The interior decks of the FPB 97 offer many opportunities and a few challenges. There is an enormous amount of volume, which is wonderful to have at anchor, and we want to preserve the sense of openness that comes with that space. But this is a seagoing vessel. There are certain requirements that relate thereto: handholds, furniture that secures one’s body, working areas that are functional in less-than-benign conditions and is the latter which allows you to enjoyably voyage to those wonderful cruising destinations.

What we’ll show you starting this Thursday, February 23rd, is the result of many long hours at the computer, much dialogue, innumerable tweaks and refinements, along with the input of current owners, the FPB team, and a number of professional captains. We’re excited about the outcome. We think you will be too. See you Thursday.

When we first started seriously thinking about going cruising, the accepted wisdom held that a couple could, at best, handle a 38-footer. A unique opportunity came our way to purchase a beautifully maintained and almost new 50-footer, and even though she seemed almost too big, we quickly adapted to Intermezzo’s size, and were happy to have the comfort of a larger yacht. Over the years we went from 50, to 62, to 68, and then 78-footers, all easier to handle for us as a couple than the previous yacht. Wind Horse, at 83 feet, is much easier for the two of us to cruise on than any of our sailing yachts. We think that will be the case with the new FPB 97.

As we have matured (hate that concept!) the idea of taking crew has been discussed  more than once. Since this subject is up for its annual review, we thought it might be an interesting exercise to share the crew vs. no crew reasoning. Although we will discuss this in the context of a FPB 97, the logic applies to smaller yachts as well.

Let us start by saying we value freedom of movement and privacy above most other factors. So committing to another person on board, even with a yacht as big as the FPB 97, would have to bring major benefits. And we’d want to be sure that, if things did not work out, there would be the option of going it alone if we so desired.

We’ll start with the easy issues first.

On Passage

Being on passage as a couple is not only easier than most folks think, it is also one of the parts of cruising we love the most. There is no other comparable activity we have found that allows us to enjoy working together as a team like this, with little non-essential outside stimuli. It is just us, the boat, and the sea. If the yacht is set up correctly for short-handed voyaging – and we’ll get into this in a minute – the work load is minimal, the watch standing enjoyable, all of which is taking place in a level of comfort we would not have believed possible seven years ago.

Having the boat to ourselves, with no need to consider anyone else’s needs or schedules, eating what we want and when we want, wearing (or not wearing) whatever takes our fancy, with a quiet peace in which to enjoy each other’s company, is a heady combination.

There is a price to be paid, and that is sleep. We stand watch at night, three hours on and three off. During the day things are more informal. The first two days of a passage are the hardest as our bodies adjust to the new pattern. By day four we are in the groove. By day six the pattern is ingrained and we could go on for a month.

But to make enjoyable short-handed passaging possible certain things have to be taken into account:

• There must be a comfortable bunk for the off watch so that sleep does occur.
• Interior layout has to encourage easy communication between the watch stander and the off watch (this was the genesis of the great room concept keeping all functions within one area).
• If the watch stander desires a drink or snack, they have to be able to take care of this while maintaining situational awareness.
• There must be somewhere close to the con where the off watch can sleep when navigational or traffic considerations may warrant a second opinion.
• Sight lines from the helm and galley must be such that an eye can be kept in all directions by the watch stander.
• Systems need to be reliable, redundant, easily maintained, with a layout and set of manuals that encourages both members of the couple to get involved in running the boat.

The FPB 64 and 83 both have their great room as command and social center. The FPB 97 has the primary command center removed to the Matrix deck. When offshore the second helm in the great room will see significant usage. This gives the option of using either the Matrix deck or the great room for keeping watch as inclination and conditions dictate (both have somewhere for the off watch to sleep nearby the helm).

Coastal Cruising

With coastal cruising you trade short hops–probably day trips, with typically more intense navigation and lookout–for that missing sleep on long passages. While you can relax offshore, this is never the case when there is traffic or a navigational issue about which to be concerned. Still, as long as you have the speed to make respectable daylight jumps, and an efficient nav station arranged to facilitate piloting in difficult conditions, crew is not a prerequisite for us.

Speed is an important part of this equation. With an easy 12 knot coastal passaging speed, if you are heading north toward Alaska on the Inside Passage, or cruising Norway, 160 to 180 mile day trips are not a problem in the long high latitude summer days.

Yes, that’s a long day at the helm. But there are two of you, you can spell one another occasionally, and when the hook is finally set for the night, if you like the spot, the previous day’s mileage allows you to relax for a day or two.

Since we design for living at anchor, there is no need to stop at marinas, with their noise, crowds, docking issues, and requirement to make reservations in advance. Our preference is to find a quiet spot and lie to our own anchor. And it is a lot less work to push a button and anchor than to dig out the dock  lines and fenders.

Handling in Port: Side-To Docking

If there is a case to be made for extra hands, it is going to be when docking the boat. However, with the right system of dock lines, winches, and vessel control, we don’t see that there is any major difference between docking an FPB 64 or FPB 97 with two people. But things have to be done right.

From a design perspective, the necessary factors are straightforward:

• Number one is a vessel which handles in a predictable, controlled fashion. The quicker and more reliable the response, the tighter the situation into which you can insert yourself.
• Equally important are the lines of sight from the helm to the bow, stern, and side. With just two folks aboard, the line handler needs to concentrate on his/her job and the skipper has to see well enough to make his/her own judgement calls on distance.
• You need a system of light but strong high modulus dock lines, pre-rigged before going into the marina area.
• An array of self-tailing electric winches for securing and adjusting dock lines with remote control at the main helm round out this list.

If we compare the FPB 97 to Wind Horse, we see several trade-offs for tight quarters maneuvering. The FPB 97 is 15% longer, so a little harder to fit into tight spots. Offsetting this are the following factors:

• The FPB 97 has larger rudders and more prop wash relative to its size than the FPB 83, so we expect even greater precision control.
• There is a bow thruster (Wind Horse has none).
• There are six electric self-tailing winches for docking. Wind Horse has just one.
• The outboard docking platform gives wonderful lines of sight.

The bottom line to all this is a yacht that can be docked in most cases by an experienced couple just as or more easily than the FPB 83 Wind Horse. And if space, currents, or wind makes a short-handed positive outcome challenging? Then pick someone up locally to help.

Here is a quick rundown of what we do to prepare for a docking maneuver:

• Survey the situation. Take the dink ashore and have a water-born and land-based look around.
• Pre-rig dock lines and fenders.
• Double check booms are inboard.
• Arrange with marina to have someone on hand to take a line.
• Double-check chart.
• Review actions to be taken with dock lines. Order how they get secured (usually breast line first).
• Have a backup plan if things do not work out as expected.
• Verify that winches, engine controls, pilot, and thruster are all engaged and operating.

In most cases we simply want to get a single breast line secured on the dock. Once this is done, we can winch the boat sideways, using an electric winch controlled from the helm.

If the wind or current is favoring a certain direction, the breast line will be biased in that direction, so it automatically snugs the boat up parallel to the dock.

If there is no one ashore to take a line:

• Crew stands on swim step, holding either breast line or stern spring line.
• FPB 97 is positioned a boat’s width off dock, or closer if there is space.
• Stern is rotated into dock and crew steps off using either bow thruster or the engines depending on wind and current.

In the image above and below you can see how the flared topsides coupled with tapered waterlines makes it easy to simply rotate the boarding platform onto the dock.

The same feature works for you when coming alongside. You can literally drop the breast line to someone on the dock from the deck, rather than having to scale sideways.

Keep in mind that you are just as comfortable at anchor as in a marina, so if the docking scenario seems difficult, the answer is to anchor out.

Handling in Port: Stern-to (“Med” mooring)

Now things get more challenging. Med mooring crowded harbors, possibly squeezing into a space not large enough, almost certainly with a crosswind, and of course, numerous bored onlookers waiting for a good laugh. If you are going to want  extra hands, this is where they will be needed. But as we found in our recent visit to the Balearic Islands, you can always ask for help from the marina staff. This not so much a vessel size issue as one of hull shape, maneuverability, and deck gear. The FPB 97 has several advantages in this regard.

• Its moderate stern beam (compared to most yachts which carry their max beam to the stern) slips much more easily into the too-small space. Less aim and angle is required as a result.
• There are a pair of powered electric winches aft and forward for use with the twin stern lines and twin anchor bow lines.
• You have excellent visibility forward and aft from the helm, and down the sides (from the maneuvering platform).
• There is firm and precise control from the over-sized rudders and counter-rotating props.

The process goes something like this:

• Survey harbor and docking situation first, then withdraw to finish rigging fenders and stern lines.
• Position off dock with allowance for wind and current. If tight, pick a time, usually early in the day, when breeze  is lightest.
• Drop back with light touches in reverse (in and out of gear), steering with the engines. Adjust to port using the starboard engine in reverse or the port engine to move the stern to starboard. Rudders are on center.
• The ability to stop instantly with a touch of throttle allows you to get close enough for a gentle throw of the stern line.
• The marina crew will then hand the first anchor line across. This is walked forward (or the marina crew will do this for you). The boat is then captured between bow and stern, both on electric winches.
• Secure second stern line, then second anchor, and adjust all four from the bridge with the remote control electric winches.

Although this sounds complex, and is intimidating the first time you do it, by the fifth or sixth equence it will be routine.

Does Med mooring make permanent crew a requirement? We’d say no, although extra help will be needed from time to time.

Special Situations  - Shore Fasts

If there is one operation that is going to demand an extra crew member, it is using shore fasts (securing the boat to trees, rocks, or anchor bolts ashore in tiny anchorages). When conditions are benign, say a tropical island where you take a line ashore to a coconut tree, then it can be accomplished by a couple, if things are properly set up. But shore fasts are usually thought of in the context of places like Tierra del Fuego (near Cape Horn), or Greenland, with cold water, fast work, and unpleasant complications if things do not go according to plan. This is an environment where it pays to think seriously about a younger, more damage tolerant, and fit extra body on board.

Then there is the question of size of vessel. How do you handle a 97 footer in this environment, even with an extra crew member(s) aboard?

Which brings us back to design and specification, with many of the same features that help out in tight harbors working in these more invigorating climates:

• Over-sized ground tackle, putting the weight of two anchors into a single hook, where it is working all of the time, means shore fasts are required less often.
• Having those two big rudders, counter-rotating props, and moderate windage relative to their maneuvering force, means you have far more control over the situation than is the case in many other yachts.
• There are four shore fast reels each with 200m (670 feet) of high modulus rope are set up for fast run out and retrieval. These lines are then lead to one of the six electric deck winches.

We should point out that, although we carry shore fasts on Wind Horse, we have yet to need them in Newfoundland, Labrador, Greenland, Norway, or Svalbard. That massively  over-sized anchor on the bow is the reason.

Dinghy Launch and Retrieval

Although launch and retrieval of the dinghy is a multi-handed enterprise on some yachts, we have not found this to be the case with our boom system. Launching can easily be accomplished by a single  person. Until now we have always needed both of us to get the dink back aboard. With the new system developed for the FPB 97, in many cases we can see a single person bringing the dinghy back aboard.

Dragging a big dinghy onto the beach is another story, which is why we carry our big power dink, and then a second, much lighter (1/4 the weight) rowing dinghy. The FPB 97 has room for two really nice dinghies on the after deck, so we think we are covered for the beach excursions..

Maintenance

We divide maintenance into several categories. First, what the yacht requires for proper operation. With the exception of cleaning the props, the rest of the maintenance is not that much different than the FPB64, with the addition of a second engine which requires periodic checks and oil changes.

Windows must be maintained for visibility and there are more of them. However, these windows are higher, and because they are outside the mullions, much easier to clean than the smaller boats.

Cleaning the outside is a simple hose-off. Nothing else is required. So, although the boat has a lot of surface, this is relatively quick and painless. The interior is another story. You can spend a lot of time wiping down the furniture, cabin soles, engine room surfaces, and then vacuuming. Enough to warrant crew? Not by itself.

Taking Care of the Boat When We Are Away

The FPBs are designed to be left on their own. Our practice is to leave Wind Horse hauled out with someone checking her weekly. The FPB 97 is specified with a system that reports on out-of-range data and/or data that can be polled. So we’d always know battery voltage, fridge, freezer and interior temperatures, bilge status, etc. in which case a crew might be considered superfluous

But we do have to plan in advance where to leave the boat, and crew would give us the freedom to step off virtually anywhere.

Getting Ready To Start a New Season

When we left Wind Horse at Berthon’s in the UK for two winters, we became addicted to their “valet” service. We told them when we’d be coming back, and would arrive to a freshly power-washed, polished stainless, windows cleaned, interior vacuumed and wiped down boat. Very nice.

Then comes provisioning. That can be a large or small project. What we have learned to do is find one or two markets with the types of things we like, talk to the manager about an order for six months of stores, and then have them assign a helper for the ordering process. We walk down the isles, making a list with them, and then a day or two later, a truck pulls up, their crew brings the food aboard, and we spend half a day storing it. All very quick and civilized.

And The Decision Is?

For us the jury  is still out. At some point a combination of factors will tip the scales towards carrying a crew member. When this does occur, it will be for cleaning, maintenance, watching the boat when we are away, and prepping before we return. Having an extra set of hands in high latitudes will also influence us.

But for now, we stay as always, on our own.

Where you intend to cruise, and the ambient weather with which the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) have to deal, is the starting point for the systems analysis and their integration into the rest of the design. The space these take for installation has an impact on structure and interior design, and the power needed to operate them dictates the requirements of both AC and DC electrical systems. Sitting in a lovely anchorage in the Bahamas, or French Polynesia, has totally opposite requirements in this regard versus exploring Tierra del Fuego or visiting Antarctica.

Systems Baseline

As yachts grow larger, the norm is to run the air conditioning all of the time. This is the result of both high isolation, with scant attention paid to ventilation or insulation, and old habits. Once this becomes the MO, you are forced to go with a generator-based approach to power, assuming 24/7 operation thereof. Since you are totally dependent on the genset at anchor and at sea, you end up with two, and possibly a third night generator. If one of the two main gensets dies, then you are going to seek immediate repair, because if the second goes south life aboard will become less than pleasant. But if you reduce the heat load with shading, design in good insulation, and provide for efficient ventilation, a different approach is possible, one that offers a higher degree of reliability, and freedom of movement.

When we started the Wicked FPB design cycle, this baseline systems decision was at the heart of the concept. Taking what we had learned from the solar array research for Wind Horse, and starting from scratch designing for solar generation, it was immediately apparent that we could go a long way towards reducing dependence on fossil fuel.

As the design of the FPB 97 developed we began to see even greater potential. Not just augmenting power generation with solar energy, but becoming totally independent of the carbon cycle while at anchor in many cruising environments. If you couple the solar power with our legacy highly efficient DC-based systems, there is a highly synergistic impact on the total power cycle:

• Coupling solar output with a 2000 amp hour (C-10 rating) 24VDC house bank  of traction batteries significantly extends the period between charge cycles. Since DC charging is a huge power consumer on the genset, the genset can be smaller. In favorable environments solar charging has the potential to drastically reduce or eliminate the charge cycle.
• As the engines each have a pair of 4kW Electrodyne alternators, and there are four 5000 Watt inverters, there is significant redundancy in charging capability and AC power supply  underway and anchored requirements.
• A single genset can now provide power for environments requiring heavy air conditioning at anchor. Otherwise, in many scenarios the genset will see little use.
• Refrigeration systems stay in the same idiom as in the past: DC-based, heavily insulated custom boxes, with evaporators and compressors specified for maximum efficiency.
• Air conditioning loads are considerably lower due to shading, insulation, and ventilation, allowing use of super quiet direct expansion compact compressors. This is more reliable, takes less power, and provides a more pleasant ambiance (more on HVAC later).
• Lower air con loads mean we can still use fresh water cooling for heat exchange with small highly efficient (and quiet) pumps.

Making the HVAC Cycle More Efficient.

In temperate climate during the day and the topics at night, to the extent fresh air can be brought into the boat, air conditioning loads can be reduced and this requirement for an efficient fresh air supply system was one of the driving forces in this design. It starts with the coamings on which the house and Matrix deck structure sit. We’ve covered this topic in detail here, so we’ll just recap for now.

The coaming system is designed to be an integral part of the ventilation system.

It starts with this substantial grill area forward of the house. A combination of water-shedding grill design, and Dorade-style internal structure, make it possible to use this in a wide variety of sea states and rain where a hatch would need to be closed (there is an integrated storm cover for use at sea). This system is used to ventilate the great room.

There are a pair of these powered vents, one pressurizing and the other extracting, for each below decks  living area (four in the owner’s suite). They are almost silent (38dB) and take just a few Watts per fan per hour.

The combination of these two sources of fresh air alone go a long way toward reducing air conditioning dependency. There is also a shading factor at work as well.

Those outward tilted windows are literally cool. They reduce glare of course, and make the interior window covering system easier to use. They also act like built-in shade awnings, enhanced by substantial forward, aft, and side overhangs.

Solar Power Basics

Solar arrays on yachts are more difficult in terms of optimum output than land-based arrays. You cannot easily orient the panels, nor avoid losses from shadowing. But if you couple 19% efficient solar panels with careful design, eye opening results can be achieved.

This starts with having sufficient real estate on which to place the panels. Along with shading considerations, allowance for cooling must be made since panel output is related to temperature.

As you will have noted, we have quite a few of these panels, twenty to be precise. The question is: what sort of output can we achieve in the real world? For information in this arena, we depend on long time friend and efficient energy guru, Bob Williams of SALT in Marathon, Florida. Bob has been installing these systems on land and sea for many years.

The first thing to understand is that panel output varies with angle to the sun. The amount of variation in output is a function of panel type. Panels get hot, and the hotter they are, the lower the power output. So, ventilation is a factor. With the integrated solar design of the Wicked FPB, 75mm (three inches) has been allowed at the front of the lower array with 25mm (one inch) between panels. As ome installations on land often have 50mm/2″ or less and typically have panels butted to each other, we think we’ll be in good shape here. The upper deck has a minimum air gap of 50mm/2″.

The big issue for us is shading. A strong shade line – say from a whip antenna- that cuts across cells, shorts them out. If the shade line crosses the entire panel, its entire output is lost. We’ve done shading simulations with our 3D software, shared them with Bob, and his rough estimate is as follows:

• Of the eight upper panels, four are de-rated to 30% nominal output, and the other four to 85%.
• On the lower array, four are de-rated to 30% with the remaining eight at 85%.
• This adds up to .85 times 12 panels, times 320 Watts, or 3264 Watts per hour. And .3 times eight panels, times 320 Watts for an additional 768 Watts per hour.
• Total output equals 4032 Watts per hour.

The next step is to determine how many solar hours of energy can be expected. Obviously this varies with cloud cover, panel orientation, and the angle to the sun. For our purposes we look at a wide range of possible outcomes. Cruising in higher latitudes, with longer days during the summer months, means longer periods of solar power, reduced only by weather. In the tropics, you often cruise in the winter months, so solar hours are shorter.

Our best guess, and there are too many variables to be completely certain of the numbers, is that there’s a good chance the Wicked FPB system will experience between five and seven solar hours per day.

To convert this to usable energy we multiply the solar hours times the total array rating per hour, or 4032 x 5 for 20,160 Watts, or times 7 for 28,504 Watts. Assuming half the solar array output is used to offset power consumption during the day, and the other half is used to replenish power consumed from the batteries at night, we divide by the charging voltage, and the nominal battery bank resting voltage to get DC amps. So, for the lower output the calculation would be 20,160/2/25 (resting voltage) and divided by 27.8 (charging voltage, this being a 24V DC battery bank). So, 403 amps +362 amps for 765 amps in areas where the five hour solar day prevails. Where there is better sun power, say the seven hours, this figure would rise to 1063 amps.

These numbers sound awfully good! So let’s add a fudge factor and de-rate another ten percent. This drops the output available to between 688 amps and 956 amps per day.

Putting this into context, in the worst case it would easily cover all the DC requirements on the FPB 83, Wind Horse. The Wicked FPB will use more power due to her greater size. Still, with a modest degree of thoughtfulness, in many situations most, if not all, the DC needs can be met in this fashion. And if they are not, at a minimum half should be covered, leaving a long period of quiet with the 2000 amp hour battery bank taking up the slack.

A couple of final points: first is the question of glare impacting people on the upper deck. We are told that the combination of matte finish and dark cells designed to absorb solar energy rather than radiate it makes glare a minor issue, probably less of a problem than glare off the sea surface. In addition, the combination of a sloped array, and seat backs in front should help in this regard.

Secondly: maintenance appears to be minimal in terms of cleaning dirt off the panels. In areas with occasional rain, that is apparently sufficient to keep them clean. Accumulated salt spray will require removal, which means walking on the panels. Bob Williams says that although the manufacturers say not to walk on the panels, it is common practice as long as a piece of plywood is used to spread the foot load to the panel edges.

Here are a couple of solar simulations (from dozens of models) to give you an idea of how the shading works. This set is with the boat in the Carolinas (USA) in June, initially oriented East/West. The time of day and/or sun position can be seen to the left.

Now switching orientation 45 degrees to SE/NW.

Systems Integration with Structure and Interior

With logic established for the systems approach, we then need to be mindful of space requirements within structure and interior. Here is an indicative but by no means conclusive list of items to be addressed:

• DC System: House and starting batteries, cable runs, switch panels, battery switches, heavy duty breakers, fusing, 12V power supplies.
• AC System: Generator, high load inverters, low load inverters, nav inverters, isolation transformer, switch panel, shore power connections.
• Heating: Boiler and exhaust, plumbing runs, fan coils, thermostats.
• Air conditioning: Compressor placement, ducts including return air, thermostats, pump placement, plumbing from pumps, condensation drainage.
• Miscellaneous Plumbing: Damage control, domestic water, sewage (black and gray) holding tanks, water-maker, hydraulics.

Although we have been through this many times, if we know we’ll be working with a specific builder, we get them involved in these preliminary decisions. With the FPB 97, allowance has been made within the structural system, between hull plate and interior liners, to pull the vast majority of the plumbing and wiring through the structural frames. And throughout the interior design process we are continually asking where all this gear is going to  fit.

Systems Room

If there is one the key to a positive ownership experience it is systems space. If there is enough then the boat is easier to maintain, and you are more likely to catch problems early. The basement on the previous FPBs have worked well in this regard. With the FPB 97s we have opted for a systems room between the accomodations and engine space. This area houses batteries, inverters, control panels, black boxes, fridge compressors, and some air conditioning gear. Not only does this afford excellent access, but this space provides a substantial sound barrier between the engine room bulkhead and guest suites.

The entire engine room bulkhead, nearly six meters/20 feet across, is devoted to systems installations. This means that most shooting and maintenance is going to take place out in the open.

Of course there is more going on here than just systems. There is a day head, an extra fridge/freezer unit (30 cubic feet/800 liters),  a laundry with washer/dryer, ironing table, and shelves, and loads of bulk storage. And there is also room for crew, if needed (and those bunks make great storage racks).

But the key is the bulkhead and the room it affords. This will be covered in detail at a later date. One of the nice things about this concept is that the Matrix deck, with all its electronics, is directly above. The many cables and plumbing headed that way have a clean run from here via either of the masts, which are also directly above.

Bulk Storage

All yachts require bulk storage for ship’s equipment used, stores, emergency gear, and toys. There is rarely enough volume, which results in a jumble, with what you really need usually at the bottom of the pile.

We’ve always factored in the bulk storage areas from the beginning, and then made them off limits–except for systems–to interior intrusion. Our forepeaks and basements are prime examples of this rule.

With the FPB 97 the systems room will, in many cases, see much use in this regard, if crew are not in residence. If you just used the starboard side space, bunks, area outboard of the head, and near batteries, you could store 40 or more duffel bags. But the piéce de resistance with regard to storage is the forepeak. We’ve mentioned it in a structural context already. Now let’s look at the volume.

These frames are 1.1 meters/43″ apart. The image is looking aft from the area immediately aft of the self-draining chain locker. There is a substantial “bilge” below the floorboards shown in the image below.

Because of the hull rocker (curvature), the entire bilge drains aft to the bulkhead. If you store items forward of the aft section, they will stay dry. The bulk of the area is over three feet/90cm deep. There is enough volume here to store spare docklines, anchors, shore fast reels, extra fenders (deflated), and a host of other items. This leaves the huge area above the floorboards for everyday  gear- heavy and light dock lines, eight fenders, oars, skis, gale rider, para anchor, and various long rodes. All of the above will fit within the first three frames aft of the anchor chain locker, using less than half the volume in this section. There will be a series of horizontal elements to neatly secure various items.

This leaves more than 60% of total volume left over. A waste? Hardly. You can neatly store deck furniture, cushions, bikes, spare outboards, a vast array of diving gear, the list is  limited only by your  imagination. The further you venture off the beaten path, the more valuable this space becomes. And you have the room to store things neatly, easily accessible, properly secured and protected.

This volume holds one of the secrets to making the FPB 97 work for its owner: offering a level of freedom that only comes when you have the ability to carry the right gear.

Of course there are other areas of bulk storage scattered through the interior. But we assume these are employed for the supplies required for day-to-day living.

Dinghy Storage and Handling

Dinghy storage and handling is another one of the baseline items that must be integrated into the design from the beginning. Our assumption is that two dinghies will be carried. We want them to be launched and retrieved with little fuss and absolute reliability. The FPB boom system is the first step in this direction providing for excellent control in adverse situations.

The booms have fixed topping lifts and pre-rigged control guys, lead through rope clutches at each mast base (shown above), which are simple to use (without the complexity and concomitant maintenance issues of mechanical cranes/davits). The advent of sheet winches which power in and out has made this system even easier to use.

The dinghy shown in these renderings is a Circa fifteen-footer. There is room for two large dinghies and a smaller rowing skip, should the need arise.

We have a detailed post on the launch/retrieval process here. The bottom line in all of this is a rig which makes the retrieval process so easy there is no hesitation bringing the dinghy back on deck, and reduces the risks associated therewith should it be necessary in a rolling anchorage.

Interior Requirements

We  have left the interior part of the design cycle for last, as we believe we have to first understand how the preceding subjects manifest themselves in a new design package. The basics of the interior are, of course, in the design cycle early. But this is in the form of blocking out certain volumes we know are going to be needed. We don’t get into the details until the latter stages of the initial go-around.

There is often tension between what works at sea and what looks best at anchor. The norm is for the latter to prevail–it sells boats to the uninitiated at boat shows. But if you end up crawling around on your hands and knees in the first good gale, or sleeping wedged in between sofas on the salon floor because your bunks don’t work in at sea, the enjoyment of being at sea will quickly fade. We always orient our designs for offshore comfort first.

We’ll be taking a look at the interior shortly. We promise you will find the wait worthwhile.

Growing up navigating by sextant and lead line taught us to appreciate modern electronics. We love radar, GPS, SONAR, and AIS. We are attached to free wifi, and data via cell service. What we don’t like is a hodge podge of antennae strewn here and there. So the farm – as in antenna farm – is on the design priority list during the concept phase, to make sure there is an orderly way to install them all.

There is the usual array of whips (2 VHF, AIS, Weather Fax, two wifi, and two cell). These are straightforward, but the lower radar provides an interesting challenge. If it directs its beam at the flat inner mast wall, that signal is going to reflect back, bounce all over the place, and create false echoes. Hence the stealth style angled plate. This is designed to reflect that energy outward and up, into an area where it won’t bounce back.

There has to be a system to get up here for maintenance and this is where the mast steps come into play.

In addition to these whips and radars, there needs to be space for GPS antennae, as well as perhaps a satellite compass and possibly Iridium or other sat com system. Most of these take a one-inch pipe thread. We’ll weld four of these stubs to the roof perimeter to facilitate their installation.

When it comes to creating a successful yacht for long distance voyaging, you have to start with the fundamentals, and build from there. Get the foundation right, and everything else falls into place. Get it wrong, and regardless of how cool the boat looks, or how much you like the interior, the real world experience is guaranteed to be less than optimal.

We’ve disclosed the exterior of this Wicked new FPB early because it is fundamental to how the boat functions in a holistic systems engineering context. Likewise the Matrix deck, which is also fundamental. Now come the details about what makes possible the cruising dream to which we all aspire.

When we are working up the preliminaries on a new project, the design spiral touches on a series of specific disciplines, coming back to each as other aspects are refined. This circular creative process takes into account the following:

• Cruising speed
• Range at cruising speed
• Draft
• Hull shape
• Structure
• Drive line geometry and propulsion efficiency
• Tankage
• Range under power
• Basic systems approach
• Systems impact on structure and interior
• Dinghy storage and handling
• Boat handling in traffic
• Bulk storage
• Seagoing interior requirements
• At anchor interior requirements

Cruising Speed

We begin with speed and range targets because every other facet of the design affects their outcome. And it is the speed target, in our case the sustainable ocean-crossing speed, that drives waterline length.  This starts out as a non-dimensional speed length ratio (SLR), or the multiple of the square root of the waterline, at which you can efficiently operate. SLR is a function of the distribution of volume in the hull, and the displacement. As displacement length ratio (DLR) drops, the boat gets lighter for its length, efficient SLR can increase. To a lesser degree, as you push volume into the ends – increase the prismatic coefficient – the SLR can also go higher. Obviously, there are other factors like motion, steering control, and heavy weather handling that affect hull shape as well.

As the DLR drops, you have more flexibility with hull shape and a greater range of efficient speeds.

Since we have a long history with powering at speed length ratios well under 100 with our sailing and FPB designs, we can start from known, real world values. We know that Wind Horse has her sweet spot for long passages at 11 knots. Given her 81 foot waterline, this is a SLR of 1.22. The 64 is a little heavier for her length, being shorter a somewhat predictable outcome, and has her voyaging sweet spot pegged at 9.7 knots. That is a SLR of 1.175 with the swim step extension.

As a start, this tells us we can count on an SLR of 1.22 for the FPB 97. But let’s back off a touch for now and say 1.205, or halfway between the FPB 64 and FPB 83. Based on a 94 foot waterline, this equates to 11.7 knots.

There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of difference between the three sets of speeds, so what makes this so important? Simply put, the 17 nautical miles a day gain over the FPB 83 buys you an hour and a half of daylight each 24 hours, making passage planning that much easier. It also buys you additional weather insurance. And with FPBs, the faster you cruise the more comfortable you are going to be in almost all sea states.

Draft

Draft is important in two regards: cruising grounds, and piloting risk. It is a function of the hull, its projections, and where they occur. With the FPB 97 the hull, what we refer to as the canoe body, is  just 42″/1.1 meters deep at full load, based on our preliminary shapes. The stabilizer fins are above the hull bottom. It is only the skeg that projects to the full draft of five feet/1.53 meters.

From a thin water perspective you could have the bow in depth barely beyond three feet/90cm, and with a little angle to the beach have the skegs easily clear.

We should point out that the FPB is designed to dry out on a tidal grid, something unique for larger yachts. That this opens a vast area of tidal waterways to exploration goes without saying.

Hull Shape

With a ballpark length established and a guess at displacement (in this case relatively easily determined), we then begin to explore the hull shape. In order of priority the factors we want to target are:

• Steering control (a key comfort factor on passage, the major determinant in heavy weather tactics, and necessary when maneuvering in close quarters)
• Skid factor (how the hull reacts to wave impacts, by skidding to leeward and reducing heel and rotational acceleration)
• Uphill motion optimization (as long as it does not interfere with steering)
• Stability (so the stability curve has the correct shape for comfort and safety in bigger seas)
• Powering efficiency

Some of the hull design can be done with numeric modeling, trading off various parameters for efficiency. But much of this is based on real world experience, logging hours ourselves and seeing what our clients are doing.

Each of the three preceding FPB designs, 115, 83, and 64, are their own mix of ingredients. The same holds true for the FPB 97. The closest approximation would be a combination of the soft ride of the FPB 64 melded with the relative pitch stability of the FPB 83. Bottom line: very comfortable.

For a smooth ride uphill you want a sharp, deep, entry. But if this is taken too far the bow locks in, and begins to over-steer when heading downhill. Aside from major comfort issues, at some point this becomes dangerous, forcing you to slow down to avoid an out of control broach. Slowing down means more motion as the swells sweep under the hull. And at some point, you can no longer run and must turn and face into the waves. In many heavy weather scenarios this is exactly the wrong tactic for avoiding the storm center.

The bow shape of the FPB 97 is undoubtedly knife-like in plan (looking down) and body section (looking bow on). That it will knife through seas does not take a lot of imagination to see. But it is also very shallow, and coupled with two enormous rudders, is easily steered. Locking in is not going to be a problem.

You are used to seeing lots of reserve buoyancy in bows, in the form of flare. We believe it is better to build that reserve in with waterline length. This makes for a much smother, faster ride, and is safer in heavy weather.

There is flare of course, but this is relatively minor.

What happens forward has to be balanced by what happens aft. Buoyant bows require fat sterns. If you have a fine bow, then a svelte stern naturally goes with it. As the wave passes down the hull it has less impact on a narrow stern, so there is less force shoving the bow down into the oncoming wave by the stern.

If you watch our many videos of the FPB 64 and 83 at sea, you will note very little longitudinal movement. Now you know the secret.

Structure

Structure impacts displacement, interior, systems, tankage and therefore range. The first decision is factor of safety. With the FPBs, we have specified framing equal to twice the requirements of the already conservative Lloyd’s Special Service Rule (SSR). The forepeak area is spec’d at three times the rule, to help with pushing through ice. In addition, regardless of what the rule calls out, bottom plating is no less than 12mm (15/32″) and topsides 8mm (5/16″). In the bow the 12mm bottom plate, normally 300mm/1 foot above the waterline, is 600mm/two feet up. Topside plate is 10mm in the forepeak area. In addition, there is a 25mm/one inch doubler plate 400mm wide (16″) down the center line from the stembar forward to the aft watertight bulkhead. This is a structure designed for a tough life.

Tanks are of course integral. Tank tops are within 50mm/two inches of the waterline. This means a breach of the hull into the interior would accumulate very little water. The cabin soles sit at the specified full load waterline.

Having such high tank tops also creates a substantial volume to be allocated between fuel, fresh water, ballast, and cooling tanks.

How does this manifest itself in the structure? Let’s take a minute and look at the forepeak. This forward quarter of the hull is where the heaviest loads at sea occur, and where the odds are highest of having to absorb impact from logs, containers, ice, or other floating objects. We’ve detailed the basic approach used in the FPB 64 here. For the FPB 97, the approach to bow impact is similar, just scaled up.

There is a huge stembar, reinforced with horizontal breast hooks. The first frame aft forms a collision bulkhead. Note the self draining/self cleaning chain locker in the next section aft.

The forepeak sole shown here is up a foot/30mm from the waterline, with the structure between frames another foot higher. This shortens the topside frame span. As mentioned before, to a height two feet/60cm above the waterline there is 12mm plate and solid structure (called floors) across every frame. This is not for normal collisions, groundings, or even floating containers. We are thinking here about sea ice.

Drive Line Geometry and Efficiency

The overall propulsion efficiency, how good a job the drive line does turning the energy provided by the prop into forward motion, is a very complex subject, not fully understood even today. However, we’ve learned from experience what works and what doesn’t with FPB style hulls.

The key ingredients are:

• Prop shaft to hull buttock angle
• Propeller tip clearance from the canoe body
• Propeller diameter and reduction gear ratio
• Disturbance ahead of the prop by shafting support and protection structure
• Water flow in the after sections of the hull, including boundary layer and propeller wake friction

There are many tradeoffs between these factors, and every time you vary one element it affects everything else. A key facet is access to running gear (flanges, CV axles, thrust bearings, and shaft seals), cleaning around the engine pan, and natural drainage from propeller shaft seals to canoe body center.

The shape of the canoe body in the aft section, how it works with the volume of the skegs, and the flow along the hull and into the props is the most complex part of the design package. There is some science of course, but also a lot of black art, and gut instinct. In the end, one looks at the computer numbers, chats with consultants, and rolls the dice. In our game, at least, the dice are rigged. We know what works on Wind Horse and the FPB 64, and we can infer what to expect in the new FPB 97, with efficiency increases, from a flatter shaft to buttock line angle, held in reserve as a safety factor.

Tankage

Which brings us around to tankage. Fuel tanks are clustered near the center of buoyancy, to minimize impact on trim with change in loading. Fresh water tanks are located either side of the fuel array. Between fuel and fresh water there is an empty space called a coffer dam. Finally, there are two large diesel tanks in the engine room. These provide a simple way to tune longitudinal trim, as well as compensate for heel with or without the dinghy on deck.

You start out with a gross volume, then deduct for structure, the coffer dams, stabilizer compartments, and throw in a fudge factor. We end up with a nominal 5500 US gallons/20,800 liters for fuel, and 2500 gallons/9400 liters for fresh water. These are preliminary, of course, but based on experience we would expect this to be pretty close.

You may be wondering: why so much water if we have a watermaker? Several reasons. First, it is a backup in case the watermaker fails. Second, if we are light on fuel we can ballast the boat with fresh water for comfort in offshore scenarios. Third, by running the watermaker for a day or two prior to making port, we can arrive with full tanks so the watermaker does not have to be run at anchor.

A note on filling tanks is probably in order. Theoretical volume and what actually can be pumped into or out of a tank is subject to several factors. With fuel, it is critical that both filling and breather systems are done correctly, or you end up with a foaming mess and lose 15/20% of capacity. Our standard practice with fills and breathers has proven effective at minimizing the foaming diesel problem.

Range Under Power

Range is based on need, desired flexibility in fuel purchases, and supply disruption insurance. We look at 5,000 to 6,000 nautical miles as a magic number.

That gets you across the really long hauls – Auckland to Puerto Monte, Chile for example – with reserve, and without the use of always dangerous drums or bladders. And it provides enough fuel to avoid having your own plans disrupted if there is a fuel supply problem due to politics.

Range includes a host of variables that are hard to precisely predict. These include sea state, windage, bottom and prop condition, vessel loading of course, and how much air conditioning is being used.

We know that on average the FPB 83 Wind Horse uses  .7 US gallons/2.6 liters of fuel per hour for auxiliary loads on passage. This covers AC, DC, and hydraulic needs. For the FPB 97 we are assuming this will increase 50% to one gallon/3.8 liters per hour. The rest of the hourly burn is for propulsion.

On the assumption that the boat is getting lighter as it progresses, there is a theoretical smooth water range of 6000 nautical miles at 11.7 knots. Drop back to 10.5 knots, as slow as you would ever want to go, and range increases another thousand miles. If you are cruising without the air conditioning, add another six to percent eight percent range to these figures.

Downwind mileage will go up five to ten percent depending on wind and seas. Uphill, just the opposite, with 15% being a good average deduction.

When we talk about the flexibility the range confers, think about the trip depicted above. Let’s say you are in the South Pacific, maybe in New Zealand after sea trials. You have an easy four day trip up to Fiji, and begin to enjoy the comraderie with other cruisers at Malololailai. You are having drinks at Dick’s Place talking about dreams. Somebody mentions bears, then the clam digging grizzlies of Geographic Harbor on Alaksa’s Kenai Penninsula. Suddenly you realize you have dreamed since you were a kid of visiting Kodiac Island and the Alaskan Panhandle.

It is May, the cruising season is just beginning here. What would it take to get to Kodiac? Turn on the iPhone, look up Google Earth, and check the mileage. If you top off the tanks in Samoa, directly on the path, it is less than 5000 miles to Kodiac. Halfway there, if you need a pit stop, sits Hawaii. But the trip up to Hawaii is easy (being early winter in the S. Hemisphere the trades are not yet blowing strongly). By backing off to 11.2 knots you have a 25% reserve for the leg to Kodiac without refueling. You have only been on passage for nine pleasant days, and are well-rested and enjoying the sea-going routine.

When you call Rick Shema, your weather router, he tells you there is a blocking high strengthening over the North Pacific. This occasional early summer phenomenon is indicative of a really easy passage. Stop, kill a week at least, and the weather is not going to be as nice. You have the option of continuing on. If Rick is right, and he usually is, 19 days after leaving Samaoa, 5000 miles south, you are sitting in Kodiac.

And the odds are you won’t be in a hurry to get off the boat. For some real world data on long distance fuel burn crossing the Atlantic click here.

Part two follows.

From Wikipedia: “The film [The Matrix] depicts a future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality created by sentient machines to pacify and subdue the human population…Upon learning this, computer programmer ‘Neo’ is drawn into a rebellion against the machines, involving other people who have been freed from the ‘dream world’ and into reality.”

When the pieces suddenly fell into place for the FPB 97, a key element of the concept was this new deck. A combination of pilot house and flying bridge, it offered both function and ambiance in a different form than convention dictated. There was a synergy between these two elements catalyzed by the use of the astonishingly translucent EverClear windows. The dream of a liberating, open yet protected living space, with superior perspective, suddenly became reality.

“If liberation is possible, it is possible only as a result of great labor and great efforts, and, above all, of conscious efforts, towards a definite aim.”
–G. I. Gurdjieff, philosopher

Consider how the FP 97 Matrix Deck will function. You exit the Great Room on the main deck and the trip up to the Matrix Deck keeps you totally enclosed and out of the weather. At sea, the lines of sight are excellent through 90% of your potential view field, and by moving a few feet you cover the other 10%. You are positioned in the zone of maximum comfort for head seas. When conning in difficult circumstances, you not only have good sight lines, but with some or all of the windows open you are in touch with the surroundings in manner that cannot be duplicated inside. Situational awareness is enhanced.

Couple this high degree of function with the ambiance of a lovely salon, or tropical lanai. The con is central, guests or mate can enjoy the passage with you, in extreme comfort at sea and with astonishing views at anchor. You have the choice of heating this area with the ship’s diesel boiler, air conditioning, or best of all, simply opening some or all of the surround perimeter for natural air flow.

The volume of the Matrix Deck is enormous:  6.8m/22′ by 4.4m/14′. That is as large as the Great Room on the FPB 83 Wind Horse. The layout is well aft and the helm, centered in the Matrix Deck (just forward of the masts) is directly on the projected pitch axis for minimum acceleration and maximum comfort (not that this yacht will feel much going uphill).

The furniture is positioned to provide support at sea, yet retain an open feeling at anchor. Sufficient space is on hand for two groups of guests, should you choose to share your worldy view.

The Matrix Deck is surrounded by an EverClear window system, similar to what was recently installed on Wind Horse. This is significantly more clear than conventional structural glass. EverClears also block UV radiation and hinge open from the outside towards the interior. Cold rainy day, windows closed. Nice day, let’s open them (and if we’re in the tropics maybe they will all be open).

Aside from two separate social groupings, with good circulation, the settees forward are a great place from which to keep watch offshore. They also provide a comfortable spot for the off watch to sleep, close at hand for a quick consultation should the need arise.

The helm is designed for maximum situational awareness during routine periods on watch and when piloting in challenging conditions. The wings on each side provide a convenient location for books, the log, a snack, and serve to hold you in place. The trombone-shaped rail projecting aft from the desk helps to confine your body, and slips forward out of the way when not required.

There is plenty of monitor room: five nineteen-inch screens are shown, with sufficient desk space for the usual dials, knobs, and gauges.

Sight lines are always a problem with larger yachts; often it’s impossible for the skipper to see his/her crew, the ends of the boat, or the dock. This results in tension, occasional expensive and embarrassing operator error, and the use of those crew headsets. There are also issues of ships creeping up from aft, and debris, ice, and small boats close in under the bow. Using 3D models we are able to simulate the view field from anywhere on the boat, and the layout of the Matrix Deck will give good visibility in almost all conditions. And if you are working in ice or debris strewn waters, walk 3m/10 feet forward in the Matrix Deck and you can see within half a boat length of the bow.

The after deck area has many possibilities and with a 26′/8m forepeak in which to store furniture, it will be possible to mix and match between the various areas on the main and upper decks that lend themselves so well to entertaining. The layout above could be called a classic use of this space.

Leave this open and it becomes a romantic dance floor, the perfect location for napping on a chaise, or an overflow sleeping deck for the younger generation.

Need a place to work out? There is room for two exercise machines.

We have specified what may appear as a surplus of grab rails. 99% of the time  these will be excessive. But occasionally, maybe once every few thousand miles, the FPB 97 and a wave crest may meet in just the right manner as to induce an out of sync acceleration which has you reaching out to support yourself. When that happens, we want a rail close by. Notice the double rails around the perimeter. They help in the open areas. But equally important, any time you are seated there is a double close behind the cushion onto which you can grab.

We are uncomfortable maneuvering a large yacht in tight quarters while being blind in some sectors. And the concept of depending on two way comms for distance from another vessel or the dock leaves us cold. The answer is shown above: a piloting station outboard and almost even with the deck edge. This is also a wonderful photo platform.

And will provide a great place to watch ice and debris fields.

Designing, specifying, and building a modern cruising yacht demands clear goals about what the yacht is intended to do. In the FPB Series, as with all our yachts, the first priority is going places (read: crossing oceans) in maximum comfort and safety, quickly, with the ability to operate for long periods away from civilization. Toss in optimization for short-handed passage-making–cruising as a couple should the owners so desire–and you have the ability to go where and when you want, without concern for crew requirements, servicing errant systems, or the schedules of yacht transport companies.

The FPB 97′s ability to be handled by a couple, with or without crew, sets a new precedent for large yachts. The 5,000+ nautical mile range, systems and structure designed for extreme latitudes, coupled with enormous storage capacity–the forepeak alone is 26ft/8 m long, the fridge and freezer have 50 cubic ft/1.4 cubic m capacity, fuel tanks hold 5,000 gallons/18,000 l–gives you the freedom to cruise to the farthest corners of the globe, and the flexibility to choose when and where you re-supply. Add in a highly evolved systems integration, encompassing ventilation, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and an electrical system that allows the FPB 97 to operate off the grid, with minimal requirement for fossil fuel, and you can see what has everyone so excited.

We think of our yachts as tools that will allow us and our owners to venture forth with minimum anxiety, frustration, and hassle and every aspect of the FPB 97′s design, construction, and outfitting has this outcome in mind.

We expect our own yachts to be able to head for distant shores when the fancy strikes (with an eye on the seasons, of course). We expect our clients to have this same freedom. If we are in Marina Del Rey, California on a Monday and decide to visit the South Pacific again, by Saturday we’ll be under way (it takes two days to provision for six months, a day to check drive lines and systems, and we never leave on a Friday). With the FPB 97, ten days and four hours later we’ll be at anchor in Taiohae Baie in the Marquesas Islands, having easily averaged our nominal 11.7 knots on the 2800 nautical mile passage. And we won’t need to think about refueling until Samoa, several thousand miles west (where the fuel is clean and will cost half of anywhere else). We could just as easily be in Florida and decide to head back to Greenland, or make a quick summer’s trip to the British Isles.

There is an enormous amount of data to cover on the FPB 97, which we’ll do over the next few weeks. But before we get into the prosaic information, we want to discuss another important issue: whether or not a yacht tugs at your heart strings. As important as the functional considerations are, we feel that in order to really enjoy cruising you have to be in love with your yacht. Function does add to the aesthetic equation, as does familiarity. But at some point, when you look back at the boat while standing in your dinghy,  we would hope your breath catches. Most yachts, motor vessels in particular, look better from high up. This is why you always see renderings and photos taken from altitude. But those images are not how we see our yachts in the real world. We see them standing in the dinghy, six feet off the water at best. So unless you want a rude surprise, it is better to evaluate aesthetics from the lower perspective.

A second part of the emotional relationship is how the yacht treats you. If she keeps you satisfied, with minimum frustration, then love will blossom. But if you are beset with continuing maintenance issues, crew problems, and schedule conflicts, if you are uncomfortable at sea and counting the hours till landfall, perhaps a little worried about the “what ifs”, then soon there are more reasons to stay at the dock than to head offshore.

We  prefer love over frustration.

In these renderings the camera is 100 feet/ 30 meters from the FPB9, as if in an anchored dinghy, with the FPB 97 rotating on a turntable. Height of the 50mm lens is six feet/1.8m. Being within a boat length with the camera, or your eyes, is a worst case aesthetic scenario.

Move back another boat length and things look a lot sleeker.

And just for fun, let’s assume we’ve got Ivor Wilkins in Auckland out for a photo shoot during sea trials for the FPB 97 (Ivor took the Wind Horse, Avatar,and years ago, Beowulf, photos that are so wonderful). If we were at rest when he flew over, it would look like these images. Not what we see from the dinghy, but cool hanging on the office wall none-the-less.

And since we mentioned our good friend, Ivor Wilkins, we’ll re-post the image below. That’s Ivor’s shot from the Wind Horse sea trials, with the FPB 97 inserted. The reaction of the hull to the sea, and the wake, will be a touch smoother with the new design. We think that is wickedly cool.

The sun has set, the chimes have struck, we dally no longer. The FPB 97, the Wicked One, stands revealed.

It comes across the waters bearing gifts: comfort, speed, great strength, and agility with which to wend its way. Those singing its song leap for joy with their good tidings.

The FPB 97 follows the path blazed by its forebearers, Wind Horse, Avatar, Sarah Sarah, Iron Lady and Osprey, combining their strengths into an entity destined to cross oceans in a manner unlike any other: easily, with but a small band of people, leaving the lightest of trails behind.

As a direct descendant of those mighty ketches of cruising lore, Sundeer and Beowulf, with a history stretching three decades into the dim past, know that this one, as was the wont of those that went before, is destined to break new ground.

Tonight, the fires grow dim, the singers weary. But before we depart you shall be regaled with numbers, preliminary though they may be.

Length on deck – 97.5′ / 29.9m

Length waterline – 94′ / 28..8m

Beam on deck – 20.4′ / 6.26m

Extreme beam to outside of belting (rub rails) 21.33′ / 6.5m

Displacement full load – 135,000 pounds / 60,000kg

Draft full load – five feet / 1.5m

Cruising speed – 11.7 knots

Range (approximate) – 5000+ nautical miles

Top speed – 13.5 knots

Fuel Capacity – 5000 US gallons / 18,900 L

Fresh water capacity – 2000 U gallons / 7570L

Air draft (excluding whips) – 31.5′ / 9.65m

In days to come much more will be revealed, and all shall stand in awe at the miracles this Wicked new FPB 97 can work.

Should your pulse quicken, your breath catch, your need be insatiable, contact Todd Rickard (ToddR@SetSail.com) and he will impart what must be known to join with us in the first series of FPB 97s.

When you set out to turn those dreams of cruising to distant ports into reality, you are beset with conflicting advice and multitudes of choices. This overwhelming situation is not improved by all the “information” available on the Internet; the real world experience of these purveyors of wisdom is impossible to ascertain.

In the olden days it was much the same. When we started cruising, the marina “experts” told us we “couldn’t do this, needed that, and had to….” We found that in almost all cases the dockside opinions were 100% wrong. We learned by doing, by sailing around the world on a beautiful mainstream yacht, albeit one totally unsuitable for long distance cruising. In the course of that circumnavigation we realized that if we were going to continue the cruising lifestyle we had come to love, we needed a yacht that was optimized for going places rather than looking good in marinas and at boat shows.

Our goal was simple: we wanted to enjoy our life, with the freedom to go where we wanted when we wanted (within the bounds of good seamanship), without concern for systems issues that might restrict our travels. We should add that our tolerance for recurring maintenance problems was very low.

Priorities were then, and remain today, the following:

• Speed, because it is the single most important factor in reducing weather risks, thereby improving passaging comfort and, ultimately, safety. Plus, going fast is fun.
• Heavy weather capability so that we did not have the nagging tick of worry about what might happen if we were caught in something really bad.
• Structural safety factors to deal not only with the sea, but also the occasional operator error – read: grounding – and allow us to continue with our cruise without heading for the nearest boatyard.
• Efficient but simple systems that would let us operate far from outside assistance, with the comfort that would keep all members of the crew content.

Thirty four years and more than sixty ocean going yachts later, those goals are still the same. This is why our systems, structures, and appearance are so different from the norm. All our decisions, on everything from fiddle rail height, hand holds and furniture placement, to dinghy storage and launching, are made on a basis of what works best for ocean crossing in adverse conditions and using the yacht in distant locations.

This is why we have integral tanks forming a double bottom, why our structures are so “overbuilt”, why there are so few below-the-waterline plumbing connections, and why we still build our own fridge systems and engineer for long periods at anchor without running the genset.

It is why we’ve had at least two watertight bulkheads in every yacht we’ve ever done, and why keel structures are engineered to four times the ABS rule, and rudder shafts twice the rule. And it is why we fit twin autopilots as standard.

This is also the reason we would not consider heading offshore on a powerboat unless it had the stability to recover from a capsize.

The bottom line for us, our clients, and those who join the family later as adoptive parents of one of these yachts, is the joy of cruising: the freedom that it brings, and the ability to live this lifestyle with a maximum degree of independence and minimum contact with the world of boatyards and marine technicians.

If this subject is of interest, you will find on SetSail hundreds of posts and thousands of photos detailing how and why we do things as we do. If you have any doubts about the efficacy of our approach, ask a professional mariner, who makes his living from the sea, for his opinion.

Fanning Atoll is one of those magical places rarely visited by cruising yachts. The lagoon is beautiful, the islanders friendly, and if you happen to be transiting the Pacific to the north during hurricane season, it is the perfect place to wait until you have a clear run up to Hawaii.

Fanning lies close enough to the equator to be out of the hurricane belt. What you are waiting for is a period of clear weather to the east, allowing the passage to Hawaii without worrying about a hurricane chasing you.

The weather window required is a function of the boat speed you are 100% certain you can average. At 11.7 knots, you need just three and a half days. You’ll find two or three times as many windows at this speed as opposed to at eight knots and five days.

The window for the Wicked FPB opens this weekend. Stay tuned.