a simple outward-turning flange with a riveted gunwale guard, and Kevlar is laid into high-load areas of the outriggers and hull stress points. The redesigned amas connect to the center hull through 2-foot 6-inch boxes at bow and stern that rotate 180 degrees in a lateral plane, moving outward over a five-foot span on a single line; they sit five inches deeper than those of a Corsair 28. The main hull carries a semi-circular teardrop shape, shallower by four inches and six inches wider than the original, with a five-degree deadrise at the keel and a kick-up rudder extending 3 feet 3 inches under the stern.
Rig and Handling
All standing rigging attaches to the main hull, so the amas fold without touching the shrouds. The deck-stepped, two-spreader Selden mast weighs 200 pounds and a patented lowering system reduces mast load to 80 pounds including the Furlex furler. A fully battened mainsail of 250 square feet works with a furling overlapping jib on a Furlex headfoil, and total area reaches 524 square feet with the genoa or 590 more with a screacher on an optional retractable bowsprit. The end-boom mainsheet runs to a pin-stop traveler aft of the rudderstock, while two self-tailing winches on the cabin house handle genoa sheets. Test sailors found the tiller smooth and even, and with the centerboard down as well as many monohull cruisers she points within 30 degrees of apparent wind without stalling. Her light 3,000-pound displacement brings quick acceleration, though pinching into chop or a powerboat wake can stop her dead. In 5 to 7 knots of true wind she hustles under working sail, hit 9.2 knots in 13 knots of wind during testing, and the builder claims 16 knots on flat water in similar air.
Accommodations
The design philosophy leans to sailing performance with functional, spartan accommodations, yet the interior is 33 percent larger than the original Telstar with more than six feet of headroom. The main salon measures 7 feet 3 inches wide at the settee back and 8 feet 9 inches long on centerline. A port settee converts to a double berth, a starboard single handles one more, and a 6-foot 2-inch by 3-foot berth under the cockpit sole suits only small children. The galley sits to port at the companionway opposite a nav table, with a teak table that unfolds to seat six. The head forward holds a toilet, sink, and shower. Light comes through fixed portlights and Bowmar hatches, and 84 cubic feet of ama storage supplements the interior. Side decks inboard of each ama give walkable lounging space, and the cockpit seats four with stern-rail seats for two more.
Known Issues
One documented shortcoming from sea trials is the absence of any provision for an escape hatch, a serious consideration on a folding trimaran with limited egress paths. The lightweight, performance-driven construction and camping-style interior reflect a deliberate trade of creature comfort for speed and trailering ease, leaving the boat without the redundant exits found on many cruising monohulls.
The Verdict
The Telstar 28 is a genuine performance cruiser that folds for the highway without compromising sailing beam or rigging simplicity. She accelerates like a dinghy, points with monohulls, and carries a real interior in a 3,000-pound package. The lack of an escape hatch is the one clear black mark against her as a family coastal cruiser.
Pros
- Folds from 18-foot to 8.5-foot beam with no shroud adjustment, trailerable and backyard-storable
- Light displacement and leeward-ama righting force deliver quick acceleration and monohull-like windward ability
- Vacuum-infused composite with Kevlar high-load areas and Methacrylate-bonded hull-deck joint
- Roomy for a 28-footer: 33 percent larger interior, six-foot headroom, 84 cubic feet ama storage
Cons
- No provision for an escape hatch
- Spartan, camping-oriented accommodations by design
- Pinches easily into chop or wakes, stopping dead under sail
