What Is a Dragonfly Trimaran? History, Range and Who Buys One

What makes a trimaran different from other boats?

A trimaran has a central main hull and two slim outer hulls, called amas or floats, joined by cross beams. The wide stance gives stability without a heavy ballast keel, and the narrow hulls keep drag low, which is why trimarans are associated with speed. The trade-off is width: an unfolded trimaran is much wider than a monohull of the same length, which makes marina berths expensive and trailering impossible. Folding the amas is the engineering answer to that problem, and Dragonfly built its business around it.

Who builds Dragonfly trimarans, and since when?

According to the builder’s heritage page, Børge Quorning returned to Denmark in 1966 after working as a boat builder in Canada, and he and his brother Bent began building the Skærbæk yard in August 1967. The first boat was the Trident 28 in 1968, and the first trimaran to carry the Dragonfly name was a 16-foot boat built in 1972 for Børge’s sons. The Dragonfly 25 Mk I entered production in 1980.

Jens Quorning, Børge’s son, is credited as designer of the modern range and, according to secondary sources, took over the company in 1995; the yard describes itself as a family business with about 50 staff, building over 40 trimarans a year. Børge Quorning died on 22 March 2022 at the age of 90, the same year the yard completed trimaran number 1000. Our model pages summarise each model’s own history, including the earlier designs by Børge.

How does the Swing Wing folding system work?

Swing Wing was developed by Børge Quorning with his son Jens, and the first folding boat, the Dragonfly 800 Swing Wing, was built in August 1989. The yard calls it the biggest milestone in the brand’s history. By its own description the system reduces the beam by more than 50% in less than one minute per side, operated from the cockpit without tools.

In practice the amas pivot inward towards the main hull. On the Dragonfly 25 the sailing beam of 5.50 m becomes 2.50 m folded; on the Dragonfly 28 it goes from 6.70 m to 2.30 m. The builder notes that the 28, introduced in 2009 as its first model to fold and trailer without taking parts off, only needs the mast lowered before it goes on a trailer.

There are rules of use. The Dragonfly 800 manual says to check the rigging, halyards, reefing lines, water stays, rudder downhaul and the Swing Wing system before every outing, and that the folding should only be done in protected harbour areas. That is worth remembering when you look at a used boat, because the folding hardware is the part that ages with use. Our inspection checklist covers what to look at.

Which Dragonfly models exist?

Models fall into three generations, and the specifications for each are on its model page.

• Classics (1980s to 2000s): the Dragonfly 800, 920, 1000 and 1200. The 1000 Swing Wing arrived in 1991 and the 920 Cruising in 1996, and the 1200 Ocean Cruiser won the Danish Design Award in 2000. These are the affordable way into the brand today.
• The trailerable core: the Dragonfly 25 and 28. Both are small enough to trail, and the 28, in Touring, Sport and Performance versions, is widely seen as the benchmark.
• Larger cruisers: the Dragonfly 32, 35 and 40, which fold for marina berthing rather than road transport.

The range today

The builder’s current line-up lists the Dragonfly 25, 28, 33, 36 and 40. The 36 was introduced in 2024 as the first model with a fully composite Swing Wing system and won Multihull of the Year 2025 in the Sail Performance category, according to the yard. The 32 and 35 are no longer in the main navigation of the builder’s site, so they are mostly relevant to buyers of used boats. If you are narrowing down the folding options across brands, see our comparison of the best folding trimarans.

What is a Dragonfly like to sail?

Light displacement and narrow hulls mean a Dragonfly accelerates quickly and covers miles faster than a monohull of similar length. The wide stance keeps the boat relatively flat, which is a comfort for crews used to heeling. Our model pages quote owner-reported figures such as 18 to 20 knots reaching on the 28 under gennaker, and speeds above 20 knots on the larger boats; treat these as peak speeds in good conditions rather than daily averages.

The compromises are different from a monohull’s. A trimaran has less payload margin, so loading matters. Sail trim and early reefing matter more, because a trimaran gives less warning than a heeling keelboat when it is overpowered. And the folding hardware needs periodic checks. If safety is your main question, our article on whether trimarans are safe covers it directly.

Who buys a Dragonfly?

Typical buyers fall into four groups:

• Trailer sailors who want to move between sailing areas without paying for marina berths, mostly on the 25 and 28.
• Couples and families who want fast coastal cruising, with enough comfort for a summer holiday afloat.
• Monohull sailors who want performance without a stripped-out racing interior.
• Classic enthusiasts who buy an 800 or 920 as an inexpensive, well-supported way into the brand.

Next step if you are thinking of buying

Start by reading the specifications of the one or two models that suit your sailing area and budget, then look at what is actually advertised. You can browse used Dragonflies on 3Hulls, and our price guide explains what the different models cost on the market.