fpb sailboat

New Dashew Go-Anywhere Motor Yacht FPB 130

• Inspiration

Related News

Popular news this week, popular news this month, latest news.

• Yacht Charter & Superyacht News >

Written by Zuzana Bednarova

The all-new 40-metre motor yacht FPB 130 represents the latest and the largest ever design unveiled by Steve Dashew . Boasting maximum reliability and minimum maintenance, superyacht FPB 130 concept reduces crew requirement, while expanding where, when, as well as how comfortably you can cruise.

New 40m superyacht FPB 130 design unveiled by Steve Dashew

We have asked Steve Dashew about the inspiration behind this design: “ As to the inspiration, the FPB 130 is simply an evolution from the four FPB designs that preceded her .”

In terms of a sea kindly efficient hull form, attention to detail, as well as systems engineering, super yacht FPB130 sets the bar even higher than the four FPB yachts that preceded her.

FPB 130 yacht design – aft view

Launched last year, the Dashew FPB97 motor yacht Iceberg illustrates what is possible in a larger FPB form. She can reach an 11,8-knot cruising speed at 60 liters per hour from a range in excess of 4000 NM, has a six kW solar array, and her owners need only a couple as crew. Three FPB 78 yachts are currently in build, all for prior FPB owners.

As with all FPBs, the all-new FPB 130 yacht has been designed with a double bottom for maximum structural security and massive tankage.

FPB 130 superyacht design

Thanks to her twin 675 HP diesels, super yacht FPB 130 can achieve a top speed of 16,5 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots at 40% engine load. Shallow 1,65-metre draft, mixed up with the ability to dry out in areas of moderate tides, give this highly innovative vessel a unique cruising capability.

Motor yacht FPB 130 dried out

In response to our question as to what superyacht charter destinations would the new FPB 130 yacht suitable for, Steve Dashew replied:   “The answer is easy: where other charter yachts don’t go. Think Svalbard and the ice pack at 80 degrees north,  Greenland’s Disco Bay, or the South Georgia islands on the way to Antarctica . If you prefer warmer weather, then how about wreck diving on Keeling atoll in the Indian Ocean .”

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "New Dashew Go-Anywhere Motor Yacht FPB 130".

• Charity & Fund Raising
• CharterWorld News
• Classic Yachts
• Coronavirus
• Cruise Ship
• Ecological Yachts
• Expedition Yachts
• Expert Broker Advice
• Feature Superyachts
• Interior Design
• Legal & VAT Yacht Issues
• Luxury Catamarans
• Luxury Gulet
• Luxury Phinisi
• Luxury Trimarans
• Luxury Yacht Design
• Luxury Yachts
• Marinas & Harbours
• Marine Ecology
• Marine Electronics
• Marine Equipment
• Mega Yachts
• Modern Yachts
• Motor Yachts
• New Launch Yachts
• New To Charter
• Open Style Sports Yachts
• Private Jets
• Sailing Yachts
• Social Media
• Sports Yachts
• Superyacht Crew
• Superyacht Photographers
• Superyacht Products & Supplies
• Superyacht Refits
• Superyacht Reviews
• Superyachts
• Uncategorized
• Yacht Builders
• Yacht Charter
• Yacht Charter Destinations
• Yacht Charter Picks
• Yacht Charter Specials
• Yacht Delivered to Owner
• Yacht Designers
• Yacht Events & Boat Shows
• Yacht Fashion
• Yacht Industry News
• Yacht Photos
• Yacht Racing
• Yacht Racing & Regattas
• Yacht Safety Equipment
• Yacht Support Vessels
• Yacht Tenders
• Yacht Videos
• Yachting Associations
• Yachting Awards
• Yachting Business
• Yachts For Charter
• Yachts For Sale

Quick Enquiry

Superyacht news:.

Email Your Yachting News to: news @ charterworld.com

The Indian Ocean

New Explorer 40M Wide Bow Superyacht Design by Andrea Borzelli & Sara Berta Architetti

Take a glimpse at NEW 35m Expedition Yacht BERING 115

Imposing 103m explorer mega yacht sea hawk concept, arcana – latest superyacht concept by horacio bozzo design.

Contemporary motor sailing yacht REPOSADO has been delivered and is now available for charter throughout Croatia

A dream yacht charter in the Mediterranean awaits on 65m luxury superyacht ZAZOU

Superyacht ALUNYA in the Mediterranean: the ultimate yacht charter experience on board a Benetti B.Now 50

Explore the Western Mediterranean aboard 27m luxury yacht DANIDA

Brand-new 34m luxury yacht ON TIME joins yacht charter market in the Mediterranean

Cantiere Delle Marche launches and delivers 45m Flexplorer 146 superyacht MAT

Benetti announce a new project: 80m custom superyacht PROJECT IRON MAN

53m custom support yacht PROJECT SEACLUB is launched by Alia Yachts

Hybrid 28m motor catamaran ATALI launched by Wider Yachts

Charter 29m motor yacht SOL SHINE in New England or Florida and the Bahamas

Iconic 126m mega yacht OCTOPUS brings a new meaning to adventure travel with expedition charters worldwide – the only limit being your imagination

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Dashew introduces new FPB 97 ocean cruising yacht

Size matters when owners want the freedom to cruise with or without crew, and the latest model in Steve Dashew's FPB line of ocean cruising yachts has been designed with this in mind.

'People continue to ask for an economical series-built FPB scaled to the maximum size a couple can operate together,' Dashew says. 'The Wicked FPB 97 is designed from the keel up to fulfill that mission.'

With a length of 29.9m, the new FPB 97 has the strongest structure ever offered in a production yacht, a range of over 5,000 nautical miles at 11.5 knots and a draught of only 1.5 metres. It also has fossil fuel independence at anchor, meaning a low carbon footprint.

Like her sisterships in the FPB series, the Wicked FPB 97 is designed for optimal comfort and safety, with proven sea-kindliness, unique heavy weather capabilities including recovery from capsize and robust systems engineered for minimum maintenance taken as a given.

But the FPB 97 has some design innovations too, most notably in her interior which features a 'Matrix Deck' - a cross between a fly bridge and penthouse - and a 'Grand Room' that combines living, working and entertaining spaces. Comfort and luxury are not compromised on the spacious accommodation deck either, where the 7.7m full-beam owners' suite has a walk-in wardrobe, en suite with shower, bathtub and sauna, and lounging space.

The FPB 97 represents a new take on luxury yacht ownership, offering independence, true reliability, ease of operation, a minimal carbon footprint and virtually unlimited options on where you can cruise.

'The FPB 97 reflects everything we’ve learned in 35 years of cruising and boat building, packaged with more comfort and luxury than was possible before, and gives her owners the freedom to travel with or without crew,' says Dashew.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More stories

Most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

The Howorths

FPB – The Concept in Reality

Traditional thinking has held that you need a sailboat to cross big expanses of ocean, and that this be done slowly downwind.

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB JA X-NONE

Share this:

Dirona Around the World

Fpb 781 cochise.

We are interested in all ocean-going power boats, but right near the top of the pack is the FPB series from Steve and Linda Dashew.  We’ve seen many FPBs over the years as we completed our around-the-world run and the first things that jumps out is they are unfinished aluminum.

When we were in New Zealand we got a chance to tour Circa Marine in Whangarei where this boat and all members of the FPB series are built. We were unable to take pictures so didn’t blog the visit, but it was super interesting. FBPs are directly cut from very large aluminum plate using computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting tables similar to those we saw at Metal Shark Aluminum Boats . These boats go from computer-aided drafting system to CNC cut panels and then to a fully-welded up boat with little grinding and re-cutting. Almost all the labor is invested in welding and the end result is precise and, if the welders are good and panels are not too thin, the result is smooth panels with little ripple without any fairing required.

We really enjoyed our visit to Circa marine to see FPBs being built but we had never actually been aboard an FPB at sea. So when Jeff Merrill of Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales , the West Coast Ambassador for FPB , called and invited us aboard, we jumped on the opportunity. It turns out it was an even better opportunity than we understood. We would have happily made the trip south from Daytona Beach to Fort Lauderdale to see the FPB 78 alone. But, in addition to that, Steve Dashew took us into the Intracoastal Waterway and out to sea for a few hours. We had great time in medium sea conditions that gave us a good chance to better understand the boat’s capabilities. Particularly interesting was Steve just leaving the boat to drift in the sea swell while we enjoyed a great lunch on an amazingly stable platform given that we were drifting in a good-size swell. Most monohulls would  yield a fairly unpleasant roll if left to drift in these conditions.

Of course, a day discussing boat design with Steve Dashew is a rare treat for people like us interested in boat design and different approaches to ocean going cruisers. Steve is particularly interesting in that he combines vast personal experience at sea with a complete disdain for industry dogma. Rather than “that’s the way it’s done”, the Dashews challenge nearly every design decision made by the boating industry. With some design features, tried and well-proven designs that have been part of boat building for years is where they end up but, surprisingly frequently, they find departures from the norm that yield a super-interesting product. I think I could spend a week with Steve talking through each aspect of the Cochise design and still not be able to cover the entire boat. It was a very interesting day.

In the picture at the top of this post, Steve is preparing to back Cochise out into a cross-current. He only has a foot or so between the boat and the dock on one side and a fixed pilings on the other. I asked Steve how he was planning to get out without leaning heavily on these fixed hazards. His first comment was he would need to be careful to avoid damaging the dock.  He was half joking, but the FPB really is a big, strong boat.

Above you can see one of the primary design characteristics of the FPB approach to ocean-going yachts. This great room design forms the center of the boat and combines a helm, a massive entertaining area and the galley.  Part of the size comes from it being a 78′ boat but some of the size comes from no dividers and a near-continuous expanse of glass.  The massive glass panels are a real departure from the norm in serious ocean going boats. How can this possibly be safely done?  The approach is actually not that complex. If you want a vessel certified for offshore work, you need it to be strong. But “strong” comes in many materials and, although highly unusual, glass can be very strong if thick enough. Still, even if very thick, glass can fracture on impact and the fastest way to lose a boat at sea is to break a large pane of glass.

The Dashews beat this problem by taking a page from automotive saftey systems. Car front windshields are made with multiple layers of glass laminated together with a material that will flex but not fall away when the windshield is broken. The FPB approach is to use sufficiently thick glass to be offshore certifiable and then use laminated glass to keep the window intact and holding out water even if broken. It’s a creative approach to combining a great view with high margins of safety

The lower helm at the port side of the great room can be folded away when not at sea and, when at sea, this helm position is both comfortable and has a commanding view through 240 degrees. The helm includes an extensive array of Maretron display panels. Cochise is one of the few boats we’ve seen that might have more Maretron equipment on board than Dirona .

In the middle of the control cluster are thruster controls. I asked Steve what he was using for thrusters on Cochise and he said there was no stern thruster and he regretted installing the bow thruster. I said “Yeah sure, you might not need it, but others will.” He said he was told this enough times that he actually did install a bow thruster. But in sea trials, both he and everyone who tried the boat just didn’t need it. Again, I’ve heard that before but in 20 kts of wind, some of us will be thankful he installed it.  He laughed and said it really was so unnecessary that he took it out of service and welded plate over the hull openings. Really? He said “I’ll show you how maneuverable it is once we are underway.”  Later in the trip he drove that point home by taking the boat down a narrow, dead-end canal off the Intracoastal Waterway and turning the boat around with only feet to spare in a 20 kt cross wind.

As amazing as the visibility is from the great room, up above it in the fully-enclosed pilot house it’s truly stupendous. Love that view!

The master stateroom and master shower on the FPB 78 Cochise. Both are spacious with clean and simple design lines.

In the first picture above, Steve is showing the large Victron inverters that power Cochise . We use Victron as the 240V inverter on Dirona . The second picture above is in the engine room looking forward and slightly to port from the back of the engine room. You can see the port side main engine and a bit of the Onan Generator. The main engines are the same as the single John Deere 6068AFM75 that has reliably propelled Dirona for 8,600 hours. It’s a durable and fuel efficient choice. The third picture above is the work room near the bow. Cochise is a big boat so the workroom is incredibly roomy. You can just see one of the central HVAC systems towards the right of the picture.

The first picture above is looking forward and slightly right from the back of the engine room. You can see the other John Deere 6068AFM75 and beyond are large waste tanks for gray water and black. The approach to sewage is unusual where the tanks are above the water line so will self discharge without pumps when the valve is open. Because the tanks are translucent, the level is visible at a glance.

The second picture is back in the forward workroom showing the MarineAir HVAC plant.

In the first picture above, we are looking aft from the front of the engine room showing the port engine, the wet exhaust system, and the engine room fire control systems. The second picture is from the aft end of the engine room looking starboard showing the engine room sink and stainless steel counter with the waste water tanks in the background.

The first picture above is another angle on the engine room sink, wet exhaust, muffler, and waste storage.  The second picture shows the heavily built rudder systems on the FPB 78.

A view from above the starboard engine looking down in the first picture. The second picture shows the Blue Water Desalination Explorer water maker.

The key to happy owners and long-lived mechanical systems is engine room ventilation. The first picture above shows the three large axial fans driving the engine room ventilation system. The second picture shows the Onan generator from above.

James on the starboard side of the boat getting ready to pull in the lines. Steve Dashew is casting off some lines prior to taking us out. If you look carefully, you’ll see the lines are surprisingly light for a 78′ boat. In actuality they are Spectra , a strong synthetic line.

At the right of the second picture, Bill Parlatore is on the bow of Cochise . Bill is the founder and, for many years, the editor of PassageMaker Magazine . Bill now is the editor of Following Seas where he is again focusing on interesting boating topics. We first met Bill at an early Trawler Fest in Poulsbo Washington and we have also written a couple articles for him for PassageMaker .

The first picture above is of the removable wing control station on Cochise . The wing station provides an excellent view when docking a boat going forward. We didn’t have adequate space on Dirona  for a wing station, but really wanted one so we elected to use a Yacht Commander  wireless remote control as our wing station. The FPB approach is a removable station that can be deployed for docking and then taken in when not in use.

The second picture is looking aft down the ICW towards the SE 17th Street Bridge. You can also see the large yellow AB tender with a 60 hp Yamaha outboard on the aft deck.

Cochise has solar panels to maintain battery charge when the boat is not in use and to augment the generator when at anchor.

James is at the helm of Cochise in the second picture above. Steve wanted to get some pictures as we were heading in from sea through Port Everglades Inlet to Fort Lauderdale so asked me to take the helm. It was pretty busy that day with many boats in the channel, so I was paying attention. The first thing I noticed was the boat basically didn’t need much in the way of helm input. Certainly its a big boat so others tended to give it space, but the boat also tracks remarkably well requiring almost no helm input to stay heading in on our side of the channel. It’s a remarkably comfortable boat in close quarters.

On a related point, when having lunch in the light to medium swell off of Fort Lauderdale, Steve let the boat drift which is usually not a wonderful choice for a monohull. They typically quickly find themselves a resting point beam to the sea and rolling heavily. Cochise just drifted flat and calm. We had a relaxing lunch and often didn’t even notice we were drifting in a beam sea. The boat tracks remarkable stably and behaves well even when left to drift.

Continuing the theme of close quarters maneuverability, early on in the cruise I had asked Steve about the bow thruster and was surprised he had concluded it irrelevant and welded the thruster tube closed. He had promised to show me why the thruster really wasn’t useful or needed. In the first picture above, we are heading down a dead end canal running west of the Intracoastal Waterway. The channel isn’t a lot wider than Cochise is long, so turning in this channel is clearly going to require some attention.

In the second picture, you can see Cochise turning in this channel with a 20 kt side wind to add a bit more excitement. I watched the stern fairly closely and we turned in the channel and we had 5 or 6′ feet to give up and Jeff Merrill reported the bow had about the same. For a boat this large, Cochise is remarkably comfortable in close quarters.

The video above starts as lines are cast off and Cochise starts gently backing out of its Fort Lauderdale slip with Steve Dashew at the helm.  We eased out into the Interacoastal Waterway and headed south towards the SE 17th Street Bridge before heading out Port Everglades Inlet to sea. The last time I was on a boat heading to sea through this channel I was aboard the USS California , a Virginia class nuclear attack submarine. Clearly this was a very different experience, but both the FPB and the Virginia class submarines are technological masterpieces in their respective classes. The California is clearly much better armed, but the view from the wheel in the FPB was far better :-).

Scott Flanders tying off Cochise as we arrived back at the dock, with Mary Flanders securing lines on the swim platform. The Flanders were on board visiting with the Dashews for a few days. Scott and Mary cruised their Nordhavn 46 around the world and documented their adventures extensively in the widely-read Voyage of Egret. Over the years we have learned a bunch from the Flanders’ adventure and they influenced some of the features we chose on Dirona . I’ve talked with Scott on email numerous times and it was a pleasure to finally meet them both in person.

What a day on the FPB 78. Thinking back on the day on what was most notable, a few characteristics come to mind. It is a remarkably fast boat, always running at over 10 kts on this trip and, at times running as fast as 13.5 kts. Amazing. The boat tracks arrow straight with little helm input and, more surprising, when left to drift without power or helm input in a medium swell. It was super stable with almost no roll. The boat is strong. Leaning against the outboard pile when coming into dock with a strong cross current running south down the ICW didn’t even polish the aluminum. It’s built like a tank. The great room design never gets old. The massive combined pilot house, salon, and galley is wonderful at sea and even better when entertaining at dock. It’s a striking design feature and its one of the first things you will notice when stepping onto an FPB regardless of the size of the boat. All in all, a great experience and a very educational day.

If your comment doesn't show up right away, send us email and we'll dredge it out of the spam filter.

19 comments on “ FPB 781 Cochise ”

We just saw you on the Delaware Chesapeake canal. You passed the Green Bay car carrying ship. That FPB is beautiful

I agree Cochise is a beautiful boat. That would be Steve and Linda Dashew you saw in the Delaware river. We’re currently in Stavanger Norway.

James: What an incredible experience! Thanks for sharing.

We are in the market doing research on the used FPB 64’s currently on the market, and also considering the N52’s, given their strong record and your excellent journey. A fast circumnavigation is our goal.

If you had it to all over again, would you choose the FPB over the N52, assuming price for a newer 52 and an older 64 is converging and why?

They are both such different boats, that you’ll likely close on a decision fairly quickly. Each have strong dimensions and their strengths are quite different. Spending time on Cochise was indeed an excellent experience and Steve Dashew is remarkably fun to talk to. He’s very deep in every aspect of boating and boat design and yet still always listening and learning. He and Linda are a lot of fun and we had a great day on what is an incredibly well thought through boat in every detail.

We chose our N52 because it was capable of going anywhere in the world, was big enough to be our full time home, was strong and safe, and remarkably good value for a niche market requirement (ocean crosser). We looked at all boats that had those capability back in 2008 — it doesn’t take long since there are only a handful — and ended up concluding the Nordhavn was our best choice. 10 years later, we still feel good about the decision.

Nice report, James. Great seeing you and Jennifer again. Hope to be back aboard for more thorough photography when she is in NC. Will publish in my FollowingSeas blog.

Hi Bill. It was good catching up with you on Cochise. We’ll keep an eye on your new http://www.followingseas.media boating site. If you are ever in the same city as us, drop by and say hi.

James – I am interested in the all-aluminum construction. I would assume hull must be mostly TIG welded? I can’t tell in some of the pictures. Some edges look to be braked or rolled, but I would assume large panels would be welded. Can you comment on how it is contructed in that regard? I know a lot of aluminum chassis vehicles are using adhesives now as well.

The welding units looked to me like Miller Metal Inert Gas welders but I’m not sure I could tell the difference between a MIG and a TIG unit from a distance. For sure it was all CNC cutting, break press, and welding without the use of adhesives. The weld quality is impressive. Super uniform, little warping on the thin panels, and deep penetration on the thick ones.

Could you comment on how quiet the FPB is underway?

Yes, Cochise is a very quiet boat. Partly it’s just a big boat and the engine is a long way away. But, partly due to the positive impact of many engineering choices ranging from good quality engine mounts, thrust bearing/universal joint drive line, well sealed engine room, and good quality insulation. You can hardly hear the engines running.

Great stuff! I’ve been starting to like FPBs almost as much as I like Nordhavns.

In one of the great room images (Blog_FPB_Cochise_4_IMG_2705.web.jpg), there appears to be chords stretched across the ceiling that aren’t in other photos. Do those serve as removable hand holds for passagemaking? Are they stretchy?

If you were in the market today, would you consider an FPB (assuming availability)?

Good eye to see the ropes stretched overhead on the FPB 78 Cochise. They are hand holds. It’s important in large room designs when at sea to have hand holds. These work remarkably well. When I first saw the approach I was skeptical since rope would certainly stretch and flex and non-stable handholds are almost worse than non at all. Surprisingly the approach is rock solid. A combination of synthetic line with close to zero stretch and them being installed super tight makes the handhold feel secure and it ends up working out very well.

Out of curiosity, do you know how thick the aluminium plate of the hull is? In an entirely different application the Alvis range of light tanks such as the Scorpion and the Scimitar (really tracked reconnaissance vehicles) used aluminium plate about 12 mm thick. Getting the welding right seems key to both applications.

When I commented it was a “tank”, I meant that relative to other boats rather than intending to invite actual comparison with an military tank. The hull plating is definitely less than 12mm although the the the aluminum at the Stem is actually far thicker than 12mm. When I first glanced at the stem of an FPB when walking through Circa Marine, I did a double take. It’s just massive and the boat generally does use uses thicker plate than like sized aluminum boats but you’ll need to get exact dimensions from FPB. I may have been told but don’t recall.

Au contraire, In a fleet designed for toughness, the FPB 78 is the meanest of the bunch. Bottom framing and plating are in excess of what would be considered ice class by Lloyd’s rules from the engine room forward: from the 24mm/1″ thick grounding plate, to the 16mm (5/8”) central turn of the bilge and engine room plate, not to mention the 12mm (1/2”) rest of the bottom. The FPB 78 is available with an MCA Category 0 rating, the most stringent standard under which a small yacht can be built. Although the paperwork is onerous for the builder, the benefits in terms of resale and insurance can be substantial

Sorry, I forgot the link.

http://www.setsail.com/fpb-78-plating-thickness-factors-of-safety-and-emotional-comfort/

Thanks for the excellent link: http://www.setsail.com/fpb-78-plating-thickness-factors-of-safety-and-emotional-comfort/

There is no question, the boat is tough.

Thanks for sharing this James! Your photos really helped give a better perspective on the boat than the ones on the SetSail site. Was impressed by the Youtube video of the FPB in heavy seas. Hope you and Jennifer are enjoying the warmer weather.

Yes, we have been enjoying the weather and will for another couple of weeks here in Florida before starting to head north again. Next stop is likely Savannah GA before continuing up the eastern seaboard.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Netherlands
• Inner Hebrides
• Outer Hebrides
• Orkney Islands
• Switzerland
• Chesapeake Bay
• Newfoundland
• North Carolina
• Nova Scotia
• South Carolina and Georgia
• South Africa
• Great Barrier Reef
• Sydney area
• Hawaii and Line Islands
• New Zealand
• South Pacific
• Columbia River
• Northern BC Coast
• Prince William Sound
• Southern BC Coast
• San Juan Islands and Vicinity
• North Puget Sound
• South Puget Sound
• Cascade Mountains
• Secret Coast
• United Arab Emirates
• International
• Gear We Like
• Winter boating
• Other tips & techniques
• Bayliner 4087
• Technology Series
• Other posts
• Location Map
• Travel Digests
• Published articles
• Jennifer and James
• Perspectives blog

Where in the world is Ugly Betty?

After many years of travelling the oceans on high performance Gunboat Catamarans, Bruce and Nora have gone to The Dark Side! Their new project is venturing into the ice aboard the Steve Dashew designed expedition motoryacht "Ugly Betty". Built in 2015, and designed with High Latitude sailing in mind, she is ruggedly built in aluminum, and capable of passages of up to 6000 nautical miles without refueling.

In the last year, we have successfully completed a trip from the US East Coast as far north as Disko Island, Greenland and back. Join us on our continuing adventures. Plans for 2023 include motoring through the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean Islands, followed by a transatlantic voyage to the Azores, British Isles, Iceland, Greenland, and an attempt at the Northwest Passage to Alaska.

Stay tuned here on www.mvuglybetty.com for updates. We hope you enjoy our website.

Subscribe Form

Thanks for subscribing!

• Advertising
• Subscriptions

Circa Marine FPB 64

First, let’s look at the hull. The deep vee, narrow beam, aluminum, sailboat-like hull is completely self-righting in case of a knockdown, bringing some tried and true open water ragbagger capabilities to this motoryacht. Coupled with hydraulic stabilizers and a jaw-droppingly large 3,160-gallon fuel tank, the FPB 64 priority is to get out there and keep going in comfort through both the Doldrums and Roaring Forties. The two inboard diesel engines—a 236-horsepower John Deere workhorse and a 110-horsepower Yanmar “get me home” backup—are meant to keep Riptide underway indefinitely.

Riptide’s owners reportedly put 18,000 miles at sea under her keel and she looks ready to do it all over again. If interested, reach out to local dealer Sail Northwest. Price listed at $2,250,000 at the time of this writing.

Norris Comer

Norris Comer is an award-winning writer and the former Managing Editor of Northwest Yachting magazine. He was raised in Portland, Oregon and got his BS in Marine Science at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL where he lived aboard a 1973 Catalina 27 before moving to Washington and an Albin Vega. He has worked as a commercial fisherman, wandered aimlessly around the world, studied oil spills, and was a contestant on the Norwegian reality TV show "Alt for Norge."

Technology and Elections: Blessing or Curse?

Fall racing heats up, you may also like, 2001 55′ fleming, 1999 66′ forbes cooper/queenship pilothouse, 2022 maritimo m64, 2021 solaris 50, 2018 ocean alexander 70e, 2005 82′ leclercq pilothouse, 1930/2022 vashon navigation, classic 1938 nevins-built sparkman & stephens yawl, 1965 burger 85, 1995 transpacific eagle 40 trawler, leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Privacy Overview

• Berthon Home
• Yacht Brokerage
• New Yacht Sales
• Boatyard & Marina

Your Local Broker, Internationally

Berthon UK (Lymington, Hampshire - UK) Sue Grant [email protected] 0044 (0)1590 679 222

Berthon France (Mandelieu La Napoule, France) Bruno Kairet [email protected] 0033 (0)4 93 63 66 80

Berthon Scandinavia (Henån, Sweden) Magnus Kullberg [email protected] 0046 304 694 000

Berthon Spain (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) Simon Turner [email protected] 0034 639 701 234

Berthon USA (Rhode Island, USA) Jennifer Stewart [email protected] 001 401 846 8404

• The Berthon Book
• Yacht Market Report
• The Berthon Collection
• Berthon International e-Newsletter
• Berthon Scandinavia
• Berthon Spain
• Berthon USA
• Discovery Yachts
• General News
• Pegasus Yachts
• Press Releases
• Solaris Power
• Solaris Yachts
• Windy Boats
• Yacht Sales - Brokerage Yachts
• Yacht Sales Insights
• Blog Category Sitemap
• Berthon.co.uk Blog

FPB – The Concept in Reality.

May 30th, 2014

Traditional thinking has held that you need a sailboat to cross big expanses of ocean, and that this be done slowly downwind. A few trawler type yachts occasionally attempt long distance cruising, but they do so typically laden with on deck fuel supplies, going no faster, and often slower, than sailing yachts.

But what if you could cross the longest stretch of ocean at 9+ knots upwind or downwind, with minimum motion, consuming relatively minuscule amounts of fuel while maintaining a comfortable ambiance, without ever running a generator?

This was Steve and Linda Dashews’ concept when the iconic sailing yacht designers created the ground-breaking FPB 83 Wind Horse.

In six short years of cruising, Wind Horse accumulated over 60,000 nautical miles, with just a crew of two, ranging from her birthplace of New Zealand to 80 degrees north, 600 miles shy of the North Pole.

In the last four years, nine FPB 64s have followed in Wind Horse’s wake, with over 70,000 nm of cruising among them. While these distances seem unusual, one need only reference the historical cruising mileage of the Dashews’ sailing fleet to recognize that the numbers are no anomaly. Of the 37 Sundeer, Beowulf and Deerfoot yachts for which there are records, the average cruising mileage per hull is over 54,000 NM.

The Dashews believe that if you optimize for long distance cruising, the boats will go. This philosophy starts with heavy weather capability and includes high average boat speeds. Both characteristics yield a comfortable and quick passage, while minimizing weather risks.

The recent 2400 nm passage of FPB 64-6 GREY WOLF illustrates this philosophy in action.

Owner Peter Watson is on his way back to his home waters in the UK from New Zealand via Panama, The Bahamas, and Bermuda. The 2400 nautical mile leg between New Zealand and French Polynesia was accomplished at an average speed of 9.4 knots, burning just 19.6 L/5.2 G per hour. GREY WOLF arrived with sufficient fuel left in her tanks for another 3000+ nautical miles. This out of season voyage was primarily uphill with just a hint of downwind powering. Leaving New Zealand on the heels of a tropical cyclone, their boat speed allowed for a much easier passage than would otherwise have been the case. At the same time, the limits of ocean weather forecasting were demonstrated, as well as the necessity of being properly prepared for Mother Nature’s surprises.

Peter Watson picks up the story:

“I have had the experience of sailing over the Atlantic a couple of times, but the Pacific is a whole different world– until you cross this ocean you really don’t appreciate how big it is. With GREY WOLF I am quite confident, but still always treat the sea with a great deal of respect, otherwise it will catch you out.

Of course, on a long passage like this, weather is everything. We’ve learned never to completely believe what a forecaster tells you and to keep an eye on the barometer. The performance polars we had for GREY WOLF, her ability to maintain a consistent average speed in conjunction with the routing software, and the comments of New Zealand weather router Bob McDavitt, made it possible for us to minimize most, though not all, of the weather risks we faced.

On several occasions, when the models varied from reality, the difference was extreme, and you might say spectacularly wrong. I understand now why it’s a good idea to have two weather routers available for a passage like the one we just completed. It allowed us to compare the forecasters’ different views with our own version of the weather, so that we were able to make better judgments on the spot. Bob McDavitt was generally able to look further forward than we could, so as to alert us to possible changes that were on the way.

When we were taken by surprise by the un-forecast tropical storm, being able to get on the sat phone and ask ‘ What the Hell was going on, how long was it going to last, and what direction should we be heading?’ gave us a second opinion from someone with access to a lot more data than we had onboard. There was great comfort in being able to compare notes. I had never been on the edge of a tropical storm and would be very happy not to repeat it.”

Naval architect Tony Jones, a crew member aboard GREY WOLF, comments:

“Whilst in the teeth of the squall we had 50+kts on the port beam with a 3m swell combined, and control remained excellent. Roll control in 3m beam swells was equally impressive, with little apparent roll except on the shortest of wave lengths. With a large rudder and the autopilot set up correctly, control is maintained, surfing with aplomb and with very little rudder input. The directional stability going ahead is impressive.”

Peter Watson:

“We really felt quite safe, a helluva lot safer than any other yacht. In fact, looking at the passage as a whole, I would not like to be out in some of the conditions we had other than aboard an FPB or a British built RNLI Life Boat. The performance and comfort was phenomenally better than a sailboat; and I should say something about the seat, lap and bunk belts on all the FPBs – how many ocean going yachts do you know that have them? In conditions when no one would normally be at sea, they make sitting and sleeping more comfortable, and are an excellent safety feature.

Thinking back, it wasn’t such a big deal. But you have to remember I’d already been out with GREY WOLF by myself in Force 6 to 7, which felt like a 3, so the performance at sea was as I expected.

In spite of making an out of season, potentially difficult passage, our speed allowed us to stay for the most part in conditions that were pleasant. My favourite spot when the weather was nice was up on the Matrix deck on a bean bag seat. Otherwise I was in the great room, enjoying the ride.

The most fun is surfing. It adds speed, comfort, and a thrill. Our top speed was 14.6 knots.”

Another friend of Peter Watson aboard for the passage is engineer Jeff Holden. Jeff reports that all equipment is operating well:

“Preventative maintenance carried out in Tahiti has included a main engine oil change with new filter fitted, raw water pump impeller change, alternator drive belt change and general inspection for wear and leaks. We also inspected the raw water suction strainers and found the almost inevitable plastic bag blocking most of one of them, good job we had both open whilst at sea. All temperatures and pressures have been monitored as we travelled here, we have had no unexplained changes. Even with the sea temperature getting up to 29.7 deg. Celsius, no cooling issues have shown up.”

A recap of the first leg is as follows:

Log: 2442.4nm

Main engine: 259.3hrs, fuel used 5085 litres (source John Deere instrumentation)

Propulsion fuel rate: 19.6L/hr @ average speed of 9.4 kts

Designer Steve Dashew notes that:

“With 5085L having been consumed on this stage 1 Pacific crossing, at their speed and burn rate they have 7000L of fuel left which gives an additional range of 3400 nautical miles on top of the 2400 or so already run. Actually, we would expect a little better than this since they would be running lighter.”

Although the comments so far have emphasized the adverse weather, this was by no means the norm. Tony remarks regarding average conditions on passage:

“Two days with swell abaft the beam giving surfing conditions and a max speed of 14.6kts. The remainder of the time the swell was forward of the beam, generally between 30-60deg off the starboard bow, but on the final day it moved onto the nose overnight before returning to the prevailing 30-60deg off the starboard bow. Average swell height 2-3m. Sea state superimposed on the swell between 1-2.5m. Winds varied from predominant SE through E round to W in the squall off Rarotonga (54kts).”

Peter Watson concludes:

“GREY WOLF is a wonderful boat, capable of great comfort. If the going gets tough she is the safest boat I have ever been in, and her ability to cross oceans quickly and comfortably is what I love best about her, along with the knowledge that she has the ability to be safe if the weather does turn unexpectedly nasty.”

Voyage notes by designer and author Steve Dashew:

“Peter Watson was faced with a passage timing conundrum.  His 14,000 nautical mile return trip to the UK makes it difficult to optimize the entire trip in terms of weather. By waiting for the passage of a tropical cyclone, Peter Watson was able to take advantage of a relative period of calm and relaxed trade winds for the first part of the voyage.

For this approach to be successful, reducing the tropical weather risk to an acceptable level, GREY WOLF had to be able to maintain her 9+ knot passage speed in all conditions.

The un-forecast intense tropical weather system GREY WOLF encountered was an example of limitations of modern forecasting. The bottom line in the ocean crossing weather context is that the models are not particularly accurate in predicting wind strength and direction near frontal boundaries, convergence zones and depressions.

Although the speed and range may seem surprising, they are actually at the lower end of the performance spectrum of which GREY WOLF is capable.”

While Peter Watson’s out of season New Zealand to Tahiti passage is unusual in a cruising context, it is very much the norm for the FPB fleet. Last year, FPB 64-3 Iron Lady made the same trip, worked her way up to the Marquesas Islands, then Hawaii. As this is being written she is heading for Alaska via the Straits of Juan de Fuca, a 2300 nautical mile passage. At the same time, FPB 64-1 Avatar, having cruised throughout the Pacific for several seasons, has worked her way north along the Pacific coast, from California to British Columbia. Recent ocean crossings by FPB 64-7 Buffalo Nickel from Fiji to New Zealand, and FPB 64-9 Orca from New Zealand to Fiji, add to the total. In the next few weeks, FPB 64-5 Tiger will be heading to Tonga, while FPB 64-8 Atlantis is leaving for New Caledonia.

Steve Dashew is the iconic designer of the Deerfoot, Sundeer, Beowulf series of sailing yachts and the FPB motor yacht range. Together with his wife Linda, he is the author of eight books including Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, Mariner’s Weather Handbook, and Surviving the Storm.

For detailed information on the FPB Concept see:  http://SetSail.com/why-fpb-3

For information on the FPB 64 see: http://SetSail.com/fpb-64-theory-reality-2 http://SetSail.com/fpb-64-introduction-basic-specs

Sue Grant at Berthon International [email protected]

Search BerthonInternational.com

Couach Launches New Fast Patrol Boat for Royal Saudi Navy

French shipbuilder couach (chantier naval couach) launched on 19 november 2021 the first of twelve 2200 fpb (fast patrol boat) for the royal saudi naval forces. the vessel is now conducting builder trials. these patrol boats will be tasked with sensitive infrastructures protection missions..

Naval News Staff 24 Nov 2021

Couach press release (translated by Naval News)

This new program comes a few years after an initial order for 79 ships. It reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s confidence in the Couach shipyard’s ability to supply high-performance, robust ships.

The ships, designed and built by Couach, will carry out missions to protect sensitive infrastructure, protect maritime borders and fight piracy and smuggling, once accepted by the customer.

The 2200 FPB is 22.35 meters long, 5.6 meters wide and has a draft of less than 1 meter. Its two 895 kW engines allow it to reach a speed of 30 knots, and a cruising speed of 15 knots, with a range of 600 nautical miles at 28 knots. The ship is equipped with a 20 mm remotely operated gun fitted forward, as well as a 12.7 mm machine gun aft. An external control station is also located on the ship.

Since the start of construction in 2020, Couach has managed to keep the program’s projected schedule despite the effects of the Covid-19 health crisis, thanks to the commitment of all its teams. The production rate will soon reach its objective of one ship per month, with the last ship scheduled for delivery in early 2023.

For Couach, this program implies a workload of several thousand hours for all the company’s employees. Once the vessels have been delivered, Chantier Naval Couach will finally ensure the maintenance of the vessels in operational condition as well as all crew training operations for its client.

Michel CANTELOBRE, Deputy General Manager of Chantier Naval Couach, said:

“The launch of this first vessel is, once again, a great testimony to the know-how of Couach and all its teams. In a few months, the shipyard has launched several military vessels, a yacht, as well as the first NSH1 of the new SNSM fleet, thus illustrating our successful diversification and the recognition of our “zero defect” model by our clients, whether they are state or private”.

Related Articles

NAVANTIA delivers fifth Avante 2200 corvette to Saudi Arabia

Navantia Delivers 4th Avante 2200 Corvette to Saudi Arabia

MBDA Wins Contract To Supply CAMM to Royal Saudi Navy’s MMSC