{"id":57349,"date":"2024-12-18T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=57349"},"modified":"2024-12-18T14:45:50","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T19:45:50","slug":"sailboat-review-dragonfly-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/sailboats\/sailboat-review-dragonfly-40\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailboat Review: Dragonfly 40"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Dragonfly <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n There isn\u2019t a single thing on the Dragonfly that Jens Quorning hasn\u2019t thought long and hard about, and then executed to a stellar degree.<\/span>\n Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Over the years, I\u2019ve had rewarding \u00adopportunities to meet many boatbuilders. The most successful ones\u2014and by \u201c\u00adsuccess,\u201d I mean not only regarding the vessels they \u00adproduce, but also the \u00adsatisfaction they derive from perfecting their craft\u2014all share a \u00adcommon trait: passion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this past fall\u2019s 2024\u00a0Boat of the Year contest<\/a>, the most passionate of all the talented designers and builders was quite easily a lean, energetic fellow named Jens Quorning, the current CEO of the long-standing Danish outfit that produces Dragonfly trimarans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As our judges toured the company\u2019s latest creation, the Dragonfly 40 Performance Cruiser (which ultimately earned the title of Best Performance Trimaran), Quorning said something that rang especially true to me after we sailed the \u00adthree-hulled wonder: \u201cWe sell fun. Fun means speed. That\u2019s what we do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quorning\u2019s father, B\u00f8rge, launched the company, mainly focused on building wooden powerboats, in 1967. But he was also a sailor, and was smitten when a friend took him for a daysail on an old Arthur Piver-designed trimaran, so much so that he began dabbling in tris too. It wasn\u2019t until Jens joined the family enterprise around 1980 that they dropped the power line entirely to focus on sailboats, starting with a 25-footer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe name Dragonfly came because of the elegance of the insect, its wings, and how easily it flies over the water,\u201d he\u00a0said. \u201cThat\u2019s the image we were looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Dragonfly <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The \u00adfurniture and joiner work are beautifully crafted.<\/span>\n Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

The Quornings were (and are) inveterate tinkerers, and there was plenty of \u00adexperimentation in the early years. At first, it was apparent that the rigid, fixed structure of their boats was \u00adproblematic. That discovery led to the development of the Swing Wing system, which quickly and easily folds the amas (or, as Quorning says, the \u201cfloats\u201d) and reduces the beam by half (from more than 27 feet to 13 feet). It became the \u00adsignature feature in the entire Dragonfly line, which now encompasses five models from 25 to 40 feet.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to speed, with all boats (but especially multihulls), light means might. Saving weight in the rig and laminate translates to power and quickness underway. To that end, there are four versions of the 40, all of which sport trim carbon rigs of varying heights, depending on each owner\u2019s particular need for speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Touring and Ultimate versions are cruising-oriented and laid up with a foam core, vinylester resin, and biaxial fibers. The C Ultimate and C Performance models are no-holds-barred rockets that employ carbon in the central hull, bulkheads and centerboard trunk. If you\u2019re going to race, you\u2019ll go for the carbon construction. Then hold on to your hat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aesthetically, to me, this is a pretty boat: low, lean and understated. I was surprised to see the twin wheels, but they position the driver outboard of the central hull and \u00adprovide easy access to the open transom. Of course, all the running rig is led aft for quick and simple maneuvers. The reverse, wave-piercing entries on the bows of the floats no doubt are efficient, but they also look cool. The bow on the central hull tapers into a natural bowsprit (a dedicated sprit is an option) for the twin headsails and the ground tackle, and there\u2019s a bow ladder to disembark forward, apparently a common practice in Scandinavian waters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean this next bit in the best way possible: If you look up the word \u201cobsessed\u201d in a Danish dictionary, you might come across a photo of Quorning. There is nothing, not a single feature, that he hasn\u2019t considered, tested and reconsidered. The various sheet leads, barber haulers, and preventers for the mainsail, jib, and code zero are \u00adperfection. Below, the furniture and joiner work are executed to a high degree, and the space is beautifully maximized. The centerboard trunk doubles as a long dining table. The forward cabin is accessed through a lovely oval doorway. There\u2019s even a nifty double berth abaft the companionway steps beneath the cockpit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Dragonfly <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The space is maximized to provide a comfortable and luxurious sailing experience.<\/span>\n Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

All that said, the boat\u2019s \u00adpurpose is an exceptional sailing experience. During our dock inspections, Quorning set a high bar when he said: \u201cThis is a fast, comfortable, easy-sailing cruising boat where you can make double-\u00addigit speeds most of the time, which means 10-plus knots. In 15 knots, you do 15. That\u2019s where the fun starts. In 20 knots, I can\u2019t guarantee 20, but with 22 knots, I can guarantee 20 knots.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alas, our test-sail day dawned with a mere zephyr of breeze, only 5 or 6 knots. Little did I know, the fine sailing would still leave quite an impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Elvstrom EPEX sails (a blend of carbon and Technora fibers) were superb. The full-battened main was a powerhouse, and the twin headsails, set off by a pair of recessed Facnor furlers, allowed quick gear shifts depending on the point of sail. The steering was pinpoint accurate. And lo and behold, in just over 5 knots of breeze, we made better than 6 knots. Yes, faster than the wind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was shocked, but Quorning wasn\u2019t. Like the man\u00a0said: It\u2019s what they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herb McCormick is a <\/em>CW editor-at-large and was a 2024\u00a0Boat of the Year judge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dragonfly 40 Specifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
LOA<\/td>40’8″<\/td><\/tr>
BEAM<\/td>13’\/27’7″<\/td><\/tr>
DRAFT<\/td>2’4″\/7’3″<\/td><\/tr>
SAIL AREA<\/td>969 sq. ft.<\/td><\/tr>
DISPLACEMENT<\/td>12,787 lb.<\/td><\/tr>
SA\/D<\/td>28.4<\/td><\/tr>
WATER<\/td>58 gal.\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
FUEL<\/td>39 gal.<\/td><\/tr>
MAST HEIGHT<\/td> <\/strong>68’3″<\/td><\/tr>
D\/L<\/td>106<\/td><\/tr>
ENGINE<\/td>40 hp diesel<\/td><\/tr>
DESIGN<\/td>Jens Quorning<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Take the Next Step<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

PRICE:<\/strong> $800,000
CONTACT<\/strong>: dragonfly.dk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dragonfly 40 Performance Cruiser is a folding trimaran designed for speed, comfort, and pure sailing fun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":57353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Herb McCormick","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[167],"tags":[461,2071,227,195],"class_list":["post-57349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sailboats","tag-dragonfly","tag-print-december-2024","tag-sailboat-reviews","tag-sailboats"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}