Boat Test - Libertist 853
Tri a little harder Rupert Holmes tests a 28ft trimaran that makes intelligent use of mini foils to create a blisteringly fast, yet safe, design
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here’s nothing new about trimarans with foils. Eric Tabarly’s 16.5m Paul Ricard in the 1970s, for example, was by no means the first. However, the implementation of the mini foils on the Libertist 853 make this one of the stand out boats of its generation. The foils are positioned well forward, so also counter the tendency for the bows to dig in. They also offer potential to eliminate leeway. It’s therefore not intended as a boat that will fly clear of the water. Instead, the small foils beneath each ama contribute significantly to stability and also lift the bows, thus markedly reducing the potential for capsize when pushed very hard in strong winds. The amas have a substantial amount of buoyancy, but
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MAY 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
the big benefit is that the faster you go the more the foils contribute to lift. As well as boosting speed, this also has an obvious safety advantage. The designers and builders have tried hard to keep the concept simple and to minimise weight wherever possible, but without sacrificing the ability to handle the boat efficiently, or result in a stratospherically high price tag. The mini foils are just 45 cm deep, matching the depth of the canoe body of the central hull and allow the boat to dry out on a beach. Crossbeams, daggerboard and foils are all carbon, while epoxy is recommended for the main structure, although the base price assumes polyester. Development started back in 2015, when Libertist founder Adam Waligorski met legendary French multihull designer Erik
ABOVE In action on slightly windier conditions than test day
Lerouge. Our test boat was the prototype, which differs from production versions in having fixed amas and in interior details. Production boats will also have carbon hinges for the folding amas. The geometry of these means that when they move inwards the amas also move downwards. Therefore when folded both sit in the water, which greatly adds to stability and reduces motion when moored or anchored.
On deck
The key focus for the deck layout is one of simple efficiency, even though the rotating carbon wing mast might initially suggest otherwise. There are only two winches on the boat, but the layout means they are sufficient for every operation. The sheet for the self tacking jib is led
