On display for the third time at WBF, Lotus is a unique Pacific Northwest trimaran meticulously built to plans by Aussie Coilin Haigh in Vancouver BC, in balsa with epoxy/glass skin, and launched in 1994. Like many boats of the era, honeycomb panels being sold at a bargain price from Boeing Surplus found their way into the interior. Thus she is a very lightweight example of the 9-meter F9 design, which are lighter and faster than stock Corsair F-31 boats by 200 pounds.
Refitted by second owner Dennis Morgan of Victoria with a racing rig that never got sorted out, she is now in the hands of multihull veteran Dr Peter Walford, of Hornby Island, BC, who ironed out the hectic rig and carbon sails, and completed a curvaceous, bright, gracious and comfortable cruising interior, taking advantage of her wide-body- 10 inches wider than stock- and greater cabin height – 4 inches taller, to make her the very comfortable cruising boat that her large volume permits.
The rotating rig, complimented by her carbon sails, produces about 30% more drive than the original design, and she will point to 13 knots, reach to 16 knots, spinnaker to 2o knots, and motor-sail to windward to 13 knots.
Lotus stands as a unique well- developed example of Ian Farrier’s genius in the racer/cruiser envelope. being quiet and at ease in a seaway due to the balsa hull and stiff, lightweight honeycomb panels, and excellent sail balance, while faster than just about anything else that sails in this size range.