Specifications
* Please note, General Specifications are subject to change and should be confirmed with Rapido Trimarans Limited.
General Specifications
- LOA: 12.03m (39' 6")
- LWL: 12.00m (39' 4")
- BOA: 8.80m (28' 10")
- BOA (folded, non canting): 5.8m (19' 3")
- BOA (float to float CL): 7.98m (26' 2")
- Average light displacement (subject to final options): 5,200kgs (11,474 lbs)
- Freeboard: 1.41m (4' 8")
- Daggerfoil up: 0.87m (2' 10")
- Daggerfoil down: 2.18m (7' 2")
- Headroom: 2.0m in saloon; 1.9m in forward cabin
- Storage volume of floats (at greatest dimension): (l) 2.9m x (w) 0.97m x (h) 1.3m
Download pdf documents
- For R40 Interior Arrangement, click here (1 Aug, 2020)
- For R40 Cabin Dimensions, click here (8 Aug 2022)
Sails
- SA Main: 65m2 (700sqf) (Wing mast area, 7.0m2 (75sqf)
- Jib / Solent: 32m2 (344sqf)
- SA Staysail: 13m2 (140sqf)
- SA Reacher: 113m2 (1,216sqf)
- SA Asym Spin: 158m2 (1,700sqf)
Standard Carbon Mast
- Standard Mast Length Max: 17.2m (56′ 5")
- Mast Height above DWL: 19.2m (63′)
- In the USA, as the mast height is beneath 65′, the standard rig fits under all bridges in intracoastal waterways.
Performance Carbon Rig
Standard mast length: 19.5m (64′)
Mast height above DWL: 21.8m (71′ 6")
* Note: each mast has been designed for an ocean-going boat, built to CE Category A standards.
General Information
The Rapido 40 – The World’s Ultimate Folding, All Carbon, Ocean-Cruising Trimaran
The all-carbon Rapido 40 has been nominated as a SAIL Top 10 Best Boats Nominee for 2024. Click here for details.
World acclaimed designers, Morrelli & Melvin have ensured that the DNA of the Rapido 60 has been incorporated into the all carbon and folding Rapido 40. Expect a state of the art trimaran designed and built for:
- Podium performances
- Fast passage-making
- Classic cruising
- Couples; and
- Sailors.
The Rapido 40 is designed and engineered as a high tech, all-carbon, performance cruiser with a self-tacking jib, carbon spreaderless mast and an option for rolling furl boom.
The interiors have super lightweight, strong, custom made furniture; even the countertops are carbon! The flooring is made from cork.
While others are compelled to motor away from any weather systems best avoided, the Rapido can be powered up to simply sail away with the skipper maintaining complete control.
Safety is a big factor in our design and construction. As well as carbon-foam construction, there are numerous watertight bulkheads and bulkheads with no through penetrations below the water line. The engine compartment is contained within watertight bulkheads.
We build our own epoxy prepreg autoclave-cured mast and boom (designed by Morrelli & Melvin, specifically for the Rapido 40), dagger C foils, rudders, beams, chainplate bulkheads, folding struts, pulpits, seats, drawers for galley, table and benchtop in galley.
Essentially, if you have a passion for sailing, this is the boat for you!
The Rapido 40 is being built by Rapido Trimarans' exclusive builder, Triac Composites.
C foils
[Caption: Rapido 40 “C" foils and “T" rudder foil. Note; “C" foils replace the need for a central daggerboard in the saloon opening up a significant amount of space).]
The asymmetric twin “C” foils will give the Rapido 40 more lift than usual resulting in significant increase in performance, both upwind and downwind. Also, the C foils eliminate the need for a central daggerboard which increases the amount of interior space. It also creates 360 degree visibility. (In the diagram above, note the “T" rudder foil in the “down" position.)
For normal day sailing or cruising, both C foils can be in the “down" position or one raised without adding material drag.
Advantages of the Rapido 40
Customers always have options in the market. We believe the Rapido 40 will capture the interest of this segment for the following reasons:
- The boat has pedigree being designed and engineered by the world's best, Morrelli and Melvin, in the US.
- Lighter
- Faster
- All carbon construction
- “C" foil daggerboards (see below)
- Easier and safer to handle with self-tacking jib, roller furler head sails and spreaderless mast
- CE A Certification for safer ocean crossings
- Better weight distribution with heavy items (eg engine) in the middle of the boat
- Functional interior, more spacious (eg C foils removed the need for a centre daggerboard), raised saloon (ie, it is not located down in the hull) and finished to a high standards
[Caption: Co founder Paul Koch is 6'3" and here he stands in the saloon of the Rapido 40 which has a clearance of 6'7" (201cm).]
- Latest high tech design and engineering (see Morrelli & Melvin) in this all-carbon boat: infused carbon foam sandwich construction with beams, daggerboards, ruddercase and blade made from prepreg carbon and cured in autoclave, carbon mast spreaderless, carbon counter tops, self tacking solent/ jib
- Two separate double cabins
- Folding floats (reduced fees for marina, hard stand and shipping). See more below!
We believe the Rapido 40 very clearly sets itself apart from other offerings in the market in terms of both performance and value. Please independently check our claim!
A FOLDING MECHANISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Floats on the Rapido 40 remain in upright position during and at completion of folding process.
The performance of trimarans is well documented.
In fact, some say that the only thing better than a trimaran is a folding trimaran. And here, the Rapido 40's patented folding system excels, as shown below:
Folding floats:
- Access to single marina berths
- Access to all marinas
- Reduced marina, hard stand and shipping costs
- Floats are kept in upright position (preventing barnacle and/or algae growth on sides of floats)
- Remaining in the upright position, stability of trimaran is maintained during folding and while in the folded position.
Folding mechanism:
- High tech design by Morrelli & Melvin (to see some of the high tech tools that Morrelli & Melvin use during the design phase, click here).
- Patented Design (concept by Paul Koch, Australia Patent Application No. 2019902014)
- Wa5tch the video below of the folding mechanism on the Rapido 50.
Further details
FAST AND POWERFUL
Trimarans are safe, powerful and fast as demonstrated by the fact that they consistently win races and hold the solo speed record for circumnavigating the world.
safe
Safety at sea is the No. 1 priority and this thinking is reflected throughout the design and construction of the Rapido.
spacious
The Rapido 40 has some truly amazing living spaces which provide more open, private and intimate areas than monohulls or catamarans.
stable and comfortable
Trimarans are comfortable on all points of sail.
fun
The combination of safety, performance and comfort put the Rapido in a league of its own. The enormous trampoline nets add fun and excitement as you watch the blue water rush underneath you – or as you lounge on the nets while gently floating over a reef. You will be instantly hooked..
look inside
the 
Trimarans in the media
Below is a list of articles which have appeared in various publications regarding Rapido Trimarans.
- C-foils on a fast cruising trimaran? This looks rapid!, Rapido 40 tour, Yachting World magazine video by Toby Hodges, 8 September 2023
- Rapido 40: The Alternative Trimaran, by François-Xavier de Crécy with photos by Ludovic Fruchaud, LE MONDE DU MULTICOQUE #24 by Voile Magazine. July, 2024.
- The Rapido 40 is a 20 knot cruising tri, George Day, Cruising Compass, 24 May, 2023
- Boat Review of Rapido 40, Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 4 May 2023
- Rapido 40: ultra fast cruising in complete safety on three hulls, Maxime Leriche, SailboatNews.com, 25 April 2023
- Boat anomaly: Rapido 40 Trimaran, No Frills Sailing, 19 April 2023
- Rapido 40 – Fast, foldable and worry free!, Multihulls World magazine, No. 189, May-July 2023
- Shipyard Focus: Rapido Trimarans, by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, August / September 2022.
- Rapido, changing the game, by Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 23 March, 2022
- Rapido 40: A livable sailboat for cruising on 3 hulls, Briag Merlet, Sailboat News, 23 February 2022.
- Rapido, changing the game, (takes a detailed look at the cutting edge design and technology of Morrelli & Melvin) by Zuzana Prochazka, Multihull Sailor, December 2021
- Boat Review: Rapido 50, Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
- Harnessing Speed, by Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
- Rapido 60 Trimaran Boat Review: A Bold Gamechanger For Performance Bluewater Cruising, by Zuzana Prochazka, Yacht World, 23 September, 2021.
- Harnessing the wind, by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, September / October 2021 issue, 6 page spread on Rapido Trimarans.
- Sailing La Vagabonde choose Rapido 60 to sail world’s oceans, video announcement by SLV to their 1.59 million subscribers, You Tube, 8 June 2021
- The Ultimate Racer-Cruiser: Clients on Romanza are turning heads on the racetrack when they're not cruising at high speed, North Sails, 19 April, 2021
- Making Short-handed Short Work – Onboard Rapido 60, Anna Merchant, Sail-World, 11 February 2021
- Rapido 50 News from the Shipyards, Multihulls World, 2 February 2021
- Buyers' Guide 2021, Rapido 50, Multihulls World, 18 December 2020
- “New breed” Rapido 40 & 50, Yachting World magazine, November 2020
- Cruising Helmsman reviews Rapido 60, October 2020
- Romanza takes top spot in Yates Cup, SEA Yachting magazine, September 2020
- Rapido Trimarans relocates production arm into Vietnam, SEA Yachting magazine, Nov/Dec 2019.
- Rapido Trimarans, On the March, Seahorse Magazine, October 2019.
- (French) Rapido 40, un trimaran repliable de 12 m, Bateaux.com, 29 August 2019.
- Rapido 60 – The most exciting production multihull in the world? (or click here for selection of quotes), Multihulls Magazine, Summer (July) 2019.
- Rapido, Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, June 2019 (pp23-24)
- Ineffable’s Steve Bourne: I’m a nutter for sailing, Daily Herald, 26 February 2019.
- Rapido 60′ the fastest production multihull in the world?, International Multihulls World, December 2017
- RAPIDO 60’ : Le multicoque de série habitable le plus rapide du monde?, Multihulls World, 23 November 2017
- Finding Mrs Right, Boating New Zealand, August 2016
- Blue Water Cruising Trimaran, Australian Multihulls World, August 2016
- Rapido 60, Cruising World, 25 August, 2016
- Rapido 60, by Emma Bamford, Sailing Today.