We have recently been sent some final interior renderings for the FPB 70s. As owners of FPB 64-7 who are awaiting 70-1, we can offer a few comparisons between the two designs.
First, to the overall impression: the basic layout and flow remains the same, because it works so well: master cabin forward, where it enjoys good ventilation and natural light while at anchor. Great room in between, which is a concept that works surprisingly well. I say “surprisingly” because as former owners of a traditional pilothouse trawler, we were skeptical about the idea of eliminating that cozy, segregated wheelhouse. We are squarely among the converted now, and would never want to go back to a separate-pilothouse design. The great room is perfect for a cruising couple.
In terms of details, the master stateroom is very similar to the 64. These drawings show a nearly complete design of the master.
The head will be a more traditional one with a door between the berth area and the entire “bathroom” compartment, unlike the 64 where the sink and vanity area were contiguous with the sleeping area. Much of the hanging locker and all of the drawer storage has been moved into the forward basement just aft of the master, through the door starboard of the queen-sized sleeping berth.
In the great room, the stairs down to the master now reside on the port instead of the starboard side. And since they are oriented differently than they were on the 64, Circa is designing a removable bar which will serve as a barrier to prevent a standing helm-lurker from taking an unintended tumble down the stairs.
We have gained an above-counter storage locker inboard and aft in the galley, which might be mistaken for the oven in the drawing. It opens by means of a roll-up door to minimize disruption of the countertop forward of it. Other than some generous pantry lockers to starboard, about which this Admiral is unreasonably excited, the galley and remainder of the great room layout remain largely unchanged from the 64.
The stairways aft have been flip-flopped compared to the 64, with the entry stairs now outboard and the stairway down to the aft accommodations and engine room inboard.
Below, the guest accommodations are shown, with a generous basement (not shown) providing excellent privacy between master and guest staterooms.
The big change to the aft interior is, of course, the replacement of the single crew berth/engine room foyer with a second 2-bunk guest stateroom and ensuite head. That head will be a “wet head” with a shower, but no separate shower compartment. On the port side, we have a guest stateroom with double-bed and ensuite head similar to that on the 64.
Many of the more dramatic and exciting changes from the 64, like the developed basement area, the lazarette/workshop and the matrix deck, are still getting their finishing touches. We can’t wait to give you a look at them.
Posted by admin (August 4, 2017)
August 4th, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Looking good Admiral!
August 4th, 2017 at 9:05 pm
Thanks, Val, for your excellent comments + comparisons.
The drawings, up to now, showed a solar-panel set-up like the 78.
What is the reference for relocating the solar-panels to the top of the matrix-deck?
Is there still an aft-deck overhead with panels on-top?
Thank you for taking the time to answer those questions.
August 7th, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Hi James and Steve,
Right you are, the solar panel set-up has undergone some evolution in terms of numbers and location(s) over time. Where things have settled is that we will have 12 (!!!) panels of 365 Watts apiece, all located on top of the matrix deck roof.
Our discussions with Steve on this centered around whether and how we would use the other spaces such as the house roof forward of the matrix deck, if they did not have panels on them. And the weight distribution was definitely calculated and compared; too much weight too high in the boat was an absolute non-starter for Steve. The weight of the panels, and added weight of the matrix deck framing structure itself in order to support those panels, come into play.
While we could easily live with panels located on the forward house roof and/or above the aft deck, having them atop the matrix deck roof has obvious aesthetic advantages, and also eliminates shading of the panels by the matrix deck structure itself.
While we still have the option of adding an awning cover extending aft over the middle of the aft deck, we have decided not to, for aesthetic reasons.
The idea of running our air conditioner at anchor to keep the boat cooled while we are off the boat for a few hours in the daytime (with of course no generator running) sounds pie-in-the-sky to us, we freely admit. But Steve swears he’s done this regularly and uneventfully on Cochise… so we look forward to giving it a try!
Valerie and Stan
August 7th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Valerie and Stan.
Thanks so much for sharing the ‘passage’ with us.
Steve.
August 17th, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Valerie, Steve,
Having stumbled across the FPB in Boat International, it’s fascinating to see more details, thank you.
Have you considered the possibility of flexible ETFE solar panels? Per unit area these only give 65% of the power output of, as an example, LG’s well rated 365w panels, but are substantially lighter (38% of the weight of rigid per watt generated) and could conceivably be adhered directly to the aluminium roof of the matrix deck with minimal, if any, additional structural support.
Jonathan
August 18th, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Hi Jonathan:
Would like more info and URLs so we can look into these further. Thanks
August 5th, 2017 at 12:04 am
Nice to see these details. Thank you.
August 5th, 2017 at 12:06 am
Looks as if you’ve managed to put solar panels on the matrix-deck roof? Solved the weight budget issue?
August 7th, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Hi Steve,
I incorporated my replies on the solar panel location into one comment above. Cheers!
Valerie
August 7th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
Is that a step-thru from the Matrix deck onto the house roof?
August 8th, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Hi PJ,
Yes it is, good catch. We added that feature very recently, after some discussion including Circa’s design team and expectant owner of 70-2. We found it super handy on our 64 to be able to skitter right on down to the foredeck from above on occasion. The matrix deck is, as I mentioned, one of the areas still undergoing its finishing touches. It will see some substantial changes from the 64 version, so we look forward to commenting on it for this blog when its final design is unveiled.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:09 am
Nice touch, lookling forward to further details. Also curious if you see a need for adjustable external side lighting similar to existing fore/aft capability.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:34 am
Thanks for the additional details Valerie. The greyscale plans on the main page for the 70 have been frustrating me since they were put up. I look forward to drawings and pics to further fill in my understanding of the spaces in what is becoming my favorite FPB due to size/berth compromises, if nothing else. Also, a much belated thanks for your buffalo nickel blog.
August 11th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Thank YOU!