Defever alternatives

[Piers]

Well, the F55 e/r is definitely excellent in comparison to many other boats of similar size, but even if I'm not a giant I recall that I couldn't stand on anywhere in the e/r.
And this is a very desirable feature in a long range cruiser, imho.

I agree that being able to stand in the engine room would be a great feature. I believe Fleming has increased this over the last year or so, but I doubt it's now standing room. Maybe on the 58...

I'm 6' 2" and for all general work, it isn't a problem for me. Mind you, if I had standing room I'd probably wonder how I did with out it!

I suppose the question is 'what gives to enable the extra height?' Higher C of G? Losing the ability to step straight off the boat onto the pontoon?

Hmm.

 

[longjohnsilver]

That's interesting Piers cos there's almost 6'standing headroom in our engine room, not enough for me at 6' 4" but enough for most, and that's on a 48 footer. Certainly makes working down there almost a pleasure. Another feature I like is is the sea chest (think that's what it's called) which is a box about 2' square which comes up a few inches above the water line from which all the inlet seacocks are fed. It has a clear Perspex lid which can be removed to clear debris, it has probably a few dozen substantial bolts holding it in place. It also has a very substantial bronze strainer flush with the hull. All well thought out, this feature seems to be common on American trawler yachts, do you have one on Play D'Eau?
We should be back in Beaucette some time this summer, hopefully we'll eventually meet up with you!

 

[jimg]

LJS, the Fleming 55 started out at a similar size to your boat.

The first Fleming model was a Fleming 50 and so was only 2 foot longer than your DeFever.
The next model was a Fleming 53 which was exactly the same , but the cockpit was extended by 3 feet. This became the 55 by extending it again. The 50, 53 and 55 have the same layout.

I believe the 55 had a slighter lower engine floor than the 53 and 50.

Thought I would share this photo as it reminds me of my test drive of a Fleming at Chuck Hoveys facility in the USA. He always seems to have quite a line up of Flemings there.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Hi Deleted User,

I will try to be concise...

With stabs, the 55 is brilliant at displacement speeds. One great benefit is the 55's low centre of gravity in comparison to the Nordhavn's higher CoG demaning which in turn demands more effort from the stabs. That shouldn't be a problem - until the stabs fail. (We have the option to run the stabs from either engine).

Fair point, Piers. Standing on the flybridge of the Nordhavn 50 is like standing on top of a double decker bus and you feel like you are miles from the water. I can imagine that if the stabs fail in a beam sea, it could be pretty uncomfortable in the pilot house or on the f/b. Yup, one of the key features of the F55 is it's low profile which I'm guessing is also an advantage at anchor; I've heard that the Nord 50 shears about a lot at anchor due to it's high windage.

 

[Piers]

Another feature I like is is the sea chest (think that's what it's called) which is a box about 2' square which comes up a few inches above the water line from which all the inlet seacocks are fed. It has a clear Perspex lid which can be removed to clear debris, it has probably a few dozen substantial bolts holding it in place. It also has a very substantial bronze strainer flush with the hull. All well thought out, this feature seems to be common on American trawler yachts, do you have one on Play D'Eau?
We should be back in Beaucette some time this summer, hopefully we'll eventually meet up with you!

The Fleming doesn't have a sea-chest which is a shame. Maybe the new ones do, but I don't know.

See you in Beaucette? That would be good.

 

[Piers]

Fair point, Piers. Standing on the flybridge of the Nordhavn 50 is like standing on top of a double decker bus and you feel like you are miles from the water. I can imagine that if the stabs fail in a beam sea, it could be pretty uncomfortable in the pilot house or on the f/b. Yup, one of the key features of the F55 is it's low profile which I'm guessing is also an advantage at anchor; I've heard that the Nord 50 shears about a lot at anchor due to it's high windage.

A Nordhavn on the Atlantic cruise in company a few years ago had real problems when the stabs failed. You may find the article on their website. From memory, the boat was heeling to 45 degrees, but that's from memory so could be wrong.

 

[BartW]

Another feature I like is is the sea chest (think that's what it's called) which is a box about 2' square which comes up a few inches above the water line from which all the inlet seacocks are fed. It has a clear Perspex lid which can be removed to clear debris, it has probably a few dozen substantial bolts holding it in place. It also has a very substantial bronze strainer flush with the hull. All well thought out, this feature seems to be common on American trawler yachts,

is this another version of a manifold / junctionbox for all the inlet seacocs, as "invented" by MapisM on here a few months back,
His version was even more "advanced" as all systems could be flushed with fresh water IIRC.

 

[Robin]

A Nordhavn on the Atlantic cruise in company a few years ago had real problems when the stabs failed. You may find the article on their website. From memory, the boat was heeling to 45 degrees, but that's from memory so could be wrong.

They had it on video so a search of their website might find it. Fortunately they were in company with someone that was able to help with repair.

 

[longjohnsilver]

is this another version of a manifold / junctionbox for all the inlet seacocs, as "invented" by MapisM on here a few months back,
His version was even more "advanced" as all systems could be flushed with fresh water IIRC.

Yes I could easily flush with fresh water if I wanted to. Handy when I used rydlyme a few years back, makes life easy.
Don't think Mario invented the sea chest.

 

[BartW]

Yes I could easily flush with fresh water if I wanted to. Handy when I used rydlyme a few years back, makes life easy.
Don't think Mario invented the sea chest.

interesting!

can you then close the box, keep seawater out ?
in MapisM solution it was a manifold inside the boat, with just two big seacocs

by the way, did you get my PM last saturday ?
I had trouble with my PC / internet connection, not sure if it was send.

 

[MapisM]

Yes I could easily flush with fresh water if I wanted to.

Really? I mean, of course you're right, I didn't invent the sea chest.
But I think what Bart refers to is a thread where we debated the idea of closing the sea chest intake, and fill it from the fresh water tanks.
That would allow a flush with fresh water of the engine(s), genset(s) and also A/C systems before leaving the boat unattended, thus having no sea water sitting around when not needed for cooling.
To my knowledge, there isn't any boat - even the few ones which use sea chests - which give such possibility.
If your does, I'm curious to hear how.
I suppose you need some mean of closing the intake at the bottom of the chest, and also a pretty substantial hose connecting the fresh water tanks to it, after the intake is closed...?

 

[longjohnsilver]

No Mario, I can't close the sea chest as you describe, at least not without a lot of effort and scuba gear!