FPB 64 from Motor Boat & Yachting

Dave Marsh crosses the channel on board the FPB 64, an ocean-crossing vessel from renowned naval architect Steve Dashew. Read the full report in the December 2014 issue of the magazine.
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[@RANSailing]

We were moored behind this boat in Guernsey and couldn't stop looking at it. Since we're sailors we normally don't give motor yachts much attention but this boat is just fantastic!

[@saschaeuler7883]

ran sailing .....well i saw this vessel in Gibraltar 06,05,19 !!! Really great boat , and a eye catcher .

[@brianmck7363]

The FPBs are definitely made to cross oceans and go where ever you desire!!

[@stevendhanjal3679]

A nice musical spin off on some "Zero 7" at the end of video.. Fantastic boat.. Yes, a spectacular view, and connection to the waves..

[@greathornedowl3644]

LOVE IT - Think it could be a HUGE seller. As someone who surfs the freshwaters of Minnesota think this would be IDEAL for the rocky shores of Lake Superior, and other great lakes, where sunden storms have taken many fiberglasses and composite hull boats.

[@Manintoga]

Finally a small boat with a giant range! It will go to my lotto list.

[@johncanalese588]

It's 64 feet long...hardly small, but I guess it's all relative. Nordhavn have circumnavigated with their 40' boat as have many owners.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

Nordhavn is hardly the bench mark. Don't believe everything you read in the brochure.

[@Manintoga]

John Canalese How would they accomplish this when all the specs on their smaller models state that they have fraction of the bunkerage of the FPB. In fact a magazine article they themselves use as related media on the 40ft ship on their own homepage states 2400nm range on one bunker. I'm sure there are VSV motorsailers out there that can do much better but this is still a nice piece of kit. Ultimate probably still is(was) the Ady Gil or Earthrace (rip) that could do one nautical mile per gallon while accommodating a crew of 4 to 8 and carrying enough fuel to go half way around the equator through any weather. but that thing was purpose built to run on vapors.

[@johncanalese588]

Silly me. I'm curious though, what "bench mark" criteria are you making reference? Then what boat is the "bench mark"?

[@Ron_the_Skeptic]

@@Manintoga, one of the Nordhavn owners with a 52, put 2 bags of fuel on the rear deck and a third in the space behind the Portuguese Bridge. An extra valve was used to control flow from a bladder to the fixed tanks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn6Xf3-rg9KNhbM

[@garlandremingtoniii1338]

The NOISE, is absolutely insane. Outside of that, everything else is as close to perfect as one can get. Of course, one can install the proper insulation to cut down on the engine noise. The high end noise reduction is not cheap, but it is so well worth it.

[@user-lk8vp8gy2e]

Needs soundproofing insulation in engine bay

[@antoniocruz8083]

Perfect motorboat with incredible attention to practical and useful details. I would just add one thing, a full length sette facing forward beside the pilot so that other persons could also sit for hours looking forward without a twisted sore neck.

[@rodbutler231]

The engine room discussion needs more planning and thought. The noise takes away from an obvious beautifully designed vessel. Blessings to all!

[@highvelocity123]

Just by watching it go through the water, it seems to have a nice V up front, cuts real nice. She looks light for her size, so good speed I would think. And I really like the cabin...

[@gerilynntarvin9402]

I love this vessel it has all the charm of the 30's with the spenldor of times forgotten ,I want it, where are the keys?

[@ousi00]

There's one for sale at 2.5mil used. Quite expensive but it's purpose-built for ocean crossing. Rumor had that it was mistaken as a military vessel in Mexico. For build quality, and not using in rough sea - the Bering 65 would be a good alternative as far as I know (steel construction) at 75% of the price brand new. 1 knot slower cruise speed though. For the same price, maybe a new Bering 77?

[@garrettlamb9916]

Indestructible boat!! Much unlike the other James Cameron film!!

[@tomickes409]

That thing NEEDS a full displacement hull with a bulbous bow; as it is bouncing around like the tiger from Winnie the pooh.... The engine room makes me nostalgic for a time when I was rebuilding a 1944 Yanmar diesel engine and my daughter thought it a good idea to use a can of rusty nails as engine oil. And the interior that brings me back to my boot camp days .... I love it ...

[@user-lk8vp8gy2e]

The 64 is the best for 2 don't need anything else!!!!!!!❤

[@01dumbfrog]

The reason for the smaller cabins is that you don’t want your guests to be too comfortable and want to stay for extended time.

[@philmay7834]

How thick are the windows? That's a lot of open, upright real estate to take a full big wave hit!

[@MotorBoatYachting]

They use 19mm (3/4″) toughened safety glass: setsail.com/fpb-64-structure/

[@01dumbfrog]

When you are bobbing up and down try adding or subtracting 100 RPMs it’s just a matter of finding the sweet spot and the hull begins to surf probably around 12 knots.

[@NauticalPappyStu]

Wow...

[@mobyhunr]

He prefers to not use the stabilizers? I'm confused

[@dcretney]

Surprised they didn't highlight the range and speed capabilities.

[@gendaminoru3195]

or on www.setsail.com and expect a high average speed of around 12+ knots for days on end with lots of fuel in the double bottom

[@MrHalvnir]

You can hardly hear the cook over the engine noise, WOW !

[@user-lk8vp8gy2e]

Single engine !!!! Hat's off reliability paramount

[@timetodopatriotstuff2315]

She's dipping her bow and the water is not that rough.

[@johncanalese588]

If you review the video again, I think it's because of the way the stabilisers have been trimmed...where they prefer the "gentle" bobbing motion.

[@Scitch87]

+John Canalese that might be the case. But still i am amazed that there still was so much water on the front deck that didn't seem to be drained anywhere...

[@gendaminoru3195]

early FPBs did have huge dorade boxes for ventilation system forward that temporarily trapped a lot of water on the foredeck. As for the motion, they should have either slowed or sped up, but found themselves stuck right in the harmonic wavelength that will make anything that floats respond to the waves encountered. Even aircraft carriers will do that in a long swell period at the right speed. What should be noticed however is how quickly the FPBs dampen out after such upsets, rather than hobby horsing back and forth as some boats do.

[@foppo100]

Fantastic boat for people with plenty of money.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

Sound is pretty bad, could not understand the cook or any thing in the engine room

[@ktoth29]

A small boat like this would make a good passenger ferry across Lake Erie, I don't think a larger ship is economically feasible.

[@johncanalese588]

Credit to Mr Daschew for building the "terminator" of boats, from it's a solid, well built all aluminium structure with great attention to detail. Hence its US$4+ million price tag...ouch! It has looks only a mother could love & I just cannot help but see that it doesn't have the space that a 64 foot power boat should have. Perhaps, that is because it's basically a sailboat hull that has no mast, rigging or weighty keel installed, that's why it cuts through the water nicely. The 'auxilliary' engine having been replaced with a very nice John Deere albeit running through a V-drive (WTF?). No 'get-home' engine either as there is some sail that can get temporarily rigged - but just what you do when you get land is another question to be answered though. Also, this is supposed to be a boat you spend a lot of time on doing long passages and everybody has to be in the one and only room, 24/7... that is going to become an issue methinks. How do you separate a night-watch from all the goings-on of the ship.... perhaps lock others in their "staterooms". That forward master cabin is OK. what about the shower and head, it wasn't shown because it's tucked forward into that 'closet". I guess there just isn't the perfect boat yet - probably never will be.

[@rnordquest]

By giving up that "space" you gain a boat that has positive stability when it's rolled. If you only cruise during nice weather by all means get the high space 3 deck boats, but if you're headed to wild weather in the high latitudes and don't want to spend all your time waxing gelcoat this is the boat for you.

[@johncanalese588]

Huh! I didn't mention anything about its roll stability - neither have I heard or read anything about it whether it good or bad. So on what basis do you make your claim? Are you perchance drawing conclusions that just because it has a lower height above the waterline then it must have more positive stability? Are you the Naval Architect of this boat? Clearly not as you "draw a long bow" equate less space with more positive stability! And as for Waxing Gelcoat.....WTF? Methinks you're an ignorant troll.

[@ryanmills6487]

+John Canalese Methinks you don't know what you're talking about

[@johncanalese588]

A well considered, informative and thought provoking reply. Thank you

[@gendaminoru3195]

some FPBs do indeed have wing [get home] engines, but they were all one off boats basically built to custom order and no two alike. another point however is that one can use the PTO to drive the shaft at slower speeds if you have electricity stored up even if all other options fail - it think 4-5 knots can be expected then.

[@willgillispie9894]

he looks like he is being made to be there. i keep looking to see if he is trying to say help.

[@augustoduminuco4683]

I would like to ask is dealer for this kind boat? who can I contact to make purchases?

[@MotorBoatYachting]

www.berthon.co.uk/ are your best bet

[@johnpublic976]

It looks so low in the water! Is it really a very safe boat? Trawlers sit much higher in the water and look much safer to me. But I am not a boater yet! Thumbs Up!

[@halhosmer1820]

Trawlers that have height are susceptible to rollovers with high Impact waves from the side.

[@CanKiwi2]

These FPB's will recover from a rollover. Trawlers that sit much higher won't, and the high superstructure also acts as a sail. They've designed an expedition boat that'll survive things that trawlers won't, and look at the places some of the FPB's have been. Can't see anyone in their right minds taking a Nordhavn or a Kady Krogen down to Antarctica and coming back :)

[@gendaminoru3195]

adding that stuff to make you feel better only adds more weight which lessens the advantage of he light canoe body. Nordhavns have a lot more vertical movement too - horrible gyradius too.

[@Fulcrum205]

It's sits low to keep the windage and CG low. That makes a safer boat. FPBs are designed to recover from a full rollover. Less windage means better handling especially in tight spaces during nasty weather.

[@janetsijperda1788]

HB

[@johnsergei]

Wouldn't a Benatau Swift, Nordic tug or especially a Nordhaven trawler, be a better boat for rough open seas?

[@CarlDamm]

Not remotely. Dashew has really optimized the hull for motion. The traditional hulls will hobby horse and buck. I have done several thousand miles in Dashew boats. The motion is rhythmic and dampened compated to beamy heavier hulls. The long narrow water line reduces pitch and snap roll. Smooths yaw.

[@romanskriecka1097]

@@CarlDamm How is the interior light management during night? Any reflection issues on the front windows? Especially in case crew is using galley wiht no red lights on.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

I'm going to buy two and make a catamaran.

[@iainurquhart7606]

Deinterlace!!!!! Boat magazines are terrible at video!

[@TheoSmith249]

Another Magazine Fail. absolutely awful video... maybe some should hold bounce the magazine page around when they read it...Great boat!

[@argentum530]

These FPB video employ subliminal advertising...If I didn't get violently motion sick, and I was rich, I would buy/build an FPB around 100' and live out my life at sea...

[@SailPalarran]

It's interesting. For the price, it would probably be at the bottom of my list for motor yachts. You could have a bad ass Nordhavn for the same price. We saw one in Newport two years ago and it looked trashed from the outside. Simply not impressed at all.

[@rickwilliams2612]

SailPalarran there is a video of a dashew sailing from New Zealand to the USA .Watch it you'll be amazed how well it dominated anything thrown at it. The designer of this boat had safety, fuel economy and comfort and reliability I would have no problem sailing around the world in anything this man has designed.thanks

[@BaldKiwi117]

The goal of this boat is different. Incredible range, speed, and safety. You can take this thing where most yachts can only dream of.

[@SailPalarran]

@@BaldKiwi117 I understand the design but still say there isn’t anywhere this boat can go that a Nordhavn can’t with twice the comfort and less cost.

[@Ryan1236]

Those windows would never survive storms and high waves

[@mikechaseling769]

They are 19mm thick, three times Lloyds survey - basically bullet proof

[@gendaminoru3195]

They are multi-layered laminates like automotive safety glass, but thickness of a bank teller window for those of you from the other side of town. If they should crack, they won't come apart and break or let water in., but alas, unless you buy a used one, they are no longer in production.

[@CanKiwi2]

Read the specs on Dashew's website. Those windows definitely are more than capable of surviving storms and high waves.

[@TheDotSun]

boring boat