Flaar 24 on test: Carbon fibre small cruiser enriches the small boat segment
Jochen Rieker
· 09.03.2024
For the fact that, according to many shipyard bosses, there is supposedly no money to be made with small yachts, there is plenty of music in the U30 segment. The 24-foot class in particular now offers an extremely pleasing breadth and density of models. There are boats trimmed for cruising such as the Bente 24, Maxus Evo 24 or Pointer 25, which to a certain extent represent the core of modern small cruisers. There are sports boats such as the classic Melges 24 or the reasonably habitable space-sheet rocket First 24 SE. There are smart, fast daysailers like the Saffier 24. And then there is the Flaar 24.
On the one hand, she is the most extreme representative of the seven-metre squad, but at the same time perhaps the most universal. Because she can race as well as cruise.
Flaar 24 is lightweight thanks to carbon fibre
It owes its unique position not least to its construction. As is usual with models from the small Hungarian boatbuilding company, which is based on the north-western shore of Lake Balaton, it is made almost entirely of carbon fibre. The hull and deck are elaborate foam sandwich constructions, laminated with epoxy resin under vacuum. Even the covers, such as those for the storage space under the forward berth, are made of feather-light carbon fibre.
Only the gennaker trunk, which can be extended from the fixed bowsprit, is made of aluminium because the light metal profile has a higher dimensional stability under load and therefore a better seal in the guides to the cabin. However, all other relevant components - mast, boom, rudder blades, keel shaft - are made of high-strength, lightweight carbon fibre.
This can be seen on the crane scales: the Flaar 24 displaces just 730 kilograms in measurement trim without engine and cushions. By way of comparison, a Melges 24, which has no extension and only a slip cabin for stowing sails, weighs a good twelve per cent more at 820 kilos, the equally lightweight First 24 SE weighs around 22 per cent more, and a sports tourer such as the Sarch 7 from Spain already comes in at 1.1 tonnes - an increase of 50 percent. The gap between the Bente 24 and the Flaar is even greater: it is far more voluminous and, at almost 1.7 tonnes, weighs almost two and a half times as much as the Flaar.
The consistent lightweight construction of the compact cruiser from Hungary is also reflected in its theoretical performance. Measured by its sail carrying capacity, the Flaar 24 has practically no competition on the water. Its ratio of displacement to sail area is 6.8 and simply tops everything - not only the J/70 (4.9) or Melges 24 (6.2), but also the previous leader, the First 24 SE (6.5).
High ballast ratio and variable sail plan lead to top potential
In view of this potential, a certain amount of humility is recommended, especially when used on the open sea. According to CE design category C, the boat is only certified for coastal sailing or inland areas; in other words, up to 6 Beaufort and two metre waves. These were among the conditions under which the Flaar had to prove itself in the tests for Europe's Yacht of the Year off Port Ginesta last autumn. And she did very well.
There are several reasons for this. Firstly, it has a very high ballast ratio of almost 40 per cent, which also acts far down when the swing keel is lowered electrically to its maximum draught of 1.80 metres. In addition, the crew weight noticeably improves the rigidity because it has a considerable influence here in relation to the low displacement.
What's more, the sail plan is highly variable: with a small jib and second reef, the Flaar 24 parries quite passably at 20 knots upwind. If the wind were even stronger, she could be steered in a fairly controlled manner even under main. It is then advisable to raise the keel slightly at the push of a button so that it points aft by around 20 degrees, which counteracts the strong windward yaw that would otherwise occur.
Concentration required in confused sea conditions
In the sometimes confused and steep seas off Catalonia, the typical tendency of small, light boats to get stuck again and again reduced the sailing fun at the cross in strong winds. Avoiding this requires concentrated steering. However, the Flaar makes this even more difficult because its twin rudder system provides a lot of grip but little feedback.
But the ergonomics in the cockpit are just right. The deck widens significantly aft of the companionway, providing the crew with a large seating area. More importantly, there are angled footrests on the cockpit floor that are high enough to provide secure support even when the boat is in an elevated position. Only the slightly too short length of the tiller gives cause for criticism. If the helmsman sits close to the genoa winches, the tiller extension points forwards at an angle; this should not be the case. It also gets in the way when accessing the large locker, the lid of which is hinged aft - two restrictions that you can live with. Especially as the Hungarian is otherwise a pleasure to sail.
She converts pressure into speed very well when she's set: even at 3 to 4 Beaufort she planes easily from a true wind angle of 60 degrees, surfs consistently at around 9 knots on a half-wind course and sails almost in double figures under gennaker. If the wind blows at force 4 to 5, you can literally slalom through the water in a swell at 13 or 14 knots. Of course, she is no more explosive than the Melges or First 24.
Easier conditions are the strength of the Flaar 24
Her real speciality is lighter conditions. The Flaar is in its element at 2 to 3 Beaufort and hardly any choppy seas. And even below that, she responds very well to every breeze - perfect for windless inland areas. On the cross, she benefits from the fact that she can sail with an overlapping genoa, which has 4.7 square metres more surface area than the strong wind jib, an increase of almost 40 percent. Thanks to the 2D centreboard adjustment via track and downhaul, it can be sheeted in tightly if required.
To make this possible, designer Attila Déry commissioned a carbon fibre mast from Pauger that is diamond-stayed over just one pair of spreaders and has no lower shrouds, but instead upper shrouds that are braced far aft. It stood perfectly in the test; the lack of a backstay was not noticeable due to excessive forestay sag.
The fittings are of a very high quality throughout. The same standards apply at Flaar as in composite construction. Almost all of the deck hardware comes from Harken, the running rigging from Gottifredi Maffioli. There are separate deflection blocks and thimbles for gennaker and code zero sheets, so there is no need to rebuild. The positioning of the controls is also perfect. The genoa, code and gennaker can be operated from both the leeward and windward winches (cross-sheeting), which is helpful in one-handed and two-handed operation.
The fact that the small racer was also designed with this in mind is evident from the design of the controls. The two plug-in rudders are attached aft. The linkage connecting them, together with the quadrant, sits under a cover and enables the installation of an autopilot mounted below deck, which the shipyard also offers as an upgrade in its options list. Although it is an expensive extra (3,950 euros), it is superior to the tiller pilot (820 euros) in every respect and is highly recommended for soloists.
High standard from the bowsprit to the keel fin
The Flaar 24's bowsprit, which is unrivalled in its design and function, is part of the upmarket standard. The fixed nose is made of carbon and serves as an attachment point for the Code Zero, which can therefore remain furled when the genoa or the gennaker is used on the cross. This is also an advantage, especially for small crews or soloists. The asymmetric spinnaker, which is generously dimensioned at almost 73 square metres, can be furled on the 1.40 metre wide extendable boom and can be easily jibed around the inside, which eliminates the risk of the loose sheet getting under the ship during manoeuvres. It's solutions like this that you simply have to love the boat for.
This also includes the keel design. The carbon fibre laminated keel fin has already been mentioned, as has the electrical operation. As can be seen from the drawing in the tear, the ballast carrier is simply swivelled under the hull - unlike on the First 24, for example, where it can be completely raised into a keel box, and also unlike on most other small cruisers with variable draught, most of which have a vertical lifting keel.
The Flaar concept requires a slightly greater residual depth when the keel is up: the minimum is 63 centimetres. This increases the position of the boat on the trailer and can make slipping more difficult on very shallow ramps.
Apart from that, the design has decisive advantages: The hydrodynamically unfavourable gap in the hull remains extremely short because the keel box practically only has to accommodate the keel head with the fist-thick bronze bearing and the attachment point for the spindle. In addition, the entire fin is accessible at all times, even on the trailer, which greatly simplifies the application of antifouling during winter storage.
Unorthodox tests ensure safety
Zoltan Mezey, who holds a doctorate in engineering and is one of the leading minds behind Flaar, is currently working on a test rig for the strength of the keels. "My aim is for all fins to be tested to three times the theoretical maximum load in the event of a collision or grounding," he says. This is "a must", especially for carbon fibre components.
Construction number one underwent an even more rustic procedure: The shipyard crew deliberately hammered her onto a flat on Lake Balaton at a speed of ten knots under gennaker, which the entire mechanism survived without complaint. This is also important because the keel is not just held in position by gravity, but is fixed by the stainless steel rod of the spindle drive. This means that the ballast body cannot swivel backwards or upwards when it hits an obstacle without causing considerable damage.
The system proved to be absolutely inconspicuous in the test. The electric linear drive always worked reliably and highly efficiently in harbour and in rough seas. It took less than half a minute to catch up and showed no signs of fatigue even after repeated operation. "We deliberately designed it so that you can also motor to the berth with the keel tilted up if it is in shallow water," says Zoltan Mezey. Great: An LCD display on the control panel behind the companionway shows the battery charge status as well as the position of the keel.
Below deck of the Flaar 24: the icing on the cake
Which brings us below deck - and thus to a certain extent to the bonus programme of the Flaar 24, which is undoubtedly a sports boat under sail, but there is also another side to it that is hardly less impressive than its performance.
Underneath the strongly curved, visually quite dominant cabin structure with the curved side windows, there is actually an interior that is suitable for touring to a certain extent. Thanks to the generous Plexiglas glazing, the space appears more airy than it actually is. And there is another detail that benefits the feeling of space: the short, compact keel box, which serves as a step for the companionway. This leaves plenty of legroom for the crew when they make themselves comfortable on the benches. With a seat height of 97 centimetres, even tall people can manage.
And even the berth dimensions are impressive: if necessary, four adults can sleep comfortably here: two at the front, two amidships. This is even possible in both directions on the benches. The Flaar offers plenty of storage space: two sports bags fit under the double berth, and just as much under each of the benches - even enough for provisions and cooking utensils.
Regatta crews can therefore spend the night on board if they are on a budget. And if you're travelling as a couple, you won't miss much with the exception of a toilet and a permanently installed water tank. You just have to be aware that on a hull length of 7.23 metres you can't do more than glamping, the glamorous form of camping. But to be honest, this also applies to the purely residential boats in this size category.
In this respect, the Flaar 24 is an absolute asset to the market: sporty, fast, universal. The one that can be anything - racer, cruiser, daysailer. It rightly met with great interest at boot Düsseldorf - so much so that the shipyard is offering trial cruises on Lake Balaton throughout March due to the lack of a dealer network and is also planning similar events on Lake Constance, Lake Garda and probably in the Netherlands later in the year.
The measured values for testing the Flaar 24
The Flaar 24 in detail
Technical data of the Flaar 24
- Designers: A. Déry/T. Bendzsel
- CE design category: C
- Torso length: 7,23 m
- Total length: 7,71 m
- Waterline length: 7,20 m
- Width: 2,53 m
- Draught (keel o./u.): 0,63/1,80 m
- Mast height above WL: 9,78 m
- Theoretical torso speed: 6.5 kn
- Weight: 0,73 t
- Ballast/proportion: 0,27 t/37 %
- Mainsail: 20,7 m²
- Genoa (108 %): 17,0 m²
- Code Zero: 27,8 m²
- Gennaker: 72,8 m²
- Motor (outboard motor): 3-5 HP
Hull and deck construction
Carbon fibre sandwich, laminated with vacuum infusion and epoxy resin, solid laminate in the keel area. Double-skin, perfectly dimensionally stable carbon keel fin with 220 kg lead insert at the lower end
Rig and rudder
The diamond-stayed mast with narrow spreaders allows an overlapping genoa. It comes from Pauger and, like the rudders, is made of carbon fibre
Sails and electronics
The shipyard offers a comprehensive and sensible option package. A complete set of sails including jib, code 0 and gennaker costs €15,200. A B&G log, plumb bob and anemometer are available for €2,150 and the autopilot with below-deck mounting for €3,950. A road trailer is available from €5,830
Price and shipyard
- Base price ex shipyard: 77.230 €
- Price ready to sail: 88.240 €
- Price test boat: 110.700 €
- Guarantee/gg. Osmosis: 3/5 years
How the prices shown are defined can be found here!
Shipyard
Flaar Performance Sailing, 8229 Paloznak, Deák Ferenc u. 10, Hungary. Homepage: www.flaar.com
YACHT review of the Flaar 24
The Flaar 24 is a real asset to the small boat segment: light, easy to trailer and pure joy under sail.
Design and concept
- + Carbon construction
- + Broadband usable
- +/- High but fair price
Sailing performance and trim
- + Fast on all courses
- + Very good trimming options
- + Bowsprit with trunk
- - Too neutral on the rudder
Living and finishing quality
- + Relatively large cabin
- + Four usable bunks
- - A somewhat arduous start
Equipment and technology
- + High-quality fittings
- + Electric swivelling keel
- + E-drive from € 8,910 surcharge
