The following articles cover the FPB 64 construction sequence. You will find hundreds of detailed photos with explanations covering every phase of the build cycle. Scroll down to the bottom to see the first articles.
You are looking at the Murphy mechanical gauges in the engine room. Notice that the center “Engine Oil Pressure” is reading 50 PSI. The engine is being tested (along with all the other systems).
The final assembly of the first of the FPB 64s is at a fever pitch right now. The head and hull liners are now installed, and the last of the furniture modules is in place.
Lots to share this week including another sign that the first FPB 64 is getting close, the deck tread is being installed.
Trying to get a feel for the interior of a boat under construction is difficult. Furniture is covered, lighting is bad, there are no embellishments to give the image a finished look. But now that the upholstery is starting to go into the first FPB 64 you will be able to get sense for the space. The photo above is taken from the aft end of the port side guest suite.
We’ve got a lot of photos to share in this update, starting with the now installed bridge electrical panel. Our philosophy has always been that we want the hidden stuff to look as good as that which is exposed. It costs a little bit more, but the pleasure knowing that things are done right, and look good, even when out of sight, is well worth the cost to us. This gives us more of a buzz than the front side.
Here’s an image to set your heart aflutter (with a little imagination). Add the sun/rain awning to the framework, move to a lovely anchorage in the tropical South Pacific, insert puffy cumulous clouds, coconut palms, and translucent warm water, and then relax with a cold drink and good book.
We’ve got a new batch of photos covering the electric panel details which we thought you might find of interest. We’ll start with the panel adjacent (to starboard) of the main helm.
When you see the “sparky” (Kiwi speak for electrician) working on the outside lighting and electronics it is a sign launching is within six to eight weeks. This photo also demonstrates the advantage of a hinged mast (aside from vertical clearance). It makes maintenance and changing electronics easier.
We’ve been discussing various design considerations with a client headed for Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic and thought some of the dialog might be of interest. We’ll start with the logic behind single vs. twin engines, and get home systems.
Everyone wants the safest, most reliable yacht. The question is how do you achieve this? Contrary to what you may think budget is usually not a major factor. Clear thinking about the risks and rewards of various approaches is the key ingredient.
Lets start with the risks as we see them, and our approach to reducing or eliminating these.
If you look closely into the three open bays at Circa in the photo above you will count four FPB 64s under construction. Hull four is well along in its framing while hull three has its metalwork almost completed. Hull two has the bulkheads installed, systems work is coming along, and a good start has been made on the furniture. As detailed last week in report 23, the first of the FPB 64s is starting to go through systems testing, a sure sign that sea trials are not far off.
If you are behind on your visits to SetSail on the sidebar to the right you will find 50 posts under FPB Series notes, with another 28 reports under FPB Updates. The Dashew Offshore website has 65 articles detailing the FPB concept along with information on the Deerfoot, Sundeer, and Beowulf design series.
We look forward to bringing you the latest information in the New Year as hull number one of the FPB 64 Series nears it date with the Pacific Ocean.
One of the more difficult design areas on the FPBs has been the forward “mast”. It does a number of jobs, some of which conflict with each other and/or different requirements. We’ve been fiddling with this on the FPB prototype Wind Horse since launching. What you see here is the result of that thinking and experience.
The first FPB 64 reached a significant milestone this week, indicated by the photo above. The red Murphy sight gauge with level alarms provides an important clue. There is now oil in the engine. But wait, there’s more.
There are so many photos to share from our recent trip to New Zealand that we’ll do update #22 as a series of which this the first (to be followed over the next few days by further updates and posts under the FPB 64 Series Notes category).
While it is difficult to ascertain the quality of most of of Circa’s work on the FPB 64s from construction photos, the engine room being nearly completed gives us a hint of what is to come throughout the boat. These photos do not begin to give what you really feel – but short of a visit to New Zealand they will have to suffice.
As mentioned elsewhere, it is difficult in the extreme to have a functional and aesthetic engine room. There are so many hoses, pipes, wires, and pieces of gear that a beautiful result takes patience, dedication, a lot of effort, and the willingness to do things over – sometimes three or four times. Most builders do not even try. They simply hide the messy looking stuff. The problem with this approach is that it also hides the problems. We have always preferred to expose everything, where we can clean and keep an eye on all of it.
The lead photo (above) is taken from the aft starboard corner, looking diagonally across the engine room towards the forward port corner.
Consider this and the photos which follow in the context of how this engine room will look when the floorboards are covered with the same material as the galley soles, permanent lighting is installed and work lights and their wires are removed, and the Owners have strategically places lovely artwork on the bulkheads. The end result
This is the second in a series of reports on our November visit to Circa in New Zealand. In this blog we’ll deal with the interior of the first FPB 64 (the preceding report covers the engine room).
It takes some imagination to jump from a yacht under construction to what the completed boat will be. When viewing these photos keep in mind the lovely view out the 17 great room windows, now add sophisticated counter tops, finish the galley lockers, install flooring, and fit head and hull liners upholstered in Ultraleather to your mental picture (or review some of the FPB 83 interior photos). The result will be stunning.
