Dragonfly 35

Whitelighter

Whitelighter

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Anyone know anymore about these? I wanted to look at SIBS but we were so busy on the stand I didn't get a chance. They reckon it can cruise at around 15knts, and top speed so far is 23knts - all without using diesel. Sounds like a good MoBo alternative, but what is the accomodation like? £250k is a lot for a 35ft boat, but then it is a bit special.

Thanks
 
I would love to be rich enough to have a 50ft classic wooden cruiser, with a boathand to maintain it, for gentle offshore cruising... and a Dragonfly for when the animal in me needs feeding.

They are fabulous boats. The performance of the racing 920 is awesome - and that's from the owner of a cruiserised racing cat. The build quality is superb.

The 35 is intended to be mainly for cruising, with an inboard diesel etc, but there is a performance package. I think conditions would have to be just right to maintain 15 knots cruising - wind around 40-60 degrees apparent and over 12 knots true. However, it will do this effortlessly, if a little wetly and, inevitably, a light boat taking off waves at that speed is going to shake the fillings from time to time.

23 knots max? Maybe
 
I sailed one in Denmark last year. They are a superb boat. 15kts is achievable on a close reach in about 17kts of wind which is fantastic. I don't know how they fare in a seaway as I sailed it on protected water but yachting press reviews have been pretty positive. 23kts max sounds ambitious but achievable.

I think cost fitted out would be about £250k but I believe there is a waiting list until sometime in 2009
 
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£250k is a lot for a 35ft boat, but then it is a bit special

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Wow but then thats only 3 mid-range porsches! And think how more fun one can have on the water. (You certainly couldn't 'do'it' in a porsche at my age). Maybe JJ could find one for me to charter for next years Triangle.
 
I had a good look at her, and spent some time talking to the lads on board, who were very keen.....

She is really well screwed together, and surprisingly spacious as well, with very solid looking deck gear. Talking to the lads figure about 190-200k ready to go. The boat they had there was the preformance version......

They claim she will point up to 35' off the wind, and tacks like a witch, now ive not driven a tri,, but my old cat wouldnt go near that, a tri driver might enlighten us.....

No if you watch THIS
and dont want one, then their is something wrong in your head!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Some comments from a tri-driver (a 920 until I've saved a few more pennies for a 35). I've seen but not sailed a 35, but the performance of all the Dragonflies I have sailed is fairly similar, so I don't expect the 35 to be much different.

15 knots average cruising speed - possible in good conditions, i.e. beam reach, stiff breeze. I've averaged 14.4 knots over 40 miles before...15 knots

23 knots max speed - I also reckon maybe, but would be pushing it. Not something you'd want to do every day. Ideal conditions only.

35 degrees from the apparent wind - easy I would expect. Mine will go to 30 degrees from apparent. Leeway is more than a mono, but you still get upwind first. Tacking is a slightly different procedure to get a tri through without stopping, but easy once you know how.

Build quality - DFs built in Denmark, to a similar quality to other Scandinavian boat builders.

Wet - yes, but DF's have appropriately excellent sprayhoods to compensate. A friend of mine had her contact lens knocked clean out of her eye this year when a blob of seawater hit her in the face at 17 knots boatspeed.

Deck gear - DF's use Scandinavian stuff, like Andersen and Frederiksen. Great kit, but expensive to replace.

Accommodation - well thought out, but there's never much space on a tri for the length. It's one of the compromises you have to make.
 
I have often wondered about the DF for fast cruising. But can they really handle a rough sea ? In open water, as soon as the wind gets up the sea gets up and if the wind changes the sea is chaotic for a while. Can a light fast tri really handle that?
 
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fast and cruise just don't seem to mean the same thing

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That's a perfectly valid view, and I respect that, but it's yours, and not everyone has the same opinion.

I have a different view. I mostly cruise, rarely race, but like to go fast. It's always fun the whole way for me, not just for a little while. Every mile of Troon to Holyhead recently in 14 hours was exhilarating.

I like all sailing boats, fast and slow, but like everything boating, you pay your money and take your choice.
 
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But can they really handle a rough sea

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I have experience of sailing the smaller DFs (800, 920 and 1000), but not the larger ones (35 and 1200). They handle a bit of rough as well as a similar sized modern mono, for example a Bendytoy. They won't cope as well as a similar sized traditionally designed boat like a Vanc or Contessa, but then they are not designed to.

Although they are light and will get knocked around more easily, advantages are they don't lean, roll or slam, all of which can make rough passages tiring. Also they can be slowed right down to monohull speed, and still make reasonable progress.

I've not got any flicks of sailing in rough conditions, but these two are upwind in brisk winds, and show that the ride is still pretty relaxed...

Solway Firth
Holyhead
 
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