There is a double feature now live in print and online at Soundings Magazine…
The first article is written by Steve, diving into both early sea trials and the 4,700 nautical mile passage Cochise recently accomplished from Hanavave Bay in the Marquesas to Panama. Following this is a detailed piece by Soundings writer Dennis Caprio, investigating the attributes of the entire FPB line of yachts. Read all about it Here.
Posted by admin (February 16, 2017)
February 16th, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Steve,
Great article! At least until you get to the 2nd to last paragraph summarizing the trip to Panama. Claiming 8.67 gallons/Nautical mile, I would hope it is just a misplaced decimal point.
Keep em coming.
Best,
Jono
February 16th, 2017 at 9:54 pm
Hi Jono,
That is indeed a mistake! The actual fuel burn is .867 gallons/nm, just under 1 gallon. We’ve asked Soundings to change the number online..
Cheers,
Sarah
February 16th, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Great read. I did have a question. In the article you say, “Cochise has averaged exactly 10 knots between Raiatea and Panama. We have burned an average of 8.67 gallons per nautical mile for propulsion, electrical and hydraulic requirements, despite the headwinds and adverse currents”. Is that supposed to be 8.67 gallons per hour? As written in the article your gallons per hour would be 87.6 which seems a tad high…
February 17th, 2017 at 1:50 pm
Hi Gene, it’s a typo — the number is supposed to be .867 gallons/nm. We’ve asked them to correct it online.
Cheers,
Sarah
February 19th, 2017 at 9:26 pm
Hi Steve – great article! I particularly like that you decided to alter course to visit Fatu Hiva – I hope the waho and mahi-mahi we’re as perfect as their timing!
Since I started following the FPB’s, many questions I’ve had were answered just by reading a little further. That said, I haven’t come across a discussion regarding stabilizer choice (fin vs. gyro) and I’m interested in how you reached that decision. I suspect the decision was made around reliability but, in my ignorance, wonder if it’s also related to how well the keelless FPB’s track in challenging seas and when surfing.
BR,
Shawn
February 20th, 2017 at 9:58 pm
Hi Shawn:
We are once again looking at the gyros. More details in due course.
February 21st, 2017 at 1:50 am
… more blessings/advantages from the brilliance of the solar-panels/battery-bank engineering — now, a shift from hydraulic to electrical stabilization becomes possible/available — without having to run an engine or a generator; especially, when at-anchor — am i tracking with your thinking?
… if you haven’t already, you can tap-into a builder’s perspective if you know or ask Bob+Mary Johnstone — the Seakeeper gyros (electrically-driven) are standard-installs in their MJM 50 (an cat-A offshore performance boat) (http://mjmyachts.com — scroll to the bottom for the page-link to the Seakeeper-vid, if you haven’t already seen theirs).
ps- your wisdom is spreading — https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/01/10/a-real-sailors-motorboat-launched/; http://www.artnautica.com/designs/long-range-cruiser-58; and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0y6NnhVb-c.