No Frills Sailing conducted a review of the Rapido 40 in a post titled, Boat Anomaly: Rapido 40 Trimaran, dated 19 April 2023. The boat reviewed was Hull #02, ADAMAS, at the International Multihull Show, La Grande Motte, France.

An edited extract of the original and unabridged article appears below (click here for original article). [Photo, No Frills Sailing]

As the website states, Rapido´s mission is to simply make and offer the best ocean cruising trimarans in the world. In this, (Rapido) is completely focused on the highest level of construction and design. The carbon fiber in this respect is their material of choice.

Seemingly, everything on the Rapido 40 is made from carbon fiber. As many, many parts are lacquered and painted white, like the pulpits for example, I have the feeling that this is done not just for protection and aesthetics, but also to kind of ‘hide away’ or add a bit of understatement to the whole boat. Boasting about this level of material-usage and craftsmanship may not be the top priority of Rapido´s clients…

Going down into the boat´s saloon, the ‘Aaah’ and ‘Wow’ didn´t stop: Yepp, this boat is made entirely of carbon. Even the dinner table is made of nicely woven and glossy painted carbon fibre…

The floor is made of cork, which I liked, and the dinner table area with the U-shaped settee is raised. In this, whilst sitting here, the view is a true 360 degree panorama view with amazing outlooks on the boat quickly dashing through the seas or at anchor in a dream bay…

I step out (of the saloon) and put myself in the cockpit of the Rapido 40. Sitting in the two steering benches…  I have a great view over the coachroof. The boat´s running rigging and winch layout is clearly made for single handed sailing: All lines are diverted into the cockpit…

And I guess this is the true mastery of Rapido´s makers: making a complex machine accessible and bringing forth the fun of sailing. Making the physics of sailing, the working of a sail, of the daggerboard, hull and rudders visible and the driving of the wind through the sails a primary factor and the main purpose of this boat.

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To read the original and unabridged article, click here.