Flybridge Layout Design hasn't changed much...or has it?

Nautorius

Nautorius

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Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

Hi all,

Just been looking at the Princess Heritage Pages Here

[url="http://www.princess.co.uk/pr...w.princess.co.uk/princess-boats-heritage.html [/url]

What strikes me is that in 1973 Princess built there first flybridge and the layout is very similar to the one still used today. Now admitedly they add an extra head but it is basicaly the same.

What I wonder is how did they get it so right at the first attempt or do they spend Zero R&D on layout?. Also are there any radical changes in the 30-45ft Flybridge layouts today by obscure (foreign!) manufacturers?

Just wondering as Sportscruisers seem to have been through lots of changes of the 'Must Have Layout'

Cheers

Paul
 
Re: Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

The changes are often more about style than radical design. Major exceptions however would be the stairway rather than the ladder to the flybridge (probably the biggest single improvement), much longer rear flybridge extension which allows the cockpit cover to be left up and still allow people to sit in comfort on the rear seats (second best improvement).

Nowdays flybridges also have coolboxes, grills, fridges, much better sunbathing capability, built in drinks tables, better seating etc.

On the style side, the radar arch is much lower and the whole design is much sleeker (by current design standards). I think the wind protection has improved as well.
 
Re: Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

Many also have evolved a more "cab forward" design - compare an 80's mid range Fairline fly and the 40 and the bow to screen distance shorter. Presumably gives more saloon & flybridge space at the cost of, er, um, a long pointy bow I suppose.
 
Re: Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

It's difficult to be innovative when the basic layout is governed by 2 great big lumps of metal having to be positioned in the middle of the boat but I agree with you and have said so in the past that the standard layout of most mid size flybridge boats (ie master cabin forward, guest cabin in the middle, galley opposite) is getting v boring.
I do think that Brit builders (except for Sunseeker) have ignored the benefit of using V drives (thats V drives not sterndrives) as some foreign manufacturers do. This allows the engines to be positioned further aft but still retain the benefit of shaftdrive propulsion. With the engines further aft, that leaves more space for accomodation and different possibilities for locating cabins and the galley. Add a cab forward type saloon and you have masses of space. The Manhattan 50 is a good example of what V drives give the designer in that the master cabin is amidships which means it is much larger than a forward master cabin and has fabbo picture windows as well. The saloon is also larger. I saw at LIBS that the new Princess 54 also has a midships master cabin but I think they've managed that with conventional shaftdrives.
I think the big change will come if IPS takes off because this has the same benefit as V drives in that the engines are positioned further aft so I'm hoping that this allows more innovative accomodation layouts on flybridge boats less than 50ft. I think we'll see a lot more change in the next 10 years than we've had in the last 20 years
 
Re: Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

mjf, I believe you are wrong but I will check with Sunseeker and eat humble pie if necessary. Btw I am talking about V drives as in photo below NOT sterndrives

DSCN0690001.jpg
 
Re: Flybridge Layout Design hasn\'t changed much...or has it?

Get your Knife & Fork ready - I know these boats as I am interested in buying. I too was curious how they got a full width master suite in a 50ft hull.


Earlier Manhattens did indeed use the V drives as you show.
 
Get your humble pie out!

Sunseeker salesman just confirmed Manhattan 50 has V drives and if you look at the accomodation layout on Sunseeker's website you can see that no way they could have squeezed that much cabin space in without moving the engines under the cockpit and that means they had to use V drives
 
Princess 54

Its a bigger boat than the Man 50 but with similar size cabin accomodation. Engines are still under the saloon so there's room for straight shafts. We looked at the P54 at LIBS and thought it was v roomy as well but the only thing I didnt like was the galley in the saloon. Pity they could'nt squeeze it in somewhere else but overall a step forward IMHO
 
M50 not V drive

AFAIK it has straight shafts, not V. On the layout plan you gotta remember that unlike virtually all other s/s boats the M50 has a non cantilevered bathing platform. So the transom, underwater, is right at the aft edge of the bathing platform. That's how they get the required length
 
Re: M50 not V drive

According to a Poole SS salesman I spoke to yesterday, it has V drives but I rather think that you and mjf know more than he does. Anyway I am sufficiently intrigued that I'm going to have a look for myself
It does seem odd that SS have used V drives in the past on flybridge boats of this sort of size and decided not to use them on the new Man 50, if that is the case.
 
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