Farr 1104

After 5 years of adventures it's time to say goodbye to this classic Farr 1104. As an ex racer she was competitive in her day but now she's been set up for extended cruising and could leave for the Whitsundays tomorrow. She's done the trip several times so knows the way! She might not be a racer anymore but she's still fast! The current owner sees 9kts+ regularly on trips and she cruises at 6-7knts all day. She sailed to the Whitsundays in 2021 and saw several upgrades for the trip including new main and jib (which still present as new), a racing furler, dodger, stackpack and lazy jacks. All lines lead back to the cockpit and she can be single handed with ease - in fact the current owner single handed her from Yeppoon back to the Gold Coast, sailing most of the way. We ditched her grungy old pump-out toilet and installed a brand new Airhead composting toilet which works flawlessly and only needs emptying every six weeks with two on board - no more blocked pipes and no moving parts! An asymmetrical spinnaker in good nick provides good downhill speeds in light airs. With 900w of solar panels on a custom hard bimini frame, and 540Ah of battery storage, there is plenty of power to run the two fridges (one in the galley, and a separate Dometic dual zone 100l fridge/ freezer), a 32" TV, stereo, lighting, autopilot, electronics, and all charging needs. The 2000w inverter serves 240v power to several power points throughout the boat to run a microwave, airfryer, coffee machine, power tools, CPAP machine or whatever. - along with 240v shore power when at dock. In six months cruising we never ran out of power once!

She's seen a few more upgrades since, and now sports a brand new Lewmar windlass, which easily handles the 65m chain rode (with 100m of 14mm rope backup) and Mantus 35lb anchor (that has held in 40+ knot winds). She got all new timber flooring last year, a full galley upgrade with Tassie Oak tops with a new sink and tapware, and new hatches and windows. New navy blue upholstery sets off the fresh white paint, with just enough timber left to highlight her classic interior. A set of snazzy davits adorn her rear end where the Highfield rigid inflatable tender hangs without movement while underway. The dinghy scoots along under power of a 5hp Suzuki, which is happy to reside on the back of the tender while underway, or can safely be stored on the pushpit rail. A Vetus 27hp diesel engine pushes her along effortlessly at 5-6 knts using only 1.5l per hour and has less than 1000 hours on it, having been serviced every 100 hours. New engine mounts ensure she runs smoothly and quietly and a brand new PSS dripless shaft gland means no more salt water in the bilge.

Her electronics are in good shape with a Raymarine Axiom head unit with up to date maps. She also sports a Raymarine tiller pilot with a Madman Marine keyfob remote control, meaning you can steer from anywhere on the boat - awesome for when you need to go forward. Depth is a simple to read Raymarine digital number display. Couple this with AIS transmitter/ receiver, a DSC enabled VHF and you have all you need to cruise the world.

Cruising the world is entirely possible due to her being Australian registered, so that trip to Indo, the Pacific Islands, or further afield is well within reach - in fact this boat would be perfect for a couple with a You Tube channel looking for a solid and well set up cruiser ready to go now - she also has the benefit of being a classic and has some racing cred behind her!
Her rig is in good nick, with the backstays just upgraded to a split system with new chainplates and oversized Dyneema stays.

She carries 60l of fuel and comes with 120l of jerry cans which surprisingly all fit in her cavernous lazarette in the cockpit, along with the gas bottle, oars and Magma BBQ, which can hang off the back or sit on legs. 2 smaller solar panels on their own controller provide power to the starter battery which is isolated from the house bank by a battery switch. 2 bladders totalling 250l provide several weeks of water, with the potential to set up a rain water collection system off the bimini to keep them topped up.

She was lovingly hauled out only three months ago and had her bottom recoated with 3 coats of International Micron Extra antifoul. While out she had all her skin fittings checked and found to be in excellent condition. Most notably, her prop was replaced with a brand new shiny bronze folding prop and coated professionally with Propspeed. At the same time her shaft seal was upgraded to a PSS dripless version.

This boat is perfectly set up for extended cruising and is the perfect size for 2-3 adults or a couple with kids. She sails beautifully and is solid as a rock having been made in the 70's when boats were built properly. She comfortably sleeps six in three cabins and the dinette can fold down to provide another double bed if needed, or makes a really comfy day bed or lounge to snuggle up and watch a movie - conceivably she sleeps nine, but you'd want to know each other pretty well! She got all new high density foam mattresses last year and brand new bedding that hasn't yet been slept in. There is more storage than you will ever need under the beds, dinette and aft, and she comes with all the safety gear you'll need, including jacklines and harnesses. Her stereo cranks with four speakers and a sub and the year old TV, complete with a Chromecast is just icing on the cake as you enjoy a drink (with ice!) at the end of a day's journeying.
She is no shiny new white boat by any means, but she's an honest, fast and solid cruiser. Someone described her like owning a 70s Ferrari! I don't know about that but I have loved owning this old girl and I will shed a tear when she goes, but we are moving on to new adventures so it's time for new owners to enjoy this awesome classic Farr 1104.