New Fairline targa 53 gt

Leading on from that Pete it surprised me coming home from Cannes last year that I hadn't found anything new that really appealed to me. I do genuinely believe that the best 50 ish foot flybridge (essentially what I was looking at) in the world is British.

There were a few slightly off the wall boats like the Navetta from Absolute which nearly got in there but not quite.

Back on topic the Princess 49 really is incredible volume wise. The downside is IPS. I say downside probably unfairly as they aren't bad and they do offer some advantages, just not maintenance costs of a pair of shafts.

I've always thought the V52 was a sweet spot in the design line up. Very pretty and good volume.

Henry :)
 
petem said:
Do you know what I miss, the big "shoot outs" that we used to get with the magazines, i.e. Fairline, S/S and Princess models all going head to head.
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Nah, that would be meaningless, without throwing any really good yard in the comparison! :rolleyes:
Bye now, must look for my coat. And helmet, for good measure! :D :cool:
 
henryf said:
.....Back on topic the Princess 49 really is incredible volume wise.....
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Well I can certainly vouch for that. Having spent over 3 uninterrupted weeks aboard our 49 we never once felt cramped or any desire to rush back to the house. There's always lots of discussion about the compromises of creating living space for a certain length but I have to say nothing felt compromised and yet the feeling of space was cherished by all those on board.
 
rubberduck said:
Are these taller boats stable enough, say when caught out by the weather.
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I doubt that stability is an issue per se, but one assumes the taller and more top heavy they get the more they will roll on anchor etc.

It is very interesting at my (sort of) home port of Port Mallorca. There is one long quay as you go in. All the boats are subject to identical swell. The difference in roll of them all is really quite astonishing.
 
jrudge said:
I doubt that stability is an issue per se, but one assumes the taller and more top heavy they get the more they will roll on anchor etc.

It is very interesting at my (sort of) home port of Port Mallorca. There is one long quay as you go in. All the boats are subject to identical swell. The difference in roll of them all is really quite astonishing.
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But given the general trend towards stabilisation, isn't taller/heavier actually a good thing because it results in a slower roll period which is easier to arrest? (No consolation for an unstabilised boat of course - but anyone buying a new Manhattan 52 or whatever for £1m is going to at least consider a gyro, no?).
 
No idea!

I would have thought that the taller the structure ( or more weight) the greater the moment and the more force required to keep it upright?

I agree they are likely stabilised, if the owner wants to run the gen etc.
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
But given the general trend towards stabilisation, isn't taller/heavier actually a good thing because it results in a slower roll period which is easier to arrest? (No consolation for an unstabilised boat of course - but anyone buying a new Manhattan 52 or whatever for £1m is going to at least consider a gyro, no?).
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This is a bugger IMO. Do you really want to go out and always stay with a gyro and genset running. I know these things are silent. But and but and but I do not think it is an ideal World.

What I mean is that gyros where designed to improve stability when the seas are not perfect, at some point we are getting at a point when you need them always on with these boats getting higher.
I had a Sunseeker 57 Predator next to me a couple of weeks ago and was surprised how much it was rolling. Considering its length.

If Henry says an Absolute Navetta was close means it was better, considering that he rates Princess so high up the scale.
Its like starting a game 10-0 with advantage for the opposition and ending 10-9.....
It was only for the battery boxes if I remember well it did not do it.

Its your day Rubber you have the best boat on the block according to Henry, always after the almighty Princess Vuitton.
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
But given the general trend towards stabilisation, isn't taller/heavier actually a good thing because it results in a slower roll period which is easier to arrest? (No consolation for an unstabilised boat of course - but anyone buying a new Manhattan 52 or whatever for £1m is going to at least consider a gyro, no?).
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Exactly Jimmy, I'd be shocked if many of these are now sold without stabilisation.

As I mentioned there's always a compromise, but I'd take the taller looks in return for the amazing amount of accommodation for that length of boat. I'm sure there are lots of differing opinions but for someone who has just spent near on four week aboard I can honestly say the seakeeping felt excellent, far better than my previous non-tall sports boat, I had no problem jumping off onto quays, and at anchor the roll was next to zero. Yes we kept the genie on constantly but surely this is what it's for ? It was very quiet, exhaust below the waterline and we wanted on for the aircon anyway. In places like Formentera where the ferry wash can make roll unbearable we spent several nights at anchor without issue - it was very apparent how uncomfortable non stabilised boats were in those conditions regardless of their shape.
 
PowerYachtBlog said:
This is a bugger IMO. Do you really want to go out and always stay with a gyro and genset running. I know these things are silent. But and but and but I do not think it is an ideal World.

What I mean is that gyros where designed to improve stability when the seas are not perfect, at some point we are getting at a point when you need them always on with these boats getting higher.
I had a Sunseeker 57 Predator next to me a couple of weeks ago and was surprised how much it was rolling. Considering its length.

If Henry says an Absolute Navetta was close means it was better, considering that he rates Princess so high up the scale.
Its like starting a game 10-0 with advantage for the opposition and ending 10-9.....
It was only for the battery boxes if I remember well it did not do it.

Its your day Rubber you have the best boat on the block according to Henry, always after the almighty Princess Vuitton.
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We have had a gyro fitted but seakeeper did comment on how stable the boat is without it. It is there for Nicky when its a little bit choppy.
 
There’s been a hat 52 and the new ( Med premier next week at Cannes ) pred 53 parked side by side in la Nap for a the last couple of weeks .
Oppersite the Priny 49 55 and few others starting to assemble .
Nice Canodos 14 M or is it 15 M ? btw has appeared in La Rague too .Looks a $1M build wise compared to the Brit enterants , which look like they have fallen out of a netto Christmas cracker in comparison.

Anyhow back to the tallness ,yup my wife says they are ugly and out of proportion.
The saloons inc the pred 53 are too far fwd eating bow space and the patio doors at the rear too far rearwards eating social cockpit space .looks like the giant flys ,up the steep stairs are the place to social / eat .

Pred 53 ,s rear cockpit ( no FB here remember it’s a sports boat ) is tiny .
They have a convertible table near the glass and a convertible seat back on top of the tender garage .
At 50 odd ft I don,t wanna be converting anything or phaffing with infills or a unable to seat 6/8 pax without bumping elbows and bums if someone gets up to pour a drink .

Obviously the inside ( the money / sales wow factor is a winner ? ) is massive .
Q that’s not gonna work in the Med ,with outside living ??

You will be shocked by the new Pred 53 .
The gunwales are about the same height as the hat 52 ,
 
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Whitelighter said:
Canados make a 14-15m boat? Wow
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I think he means the Casali designed Gladiator 42. A sort of big day high performance sport cruiser. All made to order machines.
It is that or one of the old ones made of wood. Smallest fiberglass was the 58 which then became 60 and 18m model. Overall length of nearly 20 meter.

I think most latest 13 to 22 meter boats are getting proportions wrong in some way or another and I am speaking for most builders here.
This or I am getting old, and cannot appreciate the rise of the boat-scrapers.
 
Portofino said:
Yes this is the same boat , it’s was next to fuel pontoon ( €1.58 btw / L ) at La Rague last week .
https://www.canados.com/index.php/gladiator/gladiator-428

Did not see which drives it sported ,suspect the Arnies @ Cannes .

The pics are recent I think the hotel beach club is Eden Roc on Cap d Antibes .
Rest all local .
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Yes they sold ten of those last year up until December. Arnies is pricey. I think the stern drive / IPS one was about 1 million Euro.
Pricey stuff.

I think the Sunseeker 50 Predator should sell quite well. It has that vertical look about it but its really competitive price wise and has good space.
Cheaper to the Atlantis 51 at about 750 UK£ ex Vat.

I am gonna give it the best seller at Cannes. Thicks the boxes of the modern boater. Sunseeker have a winner with this one.

https://youtu.be/UoKduV0nM40
 
PowerYachtBlog said:
If Henry says an Absolute Navetta was close means it was better, considering that he rates Princess so high up the scale.
Its like starting a game 10-0 with advantage for the opposition and ending 10-9.....
It was only for the battery boxes if I remember well it did not do it.

Its your day Rubber you have the best boat on the block according to Henry, always after the almighty Princess Vuitton.
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:) :)

I went to Cannes desperate to find a load of unfamiliar stuff that would sweep me off my feet but it just didn't happen. I ended up thinking how nice the (then) new Princess 55 flybridge was which I could have seen a few miles away in Swanwick and the water isn't ten quid a bottle :)

I still struggle with the ostentatious styling of the Sunseeker Man 52 but it does finally have volume inside.

The Navetta was trying to scratch an itch I've had for a while for a trawler style long distance über easy to live with inside but still modern not limited to 9 knots boat. I wish Princess had explored that avenue rather than the R35 which for me is of no interest at all.

Sports boats will always be lower and so potentially less rocky, they also look great but of course don't have the living space of a flybridge. We looked at a V52 before the P50 fly but just couldn't do without the flybridge benefits. For our usage, others will have different priorities.

Boats are always a compromise and I see the Fairline Targa 53 as the ultimate compromise for the sake of visual aesthetic. The master cabin does have issues there's no beating around the bush, to the point where I think you'd probably use the front V and chuck guests under the saloon floor.

Henry :)
 
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