A prison ship? No, just a few bars on the hull window inserts to make sure this FPB 97 stays wickedly fair.
The window frames are a combination of robust engineering and simple construction, so their o-ring gaskets are easily replaced years down the road.
Windows in the hull are a difficult decision. Our own experience is they are usually covered, so why put them in? But having pioneered the concept 30 years ago with Intermezzo ll, we have since been unable to escape their use.
The Matrix deck and roof sub assembly are nearing completion.
There is a great deal of light framing in this area.
We are all looking forward to the day when upper and lower segments are married.
At a lower elevation, skeg construction is nearing completion.
These are strong, carefully shaped, and will provide protection to props and rudders while minimizing flow disturbance into the props.
Next report we will bring you up to date on FPB 64s eight, nine, and ten.
Posted by Steve Dashew (July 15, 2013)
July 15th, 2013 at 6:35 am
WOW, I wish there was a person in some of the pics so I could get a better sense of scale.
Speaking of scale, from a theoretical point of view, how long could a vessal be that used these design principles?
July 15th, 2013 at 10:23 am
How long could you go….probably 40 to 50 meters. But it depends on what sea state you want to operate in and at what comfort level.
July 16th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Why did design Dream Machine instead of building another Wicked?
July 16th, 2013 at 4:25 pm
The Dream Machine (FPB 78) started out as a boat for ourselves, a somewhat different combination of ingredients than Wind Horse, The Wicked FPB 97, or the 64. It has attracted some attention from our owners and others, and it looks like there are going to be sisterships, possibly more than a few. From our perspective it offers us most of the features of the FPB 97 which we really like, in a much smaller package.
July 17th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Wow! This build is roaring along! How many metal workers are on your boat full time?
July 18th, 2013 at 2:31 am
Trade secret, Daryl. But progress is being made.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Each of the FPB designs has been awesome when considered on its own: safe, luxurious passage-makers. And when you look at the progression from Windhorse -> FPB64 -> FPB 112 -> Wicked -> Dream Machine (especially the last 2, Wicked and Dream Machine) you’ve really evolved and improved the concept in a short period of time. About the only downside I can see to making so many improvements is that someone with one of the original 64s might feel that their boats are “only” amazingly good and if they’d waited a couple years they might’ve gotten a few more superlatives.
July 20th, 2013 at 8:52 am
Thanks for the kind words Ward:
It would make life really boring not to try and improve the breed. The major difference is in the size and mission for which each is optimized. The logic to which each is designed remains the same.
August 21st, 2013 at 2:22 am
Am uneducated about welding, and am wondering about the white-gray material which appears to be applied at spots and seams where welding was done — is that a sealant? … applied after fairing the spots and seams, yes?
Your boats are so amazing. I deeply-heartfelt-appreciate how the combination of your experience and your comprehensive-thinking manifests in the realm of having things so usefully-/simply-workable — all-that has synergized to the level-of-ableness called, ‘Wisdom’. You are one of a handful of men i truly respect. If Buckminster Fuller were still alive, i think you-two would be great-friends. Thanks, again, for creating such marine masterpieces.
August 22nd, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Not sure to what you are referring, James:
Perhaps it is a ground area (polished)? There are no chemicals or finishes applied.
August 23rd, 2013 at 7:35 am
Thanks for replying, Steve. “Material”, evidently, was the wrong word. By your response-question to me, i’m getting that the aluminum “looks whitish-gray” from the post-welding grinding to “fair” the area where it was welded (“spots and seams”). Yes? No wonder my question threw you, lol. [I’ll be right back with that left-handed monkey-wrench as soon as i can find it…. LOL, i can’t stop laughing at the innocent-silliness of my question, good lord, lol. Ah, the bliss of having absolutely no experience. At 66yrs of age, it’s very refreshing.]
January 8th, 2014 at 2:08 am
Thank you Steve for the great pictures.
With a 12mm thick hull does that allow you to place the ribs 60-70cm apart and 50mm? flat bar? What are Lloyds/BS requirements.
On my 60ft alloy (full-displmnt) boat the hull thickness is 8mm with a 40cm rib spacing, but the hull is painted and wonder what it would look like bare. With your 12mm hull it gives you a nice smooth finish, no need for bondo. What is your opinion on alloy versa GFR?
Noticed all port-holes are non-opening. No need for cross ventilation?
Thank you again!
January 9th, 2014 at 3:45 am
The frame spacing and plate thickness on these boats is based loosely on LLOYDS SSC rules. However, in many areas we are beyond this by quite a bit, in particular the bottom. Opening hull windows always leak at some point. So we prefer to get our ventilation in other ways.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Thanks Steve , I will put the hose on my opening windows and see what happens.
Your site has a wealth of information!