sunseeking
New Member
exactly!! I wouldn't want to have a captain when I'm under 60-70 years old unless there's a special occasion that requires me to have a captain with me like traveling to another country or a long distance.
Which flybridge
- Thread starter sunseeking
- Start date
exactly!! I wouldn't want to have a captain when I'm under 60-70 years old unless there's a special occasion that requires me to have a captain with me like traveling to another country or a long distance.
jfm
Well-Known Member
But hang on. Sunseeker is the only one of the big brit beuilders that can compete with Ferretti and the italians at lousy helm ergonomics. Particularly on their flybridges - the preds are much better. The hattan 64 is one of their better flybrs but the fly helm still has a slab of foam bench not proper seats, and space for only one screen and you can't reach the screen without leaning to the front edge of your seat. Downstairs there is room for 2 screens but they are a long way from the chair, and there is only one chair so no ability for a navigator and helmsman to work together. It's a lonely job being a sunseeker helmsman.
jfm
Well-Known Member
Yup agreed. The 'hattan 70 isn't pretty, and the drooping nose doesn't help. Space is not used well either, and it has poor range/fuel tanks (4650 litres compared with the uniesse 5300). I don't much care for the look of the Sq65, and so the best lookers in that group are imho the princess and the uniesse (though neither is a boat I would buy for several reasons other than looks)
If one had to choose the best looker also taking account of the interior, the uniesse is the clear winner, by miles, apart from the urgh helm station
By the way, by coincidence, the background red/orange house behind the sunseeker is Villa Fiorentina. Arguably the best and most valuable private house in the whole world. If you look just above the stbd tube of the 'hattan 70's tender you can see its boat dock. A little private harbour and you drive your Riva Aquarama into that cave-like garage
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MapisM
Well-Known Member
I've never seen that villa, but I'm sure it's gorgeous.
Otoh, I'm not sure I'd want an Aquarama at sea, my back would probably not stand it...!
That's a boat which is more at home on fresh water.
She would fit perfectly in this place, for instance!
sunseeking
New Member
It's probably because sunseeker expected the captain to have some sexy momma with fake breasts sitting on his lap Lol but now that you say that it's the first time I notice that thing about a hattan. The pred is a very tiring boat since you just can't see very well in front of you, the captain has to be very alert all the time.
mjf
Well-Known Member
God thats grim!
The helm seat looks as if its been left on the sideboard.
Have you also noted the number of boats where the Mag compass cannot be used by the helm as its too far away to be seen?
The helm seat looks as if its been left on the sideboard.
Have you also noted the number of boats where the Mag compass cannot be used by the helm as its too far away to be seen?
jfm
Well-Known Member
That would be excellent and I fully approve of the fake breasts
, but here in all its glory is the hattan 64 helm seat, from the square box and slab of foam school of design
In contrast, here are the helm chairs on a similar sized Fairline
You could of course retrofit better seats to the 'hattan, so it's not a reason not to buy the boat if it is otherwise ok.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
That would be excellent and I fully approve of the fake breasts
Pah, thats bloody luxury compared to a Ferretti flybridge helm seat. This is the original seat on my old F46
I did manage to improve it a bit by raising the backrest
You can see the other prob with Ferretti flybridges and that is the low guardrails and coamings which make the f/b feel v exposed. Not a prob in the Med because mainly you want all the cool breezes you can get but I wouldnt want to be helming a Ferretti from the f/b in the weather that passes for summer in the UK
Actually my current 53 is slightly better in this respect but the Ferretti minimalist approach to f/b design still lives on in their current model range. This is the f/b helm from their latest 510 and believe me this is even more uncomfortable than the F46 because the backrest is supported by that metal hoop only and the cushion bends into it
zarathustra
Well-Known Member
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
Be mindful about acquiring any large boat with reverse sheer, aka 'droopy nose' if you intend to voyage in open sea conditions, as they have poor forward bouyancy and tend to dive under waves in heavy head seas.
sunseeking
New Member
You mean boats like sea rays? Do you consider the hattan to have reverse sheer?
jfm
Well-Known Member
Sure it does. Picture below. The 70 is even worse - see MapisM's picture above.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I think the reverse sheer on flybridges is one of sunseeker's styling mistakes. Proper big sea boats just don't have droopnoses - even Sunseeker agree on their Yacht series. But I don't agree with AndieMac that it will bury its nose in waves as a result in any kind of normal use. Sure it would happen in extremis but you'll likely never experience it. You have to be in truly gigantic (life threatening) seas before you need the buoyancy created by the top 10 inches of the hull.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
One of the worst examples (reverse sheer) was the older, late 90's, Monte Fino 55', which they rectified with a later version, by extending the bulwarks up high at the bow and tapered off at midships and called it a 60'.
Even a flat sheer line, no forward bulwark, early Princess P66 when running into heavy head seas (wind over tide, short steep waves driven by 25+knots of wind) at 10 knots wants to spear through the waves, resulting in breaking waves on the fore deck.
I'm happy with the boat in the other running conditions (beam and following), and she has run the gaunlet over some very ugly bars retreating from unforcasted storms.
I noticed with the later models forward bulwarks were created.
Even a flat sheer line, no forward bulwark, early Princess P66 when running into heavy head seas (wind over tide, short steep waves driven by 25+knots of wind) at 10 knots wants to spear through the waves, resulting in breaking waves on the fore deck.
I'm happy with the boat in the other running conditions (beam and following), and she has run the gaunlet over some very ugly bars retreating from unforcasted storms.
I noticed with the later models forward bulwarks were created.
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zarathustra
Well-Known Member
The Pearl 60 is a nice looking boat, at least the pics of the boat look great
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
The idea of the builder/designer is to give better forward vision while underway, and lessen the bow high appearance, I assume.
Where do you intend to use the boat?
The Princess I refer to is the first British boat I have used in our (often fickle) waters, but have always favoured the wave lift and dry characteristics of a boat equipped with a flared ('Carolina') bow, such as the big Bertrams.
Essentially I feel there is too much boat (P66), length, weight and beam from midships aft, relying on a narrow, pointy bow with no bulwarks, for slow lumpy work IMO.
Understanding the boats tendencies these days, we avoid confrontations as much as possible, but in the earlier days waves on the foredeck, running up the screen were far too common, but certainly no where near life threatening or dangerous.
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Kub Cat
Active Member
Interesting comment about the exhaust noise.
Our mkII is one of the quietest boats I have been on.
Kub Cat
Active Member
Almost all my trips require an outing into the Pacific Ocean to get to the next destination.
There is no issue with the nose burying in 2.5m plus seas, or any seas I have been in with a 64 Manhattan so far.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
Wow, a resurrection of a very old thread indeed!
One of the worst runs I made with that boat (P66) was leaving from Sydney Heads, southbound, a big rolling residual N.E. swell and a freshening S.E. blow developing, just before dawn, with the massive backwash as the sea hits the vertical cliffs off South Head to Botany Bay, the essential washing machine experience ?
An exercise in impatience by the onboard owner who wanted the boat delivered home regardless of the weather conditions, but a valuable insight into the less than ideal design of the long, sharp narrow bow design of that era boat, taking green water on the lower helm screen every wave.
Kub Cat
Active Member
Yep, the backwash can be pretty bad so we tend to head quite a long way out to avoid it and also to give us lots of time if something goes wrong so we don’t end up on the cliffs.
Was it the same P66 that sold late last year berthed at The Spit?
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
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