Boat in build pics (Squadron 78)

Yup, it goes by road (2+3 Dec; it's a 2-day drive) from Oundle (factory) to ipswich by low loader, then in the water at Ipswich, and everything thereafter is on own bum. The Oundle to Ipswich route is the only route the police will allow

There's one particularly awkward road bridge where they must have to let the tyres down on the lorry or something...

You going down to Ipswich Jfm ? I take it Foxes will be lifting her in ? Our boat is at Shotley and we'll most likely be there that weekend, will we be likely to see her ?

Just a (probably silly) thought after looking at the last batch of pics. Looks like the catch that holds the flybridge hatch open would rattle ?
 
You going down to Ipswich Jfm ? I take it Foxes will be lifting her in ? Our boat is at Shotley and we'll most likely be there that weekend, will we be likely to see her ?

Just a (probably silly) thought after looking at the last batch of pics. Looks like the catch that holds the flybridge hatch open would rattle ?

I don't know Ipswich so I might be getting this a bit wrong but it's Ipswich Yacht Haven marina where Fairline have their facilities, which google tells me is in the centre of town. I think there's a lock too, but I'm not sure. If Fairline are pushed for time they might do seatrials on the weekend of 4/5 Dec, otherwise it'll sit there till the monday I guess. Anyway if you're around drop by. I might be there - not sure yet

Yes it looks like it will rattle but the teak rests against the s/s catch so there is no metal-on-metal, and the gas struts push it hard onto the stops. It doesn't rattle in practice. I had same mechanism on both my Sq58s and they were rattle-free. I'll glue some rubber on if necessary though!

EDIT- I just google mapped. Definitely not fox's. It's here, and you can see a Sq78 in Fairline's Sq78 berth immediately south of the travel-lift in the google earth picture, directly to the right of the google-maps red arrow/pointer symbol.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...ich,+Suffolk+IP3+0EA,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

It looks an awful long way to the sea. How long is it? Boat will have 50 hours on it by the time I get the keys...
 
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I don't know Ipswich so I might be getting this a bit wrong but it's Ipswich Yacht Haven marina where Fairline have their facilities, which google tells me is in the centre of town. I think there's a lock too, but I'm not sure. If Fairline are pushed for time they might do seatrials on the weekend of 4/5 Dec, otherwise it'll sit there till the monday I guess. Anyway if you're around drop by. I might be there - not sure yet

Yes it looks like it will rattle but the teak rests against the s/s catch so there is no metal-on-metal, and the gas struts push it hard onto the stops. It doesn't rattle in practice. I had same mechanism on both my Sq58s and they were rattle-free. I'll glue some rubber on if necessary though!

EDIT- I just google mapped. Definitely not fox's. It's here, and you can see a Sq78 in Fairline's Sq78 berth immediately south of the travel-lift in the google earth picture, directly to the right of the google-maps red arrow/pointer symbol.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...ich,+Suffolk+IP3+0EA,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

It looks an awful long way to the sea. How long is it? Boat will have 50 hours on it by the time I get the keys...

I saw my friend who moves these the other day, he says it takes 2 hours to get the lorry with the mast,bimini frame, bathing platform etc and 2 days to move the boat to Ipswich, they have to go through the town centre to get to Ipswich haven as there is a low bridge the other end, It sounds like quite an operation from hearing of what has to be done to move this size of boat on the road.

Its about an hour from the mooring to get to sea (depending on how quickly they are with the lock)
 
I don't know Ipswich so I might be getting this a bit wrong but it's Ipswich Yacht Haven marina where Fairline have their facilities, which google tells me is in the centre of town. I think there's a lock too, but I'm not sure. If Fairline are pushed for time they might do seatrials on the weekend of 4/5 Dec, otherwise it'll sit there till the monday I guess. Anyway if you're around drop by. I might be there - not sure yet

Yes it looks like it will rattle but the teak rests against the s/s catch so there is no metal-on-metal, and the gas struts push it hard onto the stops. It doesn't rattle in practice. I had same mechanism on both my Sq58s and they were rattle-free. I'll glue some rubber on if necessary though!

EDIT- I just google mapped. Definitely not fox's. It's here, and you can see a Sq78 in Fairline's Sq78 berth immediately south of the travel-lift in the google earth picture, directly to the right of the google-maps red arrow/pointer symbol.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...ich,+Suffolk+IP3+0EA,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

It looks an awful long way to the sea. How long is it? Boat will have 50 hours on it by the time I get the keys...

I know the marina, it's in the town centre, as far inland as you can get with most boats and it is indeed behind a lock. Roughly 10nm Landguard point (North Sea). 6kt speed limit makes it an hour and a half ish to sea i think. If you are around for the sea trials, the Orwell is a very scenic river, beautiful. If the weather is anything like decent we'll go down to our boat at Shotley, which will mean we go within 10 minutes of the Haven marina, will swing by and take a look at her, hopefully you'll be around to say "hi" to.

Thought the rattle would be a silly thought lol
 
I know the marina, it's in the town centre, as far inland as you can get with most boats and it is indeed behind a lock. Roughly 10nm Landguard point (North Sea). 6kt speed limit makes it an hour and a half ish to sea i think. If you are around for the sea trials, the Orwell is a very scenic river, beautiful. If the weather is anything like decent we'll go down to our boat at Shotley, which will mean we go within 10 minutes of the Haven marina, will swing by and take a look at her, hopefully you'll be around to say "hi" to.

OK I'll let you know movements nearer the time, when i know. (Actually it's only 3 weeks away - blimey!)
 
Ipswich and the River Orwell

Regarding locking out, there is a certain window of free flow around high tide which means of course you can motor through without the hassle of 'locking out'. As someone else pointed out there is a six knot limit on the river all the way to Harwich / Felixstowe. The run up to the sea is pleasant through rolling countryside, plenty to see shoreside, e.g. Pin Mill, and at Shotley the Old Naval trainig station HMS Ganges, the marina at Shotley is the old training stations athletics track, now flooded of course!. The channel to the sea is well buoyed, outside the buoyed channel are quite a few shallows. There is a lot of commercial traffic at Harwich and Felixstowe, very large container ships and Ferries. The Port of Felixstowe prefers (if you can) that you navigate outside of the main channel . It is a number of years since I was in this area, I am sure local advice will be available concerning the latest 'do's and don'ts. Good luck with your new 'toy'
 
Hi JFM Long time since we spoke.

Trip down the river is great and can be done in most weather conditions as it is very sheltered.

For your sea trial they will do a measured run just off the pier at Walton on Naze. I would try and be on board so that you can see the data they come up with as it was not exactly accurate on the boat I skippered during the summer.

The person who said there are shallows is spot on and having spent my younger years sailing this coast I have spent a bit of time on a number of the sand banks.

If I recall the guys at Fairline centre Ipswich were up and down the river about 3 or 4 times running tests so there will be a few hours on the clock.

I hope all goes well for you.

Lawrie
 
Hi JFM Long time since we spoke.

Trip down the river is great and can be done in most weather conditions as it is very sheltered.

For your sea trial they will do a measured run just off the pier at Walton on Naze. I would try and be on board so that you can see the data they come up with as it was not exactly accurate on the boat I skippered during the summer.

The person who said there are shallows is spot on and having spent my younger years sailing this coast I have spent a bit of time on a number of the sand banks.

If I recall the guys at Fairline centre Ipswich were up and down the river about 3 or 4 times running tests so there will be a few hours on the clock.

I hope all goes well for you.

Lawrie

Thanks Lozzer and Adrian for the the local info. Lozzer, I'm hoping to go on some of the seatrials; not decided yet

BTW Lozzer, I am pretty sure I've customised out all the issues you noted, so thanks for all that info. I have cameras in new positions incl one high up on the mast; drain in the aft deck in front of transom; 1.2m longer passerelle custom made by besenzoni (with auto-fold stanchions, ahem!); steaming light at top of mast, and loads more etc
 
I visited factory again last week. Boat is very nearly finished, woohoo!. Just needs mattresses and furniture throwing in, the galley finishing, floorings, and a few small bits and pieces, B+O gear in saloon, then it’s done. When I was there the guy fitting the wood flooring was just starting, and a lot of the carpet had been pre-cut and will be fitted next week. It’s on target to be on the truck 2nd Dec. As ever I remain very pleased with the build quality. It’s all beautifully done and Fairline’s woodwork in particular is right at the top among boatbuilders. This post is split into 2 because I have more than 20 pics

Below is general view. Hull stripes done, antifouling (Micron 77 black) on, swim platform in foreground (the platform goes to Ipswich on a separate lorry and gets attached to boat there

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Below are saloon shots. Looks quite unfinished because it’s missing its sofas – I visited MJ last week also, and saw them being made – but as soon as they’re in it’s done. All the details like the window blinds are installed
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This is the lighting and TV control in saloon (perhaps I should have Crestron-ed it!)
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Pic below is one of the elec distrib panels, and the top section has several cable ducts with string to thread new cables
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Below is galley and internal stairs. The stairs still need their wooden treads so you don’t get the final look in these pics but the ergonomics of them are very good and I’m very pleased with them. Banister still to install
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Master cabin bathroom. This is lovely. Really pleased with the custom touches in here, tiling at end of shower, villeroy+boch sanitaryware and different design of the bar unit to cover the stabiliser fin mechanism
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Master cab walkin wardrobe below
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Master bedroom custom bureau is the first pic below. Again, I am very pleased with this. The second pic below is the standard design, and I asked Fairline to remove the curves and make the drawers wider; this is a good example of how Fairline will go to considerable lengths on furniture customisation
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Master cabin generally below
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That’s nearly 20. Continued in next post…
 
…Continuing from previous post

Below is port cabin in twin and double modes. The bed slides on s/s train tracks, and as it does so it reveals another bedside table unit
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Stbd twin cabin is below
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I didn’t get any pics of forward cabin. Below is one of the guest shower rooms (full of carpet at the moment!)
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Below is a random bilge shot. Elec seacock in blue box. All pipes labelled
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Flybridge. Dash 100% finished as it now has the perspex lip screen along the top. The sunbrella cvolour is a darker brown as I was bored with the beige. Looks ok I think/hope
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Engine room
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Foredeck and lockers for cushions and fenders (4 big fenders each side can be hidden in dedicated fender lockers on side decks)
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Utility room in crew space aft
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That’s it I think. Next pics will be on a lorry!
 
That is absolutely gorgeous - somehow it manages to be bling and a proper ship at the same time. No handhold in the shower though? I'd have thought even something that size might get the occasional unexpected nudge at anchor?
 
Impressive vessel indeed J, congrats.
The tiling on the shower wall is veeery nice. It reminds me of Bisazza glass mosaic, is it the one, by chance?
And out of curiosity, how long did the hull stay in the mould, and up to which production stage (bare hull/bulkheads/engines/...)? Sorry if this was already discussed, I can't remember by heart and the thread is now far too long to browse it all... :)
 
It only seems like yesterday that the hull was being started.. what a great job from Fairline. I always imagined you were looking at January/February 2011 delivery so a great credit to them to customise and incorporate the ...errrggghhhh... JFM-isation in such a short time.

Apart from the fascinating features such as Hydraulic pipes as thick as an oak, that electrical panel etc., the thing that really strikes me ( at least as far as photos allow) is the wood finish and the straight edges/90-deg angles which do look brilliant. Very difficult to imagine the effect when you first wrote about it but very, very impressive from these photos.
 
Wonderful

really does come together now - ER looks fab. Well lit too.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the crew cabin space is different to standard as I thought it looked a bit odd on the craft at SIBS with the bench seat with buggar all head room.


I hope it floats!
 
I did wonder about the electric sea-cocks, pleased to see you have manual as well.

I like many others, have been watching this thread, but, to reduce 'clutter' have not commented so far.

Congratulations on job well done, nice to see someone who knows what he wants & is prepared to get involved to achieve that.



Enjoy !
 
Impressive vessel indeed J, congrats.
The tiling on the shower wall is veeery nice. It reminds me of Bisazza glass mosaic, is it the one, by chance?
And out of curiosity, how long did the hull stay in the mould, and up to which production stage (bare hull/bulkheads/engines/...)? Sorry if this was already discussed, I can't remember by heart and the thread is now far too long to browse it all... :)


Blimey MapisM you have an eye for detail! Yes they are indeed glass mosaics, made by your countrymen Bisazza. I've used them before in my house. Those ones on the boat are a colour mix called "Nefertiti", made up of bronzes and blacks. With brown grout. Close up below
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The boat was being laid up for about 5-6 weeks from gelcoat to final layup, then it sat in the mould a further 2 or so weeks. The watertight bulkhead aft end of engine room was fitted in the mould, but everything else including engines and sterngear and other bulkheads were done after pulling it from the mould. Pic below shows it just pulled from mould - you can just see the bulkhead
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