It is early, the sun still far to the east, when Buffalo Nickel slides under the travel lift for the first time.
Tides and highway permits dictate the schedule.
Although there is little activity at this moment, you can be assured things are humming.
Systems have been checked, and then checked again at the shop. But there are still last minute items to check yet again before the first splash.
You will no doubt detect that the awning frame is sitting on the cabin top and the masts are hinged and folded down aft. The latter will be raised shortly and the former then bolted into place.
Here is a sight to gladden the hearts of owners, designers, and builders alike. A new yacht afloat for the first time. Time from that first wetting to heading down the estuary was twelve minutes. This is the seventh FPB 64 which Circa has launched, and the system gets more efficient with each splash.
Posted by Steve Dashew (February 20, 2013)
February 20th, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Awesome Steve et al! Feels like we are inching closer with every Setsail post!
February 20th, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Great boat name. Actually, all the FPB’s have had good names so far. Is that part of the consultation?
February 21st, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Agree on the names. But these are all from owner creativity as we have no input.
February 20th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
Steve/Todd;
What’s the airdraft to the top of the plexi?
March 1st, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Hello Skip – DWL to top of flybridge rail is 4.3 meters/14 feet.
February 21st, 2013 at 9:35 am
Hi Steve,
The inside of the dorades are grey instead of the traditional red, were they factory ordered that color? They look good.
February 21st, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Hi Brandy: That color on the inside of the cowls was done at Circa.
February 21st, 2013 at 9:37 pm
As proud adoptive parents, we launched over the moon at the sight of these pics and have only now regained the ability to speak! We named her Buffalo Nickel, knowing what a disastrous boat name it would be on so many levels: have yet to meet a non-American (or even a young American) who knows what one is; hard to read/pronounce/spell for non-English speakers; we’ll get good and sick of spelling it out phonetically via VHF, etc. But the coin is a bit of a totem for us personally, and seems to fit with the theme of metal, and the unique, prized and cherished nature of the FPB among boats as the buffalo nickel is among American coins. The FPB fleet has turned into quite the pack of animals! We are toying with ‘Plug Nickel’ and ‘Penny’ for the 2 dinghies…
P.S. We are also quite pleased with the gray painting Circa was able to do on the inside of those cowl vents. They are only made in the white/red combination.
February 23rd, 2013 at 10:44 am
Jitney would be a good name for a dinghy.
February 23rd, 2013 at 2:29 am
In your concept drawings rudder was at the stern now is set back a metre or so.
Is the swim platform an add on, So this boat is longer?
Have you changed overall design and set prop and rudder more forward.
If so how does this affect boats handling from viewpoint compared to when rudder was to the extreme rear? Regards Adrian
February 23rd, 2013 at 12:59 pm
The swim step extension is just that, an extension on the original canoe body. Rudder and prop remain in the same place as before.