Fairline Targa 48 review in September's MBY

[henryf]

An Azimut 55, which is probably 57 feet long is big enough to look in proportion and has enough internal space to carry off a full beam cabin. The 48 foot boats traditionally haven't been long enough but manufacturers are making it work. Our P50 is only 49 feet long, the P54 is a more rounded solution but at a price financially. 60 footers plus really look sleek but the bank balance will be equally as aerodynamic.

Take my comments in relation to sub 50 foot boats and I think I'm right.

The V52 is a real stunner in my opinion but the V48 is smaller and cheaper. The reason Russian supermodels look so fantastic is because they are nearly 19 feet tall. Vicky who works behind the bar at the Butchers arms has all the same features but at 4 foot eleven in shoes you would have to say she looks a bit lumpy. Stretch her out to 6 foot and she'd be able to dump fat Brian for someone with a much bigger boat

Henry

 

[Richard Shead]

Er, I'm still in July, and not wishing to speed this excellent Summer away ! Can't believe MBY have September edition out already. I assume they are preparing their SIBS stand tomorrow !

The stand is done ready .. Just gotta bolt it together.
MBY is out first Thurs of every month and tommrow is the 1st Thurs so very early ! But yes always the month ahead.

Crazy I know ..

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Er, I'm still in July, and not wishing to speed this excellent Summer away ! Can't believe MBY have September edition out already. I assume they are preparing their SIBS stand tomorrow !

Yup and they're having their office Christmas party next Friday as well

 

[Illusion]

By height I presume you mean free board to the gunwale. The answer is they will have to get used to it. With the desire for full beam cabins and more room the hull has to get taller. As an owner it doesn't actually make things any harder, you just need to develop different techniques for mooring. There is a perceived increase in overall length but of course the boat still fits into the same slot.

When I saw the V48 at Swanwick it was impossible to get a decent shot from outside due to the nature of where it was berthed.

Henry

No actually I could live with the freeboard height and agree this is the trade off for a full head room in the mid cabin. If you really examine the boat, the problem in height is above the freeboard with the coach roof and particularly the arched aft end of the roof. Standing behind the boat you can really see how tall this section of the boat is.
It was quite interesting looking at a V39 and V48 side by side in Swanwick the other day (the V39 in my opinion one of the best looking boats around at the moment). I was really studding the 2 boats roof line area above the side windows and there is a significant amount of black GRP above the windows up to the top of the roof on the V48, which I'm sure is nessecary, but does spoil the lines, compare this to the more dainty V39 roof line and this is where I think the overal problem is with the height of the V48.

 

[henryf]

I don't disagree with you in terms of pure visual from the outside. But step inside and there is a world of difference between the 2 boats. The V48 is simply staggering how much space there is.

Do you want pure looks or internal accommodation? There is no right or wrong answer and long may that continue otherwise boating would be boring.


Henry

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

No actually I could live with the freeboard height and agree this is the trade off for a full head room in the mid cabin. If you really examine the boat, the problem in height is above the freeboard with the coach roof and particularly the arched aft end of the roof. Standing behind the boat you can really see how tall this section of the boat is.

Maybe this is a reflection of the markets into which mobos are now being sold i.e. Far East. Car makers have found the same thing in that size rather than style is the indicator of a person's wealth and for mobos, that probably means exterior size as well as interior. As far as mooring the things goes, the owner doesn't do that so he doesn't care about the high freeboard so long as his boat looks a bit bigger than his mate's next door

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

We have a V52 here, a nice looking boat but still too freeboard high in my book, and same goes for the Princess 54 and the 50 Targa GT.
We have a 50 Targa GT and Pershing 52 next to each other in a local marina and the Fairline is like two feet higher on the coach roof. Now the early 2000 Pershing 52 is not what you would call a low freeboard boat....
If you put some more rounded lines and a nose and remove badge you would say the 50 GT it is one of the old Sealines.

Many new boats are as Italian says Tozza translated as Squat.

I think the real problem is that many brands are trying to sell boats to non boaters, that is why these boats are selling.