Greg01
Active Member
I am researching an article on buying a used Fairline Squadron 50 and would appreciate your experiences if you have owned or skippered one...good or bad.
FAIRLINE SQUADRON 50.... YOUR FEED BACK APPRECIATED.
- Thread starter Greg01
- Start date
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Hi Greg, I have worked on one recently, to be fair it was the older 47 but its the same boat without the longer bathing platform.
Would say that there a good boat for the money no doubt as there getting on a bit you can get a lot of boat for the money compared to buying a new boat thats a hell of a lot smaller for the same money that will go on to depreciate vastly, I would have thought that about 10 years old now they would have levelled off and well balanced financially.
However some on this forum were saying that big old shaft drive 50 footers no body wants.
Look at it this way, 200k mr family man or boater who likes to take friends regularly cant really go wrong, my client lives on his!.
Three good cabins coupled with heads that sport a bidet! in one if not both, usuall quality fairline finish to grp mouldings, linings and excellent engineering after all these years.
Good size master ensuite cabin with stb guest cabin ensuite with bidet, wardrobe etc. port cabin side by side beds not bunks as in more costly phantom 46 and loads of floor space.
Galley up position with plenty of space and full 4 ring cooker, slightly smaller than I would expect saloon seating, semi circular facing a range of cabinets for tv and drinks etc, could have done with more seating, maybe it was an option? dont know.
Good cockpit with teak laid, good ladder to fly with good seating and sun bed etc.
Engineering, well the genny is placed and must have been fitted before the main engines went in, poor acess for servicing.
This one sport the best engine option, TAMD 122 volvos 12 litres or pure simplicity! very low revving high torque and no doubt good mpg for the size of the boat, cant fault the installation, you can get to everything no problem, including the stb engine raw water pump impeller, the gearboxes and shafts are massive, the engines are flat out at 2200rpm so there never going to break unless you do something stupid like run them out of water or oil, and thats down to neglect, this one had micro commanders and the only fault was they are not wired correctly as I found out when I started the stb engine, luckily I felt the boat move forward before it caught and fired after the filter change, it was in gear and flat out!, no doubt it would have taken the pontoon with it, had it fired the upper helm control was in gear flat out due to a cushion being blown on to it . Normally the start switch wiring is wired through the micro commander computer box to inhibit in gear starts, however some cowboy fitted these and after an inspection had bypassed the switch.
This boat also has an aft cabin fit out that has a washer/dryer in it.
All in a good boat for the money at 16 tons no doubt its an excellent sea boat from the olly design team, bet the hulls virtually the same profile under the skin in todays squadrons.
Would say that there a good boat for the money no doubt as there getting on a bit you can get a lot of boat for the money compared to buying a new boat thats a hell of a lot smaller for the same money that will go on to depreciate vastly, I would have thought that about 10 years old now they would have levelled off and well balanced financially.
However some on this forum were saying that big old shaft drive 50 footers no body wants.
Look at it this way, 200k mr family man or boater who likes to take friends regularly cant really go wrong, my client lives on his!.
Three good cabins coupled with heads that sport a bidet! in one if not both, usuall quality fairline finish to grp mouldings, linings and excellent engineering after all these years.
Good size master ensuite cabin with stb guest cabin ensuite with bidet, wardrobe etc. port cabin side by side beds not bunks as in more costly phantom 46 and loads of floor space.
Galley up position with plenty of space and full 4 ring cooker, slightly smaller than I would expect saloon seating, semi circular facing a range of cabinets for tv and drinks etc, could have done with more seating, maybe it was an option? dont know.
Good cockpit with teak laid, good ladder to fly with good seating and sun bed etc.
Engineering, well the genny is placed and must have been fitted before the main engines went in, poor acess for servicing.
This one sport the best engine option, TAMD 122 volvos 12 litres or pure simplicity! very low revving high torque and no doubt good mpg for the size of the boat, cant fault the installation, you can get to everything no problem, including the stb engine raw water pump impeller, the gearboxes and shafts are massive, the engines are flat out at 2200rpm so there never going to break unless you do something stupid like run them out of water or oil, and thats down to neglect, this one had micro commanders and the only fault was they are not wired correctly as I found out when I started the stb engine, luckily I felt the boat move forward before it caught and fired after the filter change, it was in gear and flat out!, no doubt it would have taken the pontoon with it, had it fired the upper helm control was in gear flat out due to a cushion being blown on to it . Normally the start switch wiring is wired through the micro commander computer box to inhibit in gear starts, however some cowboy fitted these and after an inspection had bypassed the switch.
This boat also has an aft cabin fit out that has a washer/dryer in it.
All in a good boat for the money at 16 tons no doubt its an excellent sea boat from the olly design team, bet the hulls virtually the same profile under the skin in todays squadrons.
Sneds
Well-Known Member
Great review Paul, wish I could afford one! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
So do I !
scrasie
Active Member
Have you looked at the Princess 480/470. My friend has a 99 480 in brighton marina and he literally lives on it through the week. It is a great boat it ran at about 29knots flat out. Sorry my imput is not as detailed as Volvopauls but anyway just thought i would put it out there. Hope i helped jack.
petem
Well-Known Member
PM sent.
Pete
Pete
Renegade_Master
Well-Known Member
Hi Paul not wishing to hijack Gregs thread but you sound knowledgable, what do you reckon on the Princess 560, same engines 122D's
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Hi I dont know the 560 boat but the engines very well and if services properly will give long service, the one I worked on recently had to have its fresh water pump replaced as it leaked, the 560 like the squaddie is dated, I have always felt that Fairline led princess at times however I personally think its roles reversed nowadays, im not a big fan of the newer style fairlines, sorry if anyones offended by my comments but all the uk builders are really having to build to a price as our uk labour is so costly compared to other countries and when you start taking new uk boats apart to fit extras it shows!.
The 560 is a big boat and no doubt it fits your chartering purpose quite well though probably a bit slower than todays standards.
The 560 is a big boat and no doubt it fits your chartering purpose quite well though probably a bit slower than todays standards.
glenndraper
Well-Known Member
hi Gregg - I own a 59 squadron and she is one of the finest boats on the water IMHO. FAIRLINE ARE AKIN TO THE ROLLS ROYCE OF THE SEA - you can buy with confidence that your enjoyment of the water shall be assured and only curtailed by your experience of the sea. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Renegade_Master
Well-Known Member
"she is one of the finest boats on the water IMHO"
trouble is shes parked next to mine which kinda takes the edge off it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
trouble is shes parked next to mine which kinda takes the edge off it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
PowerYachtBlog
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
"she is one of the finest boats on the water IMHO"
trouble is shes parked next to mine which kinda takes the edge off it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
the Squadron 47/50 & 56/59 are still among the best looking Fairline ever made....
as for the seakeeping it is a good boat but I am not so impressed by it seakindliness, she suffers a bit a high ride on the water, and she does bump a bit with 1 metre plus waves altough a very dry boat
certainly the 56/59 is among the best Fairline ever made but then thats another boat
"she is one of the finest boats on the water IMHO"
trouble is shes parked next to mine which kinda takes the edge off it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
the Squadron 47/50 & 56/59 are still among the best looking Fairline ever made....
as for the seakeeping it is a good boat but I am not so impressed by it seakindliness, she suffers a bit a high ride on the water, and she does bump a bit with 1 metre plus waves altough a very dry boat
certainly the 56/59 is among the best Fairline ever made but then thats another boat
djefabs
Well-Known Member
Of course I am going to be biased but I also consider the Squadron 56/59 to be one of the most classic looking boats. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I have always been very impressed with it's sea keeping and have always felt very safe in some considerable seas. I find that if you trim the bow down 60/70% she will push through waves to 1 meter plus waves without 'slamming'
I did bring the boat home across the Bay of Biscay in March 2007 without incident but did get a bit wet from time to time. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I have always been very impressed with it's sea keeping and have always felt very safe in some considerable seas. I find that if you trim the bow down 60/70% she will push through waves to 1 meter plus waves without 'slamming'
I did bring the boat home across the Bay of Biscay in March 2007 without incident but did get a bit wet from time to time. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Renegade_Master
Well-Known Member
across or ..........round a bit maybe Derek :~)
djefabs
Well-Known Member
Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Gijon to La Rochelle
Gijon to La Rochelle
RogerRat
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
Blimey - that's not wot you told all us lot at the Woki'nam meet.
Crikey Clive, well caught. He's been dining out on that for months! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well OK across a bit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
Blimey - that's not wot you told all us lot at the Woki'nam meet.
Crikey Clive, well caught. He's been dining out on that for months! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I did bring the boat home across the Bay of Biscay in March 2007 without incident but did get a bit wet from time to time.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well maybe you fancy helping get a Princess back the other way - Yep - its official now.
The house is now cleared and I'm typing on the last thing to go. Our house move to Devon starts first thing in the morning. I'll post more details on the boat in a week or so when we get our new internet connection.
Mike
I did bring the boat home across the Bay of Biscay in March 2007 without incident but did get a bit wet from time to time.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well maybe you fancy helping get a Princess back the other way - Yep - its official now.
The house is now cleared and I'm typing on the last thing to go. Our house move to Devon starts first thing in the morning. I'll post more details on the boat in a week or so when we get our new internet connection.
Mike
Other threads that may be of interest
