Hugin
Well-Known Member
Hope you’re all enjoy the summer. I can report that here in Central Europe, exactly midpoint between the Baltic and Adriatic the heat is on. So this Saturday – SWMBO away for the weekend and the fan running - I started playing with some out of the box ideas for a game-changing flybridge cruiser around 14-15 tons dry displacement. That’s the class where you will find Princess 43, Fairline Squadron 42, Azimut 45 and Prestige 500. And many more! Not that I could afford such a beast with my current income, but one can always dream.
Researching the issue a bit I was quite surprised by the extent to which Volvo and IPS has conquered the market…. It’s virtually a monopoly, with something like 75% of boats of this type and size from the known European builders equipped with either IPS500 or IPS600. Only Princess, Fairline and Azimut haven’t completely surrendered to IPS yet… and of these only Azimut prefers Cummins over Volvo.
I am also a bit puzzled by the lack of innovation. It seems the best idea boat builders can come up with is to introduce new boat models virtually identical to all the competitors. Only variation seems to be 2 or 3 cabins and the Galley Up or Galley Down issue. The Prestige boats are well known now for their midship Owner’s Cabins with separate access way from the salon above… and hats off to them for that idea. Galeon seems to try some innovative features on their new 500 Fly, but it remains to be seen if it’s just for the appearance of being innovative or if the ideas have lasting merit. Apart from that, new ideas are virtually non-existent.
Anyway, I was getting some ideas about an innovative boat design with….. shock and horror…. no IPS and no Volvos!
Instead I would go for conventional shafts and engines moved well forward to allow a modest down angle. FPT N60 or Cummins QSB 5.9 engines could be obvious choices; both options providing 2x480hp. Upgrades to 550-570 hp per engine (6.7 liter engines) are available from both these engine suppliers.
Engines forward means there’s no space for a midship full-beam Owner’s Cabin….. OTOH, there’s plenty of space for a comfortable aft cabin.
Aft Cabin boats have ghastly appearances, you say? I’d agree with that probably in 95% of cases, but what if the aft cabin was integrated in the sleeker lines we have become accustomed to from builders of flybridge boats around 45ft? I believe I have found a way to do just that, so no one would really identify it as an Aft Cabin boat until they noticed the discreet side hull windows towards the stern.
Moving forward to the lower accommodation deck, there will be space for a decent Owner’s Cabin in the bow, followed by 2 heads (starboard and port)… one of these obviously ensuite. Aft of the heads a twin cabin is shoe-horned in to starboard and a single cabin to port. The galley will be in the salon. I write shoe-horn, but in reality the fit will be no tighter than what is commonly seen. Especially the Italians don't seem reluctant to squeeze in a pair of bunk beds where others would think twice before specifying an extra closet.
Hold on….! That’s 4 cabins in total! Most of the current production boats in this class only have 2 cabins.... max 3 cabins.
Yep, that’s correct, 4 cabins with total 8 berths (a double and a single in the large aft cabin). The charter market would probably love such a set up allowing for 3 couples and a paid captain to all enjoy some comfort and privacy. Private owners could opt for a practical utility room in lieu of the single cabin ad still have 6-7 berths in 3 cabins. Or the twin cabin could become an office/study with a single fold down berth. Or both! Flexibility abounds!
The aft cockpit will be more like a lounging area; the starboard half of the deck slightly - but only slightly - raised due to the cabin below and with a low set corner settee… not bench type seating. This means outdoor dining moves somewhere else…. Either to the fly bridge (often the preferred option anyway) or to the forward deck. Yep, there will be a bow cockpit with adequate seating, a table which lowers to create a huge sun bed and of course enough real and perceived safety to make the bow an area guest actually would enjoy using.
The access to the bow cockpit would be via sliding side doors from the salon. One next to the lower helm station and the other to port…..opposite of the helm. These sliding doors would be similar to what is seen on a Jeanneau NC11 to name just an example. From there deep and wide side decks lead forward to the bow cockpit. The side decks leading aft could on the other hand be reduced to the narrowest possible. They will not be needed for traffic, only for placing fenders and maybe the odd emergency, so reducing their width provides extra width both in the salon and on the flybridge.
The salon could have space enough for a good sized galley to port; a larger than normal dinette (seating up to 8 people) to starboard, a double helm seat, stairs leading down to the aft cabin and even a small breakfast dinette for 2 people to port. Sounds too ambitious..?
Well, I think it’s doable; the salon will be circa 16 sq.m total, which is only about 1 sq.m. less than the Prestige 500… the current space champion in this weight class.
This is all hypothetical of course….. But I would be interested to hear from the many owners of flybridge boats around this size… and there seems to be quite many on here….. Are my thoughts completely bonkers or do some of them have merits? Hope some of you will play in the summer heat.
Researching the issue a bit I was quite surprised by the extent to which Volvo and IPS has conquered the market…. It’s virtually a monopoly, with something like 75% of boats of this type and size from the known European builders equipped with either IPS500 or IPS600. Only Princess, Fairline and Azimut haven’t completely surrendered to IPS yet… and of these only Azimut prefers Cummins over Volvo.
I am also a bit puzzled by the lack of innovation. It seems the best idea boat builders can come up with is to introduce new boat models virtually identical to all the competitors. Only variation seems to be 2 or 3 cabins and the Galley Up or Galley Down issue. The Prestige boats are well known now for their midship Owner’s Cabins with separate access way from the salon above… and hats off to them for that idea. Galeon seems to try some innovative features on their new 500 Fly, but it remains to be seen if it’s just for the appearance of being innovative or if the ideas have lasting merit. Apart from that, new ideas are virtually non-existent.
Anyway, I was getting some ideas about an innovative boat design with….. shock and horror…. no IPS and no Volvos!
Instead I would go for conventional shafts and engines moved well forward to allow a modest down angle. FPT N60 or Cummins QSB 5.9 engines could be obvious choices; both options providing 2x480hp. Upgrades to 550-570 hp per engine (6.7 liter engines) are available from both these engine suppliers.
Engines forward means there’s no space for a midship full-beam Owner’s Cabin….. OTOH, there’s plenty of space for a comfortable aft cabin.
Aft Cabin boats have ghastly appearances, you say? I’d agree with that probably in 95% of cases, but what if the aft cabin was integrated in the sleeker lines we have become accustomed to from builders of flybridge boats around 45ft? I believe I have found a way to do just that, so no one would really identify it as an Aft Cabin boat until they noticed the discreet side hull windows towards the stern.
Moving forward to the lower accommodation deck, there will be space for a decent Owner’s Cabin in the bow, followed by 2 heads (starboard and port)… one of these obviously ensuite. Aft of the heads a twin cabin is shoe-horned in to starboard and a single cabin to port. The galley will be in the salon. I write shoe-horn, but in reality the fit will be no tighter than what is commonly seen. Especially the Italians don't seem reluctant to squeeze in a pair of bunk beds where others would think twice before specifying an extra closet.
Hold on….! That’s 4 cabins in total! Most of the current production boats in this class only have 2 cabins.... max 3 cabins.
Yep, that’s correct, 4 cabins with total 8 berths (a double and a single in the large aft cabin). The charter market would probably love such a set up allowing for 3 couples and a paid captain to all enjoy some comfort and privacy. Private owners could opt for a practical utility room in lieu of the single cabin ad still have 6-7 berths in 3 cabins. Or the twin cabin could become an office/study with a single fold down berth. Or both! Flexibility abounds!
The aft cockpit will be more like a lounging area; the starboard half of the deck slightly - but only slightly - raised due to the cabin below and with a low set corner settee… not bench type seating. This means outdoor dining moves somewhere else…. Either to the fly bridge (often the preferred option anyway) or to the forward deck. Yep, there will be a bow cockpit with adequate seating, a table which lowers to create a huge sun bed and of course enough real and perceived safety to make the bow an area guest actually would enjoy using.
The access to the bow cockpit would be via sliding side doors from the salon. One next to the lower helm station and the other to port…..opposite of the helm. These sliding doors would be similar to what is seen on a Jeanneau NC11 to name just an example. From there deep and wide side decks lead forward to the bow cockpit. The side decks leading aft could on the other hand be reduced to the narrowest possible. They will not be needed for traffic, only for placing fenders and maybe the odd emergency, so reducing their width provides extra width both in the salon and on the flybridge.
The salon could have space enough for a good sized galley to port; a larger than normal dinette (seating up to 8 people) to starboard, a double helm seat, stairs leading down to the aft cabin and even a small breakfast dinette for 2 people to port. Sounds too ambitious..?
Well, I think it’s doable; the salon will be circa 16 sq.m total, which is only about 1 sq.m. less than the Prestige 500… the current space champion in this weight class.
This is all hypothetical of course….. But I would be interested to hear from the many owners of flybridge boats around this size… and there seems to be quite many on here….. Are my thoughts completely bonkers or do some of them have merits? Hope some of you will play in the summer heat.
