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Farr 12 Ton 65
Designer: Bruce Farr  ·  First built: 1976
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About the Farr 12 Ton 65

Bruce Farr's innovative design philosophy shines through in this distinctive 31-foot performance cruiser, originally launched in 1976 during the early years of his legendary career. The Farr 12 Ton 65 represents a compelling blend of racing heritage and practical cruising capability, built with advanced fiberglass and Kevlar construction that was cutting-edge for its era. With its fractional sloop rig and impressive sail area of 512 square feet, this boat delivers spirited performance while maintaining good balance. The lifting keel configuration offers remarkable versatility, allowing access to shallow anchorages while providing the deep draft stability needed for confident offshore sailing. At 6.67 feet down, the keel generates excellent upwind performance, while the lift capability opens up cruising grounds typically reserved for shoal-draft vessels. The boat's displacement of 5,139 pounds, with nearly half carried as ballast, creates a stiff, responsive platform that rewards active sailing. The comfort ratio of 12.73 suggests quick motion in a seaway, appealing to performance-oriented sailors rather than those seeking a heavy cruising platform. This design suits coastal cruising and club racing admirably, offering the speed potential that made Farr designs famous while retaining practical cruising amenities for weekend adventures and extended coastal exploration.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 31.25 ft / 9.53 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 23.92 ft / 7.29 m
Beam 10.83 ft / 3.30 m
Max Draft 6.67 ft / 2.03 m
Min Draft 2.00 ft / 0.61 m
Displacement 5,139.00 lb / 2,331 kg
Ballast 2,500.00 lb / 1,134 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 512.00 ft² / 47.57 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Lifting Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG w/kevlar
Designer Bruce Farr
First Built 1976
Associations Half Ton Class
Related Sailboats Maxi 95 · Niagara 31 · Tartan 31 · Contest 31 · Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 27.59
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 48.65
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 167.63
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 12.73
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.51
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.55 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.69
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 925.63 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 21.52
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 31.63 ft / 9.64 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 8.99 ft / 2.74 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 34.09 ft / 10.39 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 15.09 ft / 4.60 m
SA Fore 142.18 ft² / 13.21 m²
SA Main 257.21 ft² / 23.90 m²
SA Total (100%) 399.39 ft² / 37.10 m²
Est. Forestay Length 32.88 ft / 10.02 m
How It Compares

vs. Contest 31, Maxi 95, Niagara 31, Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau, Tartan 31

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
31.3 ft
Contest 31
31.2 ft
Maxi 95
31.2 ft
Niagara 31
31.3 ft
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
31.2 ft
Tartan 31
31.3 ft
LWL
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
23.9 ft
Contest 31
23.4 ft
Maxi 95
25.6 ft
Niagara 31
24.3 ft
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
27.2 ft
Tartan 31
26.0 ft
Beam
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
10.8 ft
Contest 31
9.3 ft
Maxi 95
10.5 ft
Niagara 31
10.3 ft
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
10.8 ft
Tartan 31
10.9 ft
Displacement
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
5 lbs
Contest 31
10 lbs
Maxi 95
9 lbs
Niagara 31
8 lbs
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
8 lbs
Tartan 31
9 lbs
Ballast
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
2 lbs
Contest 31
5 lbs
Maxi 95
3 lbs
Niagara 31
3 lbs
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
3 lbs
Tartan 31
3 lbs
Sail Area
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
512 sq ft
Contest 31
386 sq ft
Maxi 95
402 sq ft
Niagara 31
492 sq ft
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
506 sq ft
Tartan 31
506 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
—
Contest 31
219 s/nm
Maxi 95
174 s/nm
Niagara 31
162 s/nm
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
—
Tartan 31
159 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
27.6
Contest 31
12.9
Maxi 95
14.4
Niagara 31
19.7
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
20.0
Tartan 31
18.7
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
48.7 %
Contest 31
—
Maxi 95
—
Niagara 31
44.4 %
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
40.5 %
Tartan 31
43.2 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
12.7
Contest 31
32.2
Maxi 95
23.5
Niagara 31
21.1
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
—
Tartan 31
20.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
2.51
Contest 31
1.71
Maxi 95
1.99
Niagara 31
2.05
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
—
Tartan 31
2.10
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
167
Contest 31
—
Maxi 95
—
Niagara 31
250
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
180
Tartan 31
229
Hull Speed
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
6.6 kts
Contest 31
6.5 kts
Maxi 95
6.8 kts
Niagara 31
6.6 kts
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
—
Tartan 31
6.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Farr 12 Ton 65 ★
3.7
Contest 31
1.1
Maxi 95
1.9
Niagara 31
2.4
Sun Fast 31 Jeanneau
—
Tartan 31
2.6
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