A boat with two footprints.

Published 27 October 2026 · WHV · Public-source editorial note

A boat spends much of its life not sailing. That makes the width it occupies in a marina a serious design question. Dragonfly’s Swing Wing system allows the outer hulls of a trimaran to fold towards its centre, changing the footprint between sailing and berthing.

Design for the time between voyages

Quorning’s system entered the range in 1989. On the current Dragonfly 28, the published folded beam is 2.54 metres. The practical idea is easier to appreciate than a speed claim: a configuration selected for sailing need not dictate every aspect of storage and harbour life. The archival photograph shows an earlier Dragonfly, not the current 28 specification.

This is value through a resolved inconvenience. An owner can assess whether folding changes the feasibility of a berth or the logistics of a particular sailing life. The mechanism is also an additional system to inspect, understand and maintain. It does not make every marina suitable, every trailer arrangement legal or every handling decision simple. The boat’s usefulness still depends on the intended waters and the people operating it.

Understand the limits before the demonstration

Read the manual for the exact model and arrange a supervised demonstration before considering ownership. Folding is not a sailing mode: the Dragonfly 28 manual prohibits setting sails with the floats folded and operating the system with sails hoisted. Other restrictions also apply. Obtain a survey of a used boat and current berth, transport and maintenance costs. Practical versatility is not evidence of financial appreciation.

Source and context.

Dragonfly: Swing Wing system and its development ↗

Dragonfly: current 28 model and folded dimensions ↗

Dragonfly 28: owner’s manual, June 2025 ↗

The photograph shows an earlier Dragonfly trimaran, not a verified Dragonfly 28. Folding has model-specific operating restrictions and must not be treated as permission to sail in the folded configuration.

Source checked 27 October 2026. WHV interpretation is distinct from the source’s account.