Piers
Well-known member
You could always ask Geoff Wilson (owner Aquastar) for the build details of you brother's new vessel.
aquastar@guernsey.net
Piers
aquastar@guernsey.net
Piers
Silver Dee, mark 2, Aquastar 74.
- Thread starter jfm
- Start date
Nick_H
Active member
Congratulations to J, looking forward to seeing it in Antibes soon.
rbcoomer
Active member
What! Is there another brother lurking and awaiting the purchase of a large boat?
Seriously, that is one very nice boat, many congrats to your bother, a man of very good taste.
Interesting thought, I read that as a hint of a Match III build thread just over the horizon...
Firefly625
Well-known member
very very nice jfm, and I know it will just get better over the winter. Your boat changing regularity has obviously rubbed off on your brother, great stuff.
...Actually, Match 2's getting a bit long in the tooth now surely?
...Actually, Match 2's getting a bit long in the tooth now surely?
DTIM
Member
Great looking boat, looking forward to more pictures. Regarding the 'expanding fleet' I'm still hoping for a Delta 80 custom build thread!!!
Piers
Well-known member
How about a custom Fleming 78 (http://www.flemingyachts.com/fleming78.html) with its latest traditional 'look' flybridge (not the flybridge layout in the pic), or a Nordhavn 78 (http://www.nordhavn.com/models/78/)?
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Coming to a pontoon near you soon mike
Another boat I have to avoid clouting on the way in/out then, along with yours of course
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
petem
Well-known member
Lovely boat, just needs a shiny new name on the back!
jfm
Well-known member
I was expecting perhaps 17/18kts WOT but I saw with my own eyes that she held 19.9-20.1 for a full ten minutes on the GPS. No tide - it was outside palma harbour - and the sea was flat. Ex-owner had diver down the day before to clean the hull and props, presumably because he didn't want it to fail the sea trial. I reckon she has an efficient hull shape and very well done to n that.
Actually I don't think aquastars are as heavily built as the styling might lead you to think: she isn't a heavy boat and no brickshithouse inspired the build. She is perfectly ok, but not ice class. Her layup and general scantlings are in the FairPrinSeek bracket, which is perfectly fine, and getting 20 knots occasionally from 2x 800hp in a 74 footer dragging fins, while also allowing very comfortable D speed cruising (which Silver Dee wants) is very good indeed for a family cruising boat.
Aquastar do plenty of things well, but far from everything, and some things would drive you crazy even if you were only a mild perfectionist plenty of them will be taken out in the refit
A very appealing feature of the design is that the patio doors are kept forward, meaning that the aft deck is huge. This is excellent for outside living and the very opposite of the annoying trend (on Princesses in particular) to pull the doors aft to make a great saloon (appealing at boat shows of course) but tiny aft deck. The flybridge is also huge, with a big dining table. The swim platform is nice and big, for the kids to play on and the garage will probably become a toys+dive centre. As a boat to live on and hang out on she is excellent, due to these great outside spaces. I love the boat and I think he will have a great time on it.
I'll get some pics (drone maybe) at the weekend. Right now he is underway and at the Dragonera corner top left of Mallorca about to hang a right and take a straight line to Antibes. The boat is running very well and he has an excellent delivery team on board
jfm
Well-known member
Hmmm, nope. The build quality is perfectly ok, but no more. I've seen their m/y Trafalgar up close too. I don't think I'd choose this yard to chuck 5 bar at to build a "final special boat for retirement"After this thread it has to be the new Aquastar 85 surely
jfm
Well-known member
Haha - don't dare clout!Another boat I have to avoid clouting on the way in/out then, along with yours of course
Sorry that mine sticks out a bit, being on a corner.
(Not that sorry though!:encouragement
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Actually it would be interesting to hear more of your thoughts on Aquastar build generally because, as you say, they do trade off that pilot boat brick shithouse image. What about the engineering? Sounds like you crawled all over that?
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Haha - don't dare clout!
Sorry that mine sticks out a bit, being on a corner.
(Not that sorry though!:encouragement
Actually I have more of a problem with the Sq78 next door. Because his passarelle is exactly opposite his electricity box he ties his boat up on the skew and squeezes my berth as a result
jfm
Well-known member
The fleming is beautifully built and on my mental list but I'd want to make a heck of a lot of design changes. When they have a space that they cant figure out what to do with, they just stick a plywood box there, chuck a cushion and top, and create a random bench seat that cant be used for any kind of conversation. They really need help with their 78 layout. Build quality = awesome of course
I love the nordhavn 78 and 86, with a custom interior look to make it a bit more contemporary. Could only do this or fleming in retirement (5 yrs for me) due to the time needed to be spent in Taiwan/China
Fairline new 8x is also on my list. That is just vapourware currently but will be very special if they build it. It is nothing like PrinSeek 80-odd footers
First world problems, and I'm keeping my current boat for a while.
jfm
Well-known member
Yes he did this, and Mr Wilson was most helpful and sent drawings etc.
Piers
Well-known member
If I had to choose twixt Fleming and Nordhavn, a key influencer would be customer service. As you know, Tony Fleming sold out last year (or before?) and my experience hasn't been top notch since then. Mind you, the UK Dealer is really helpful, but it's the backup that seems to have faded somewhat.
jfm
Well-known member
Pic from delivery trip. Andraitx/Santa Ponsa area I think.
Flag is Guernsey btw
Flag is Guernsey btw
AllanG
Well-known member
Looks like perfect weather for your brother, John.
BartW
Well-known member
Congratulations !
really nice timeless little ship, absolutely my taste.
6y ago when choosing our Canados, I had a look at Aquastar, but nothing available within budget at the time
and I felt a bit too young for a SD boat
coincidently last week, I dumped all the nice AS brochures I'd got from the manufacturer in the bin.
interesting rebuild project on hand, similar like mine,
except the M brothers probably want all (or most of it) to be done in one winter !?
pls keep us updated
really nice timeless little ship, absolutely my taste.
6y ago when choosing our Canados, I had a look at Aquastar, but nothing available within budget at the time
and I felt a bit too young for a SD boat
coincidently last week, I dumped all the nice AS brochures I'd got from the manufacturer in the bin.
interesting rebuild project on hand, similar like mine,
except the M brothers probably want all (or most of it) to be done in one winter !?
pls keep us updated
