[PUP] Krogen 55 Expedition vs Dashew FPB64

[Dave Cooper]

Weighing in on this one could generate a long email!

1. Fuel tankage seems very light for a real long range
passagemaker...perhaps turning 2 or 300 gallons of that water capacity into
fuel capacity would help. One of the things we see is that having the
ability to purchase fuel where the price is "right" can save huge amounts of
money. If you can buy fuel at $2.50/gal vs. $6/gal then the savings are
large. If you can find some at the "International price" of $1 to 1.50 /gal
even better. If you can swing by Venezuela and fuel up for the $.05/gal or
even the $.30/gal for unlimited amounts then even better. We are working on
increasing Swan Song's tankage for that reason alone not range. I wouldn't
consider anything under 3000 gals as adequate today for a "passagemaker".
Today, 10/20/07, buying 5000 gals of fuel in Martinique would be $35,000.
Whereas buying it in Isla Margarita, VE would be $1250.00 and if you did
some careful shopping you could get 1000 gals of that at $.03/gal today so
lets say $1030 vs. $35,000 for one fuel up. Again if you are buying a
passagemaker you aren't staying in Kansas anymore and need to deal with fuel
and  fueling as a highly variable commodity which it is. Big tanks help this
process and can lower your cost of operation dramatically.
2. The beam/length/displacement ratios would seem to indicate that it will
take considerable power to over come head seas and wind. This of course will
have a large effect on fuel burn and range.
3. The 1/3 double deck seems a bit out of place on an ocean going small
vessel. As Seahorse John said the A/B ration looks a bit off for this use.
4. The 18' beam certainly gives interior volume but again at the expense of
sea keeping ability. IMHO.
5. The half load displacement of ~82,000 would yield a full load with stores
and gear of close to 95,000, IMO. This again takes fuel to push thru a
seaway. It is also on the heavy side for a 49' waterline.
6. I would really wonder if the range is 3000 miles under typical
passagemaking conditions.
7. Not being a fan of active fins for stabilization do to potential failure,
I wonder how she'd handle 15-18 ft beam seas without them operating. More so
how would the crew stand-up to this for a few days or weeks on a passage?
8. Looks are a matter of the eye of the beholder until they get in the way
of function. I'd be a bit leery of the ride up in that pilothouse if the
active stabilizers went out. Many feet above the roll center.

Lots of marketing speak in this one page release. Little in the way of
showing real thought to the real world in passagemaking today.

The Krogen 55 is about as far on the other end of the spectrum from the
FPB64 design and concept as one could get and still both be twin screw
monohulls. Fat and heavy vs. lean, long and light. KK focused on interior
space and living with more than a couple aboard. FPB64 is a couple's boat
period no pretense of more folks aboard for more that one laundry cycle.

Swan Song in its 58' X 13' has just enough space for Nancy and I. We have a
second stateroom for guests but tend to discourage anyone from a long term
stay. When full time cruising, which to us are passages interrupted with
longer stays at out of the way anchorages and some marinas, you do need more
space than what many consider adequate for shorter term living aboard. You
can get this space in one of three ways; increase beam, height or length. Of
these three two are detrimental to making a good passagemaker, IMO. You only
have length to work with as both beam and height reduce the level of
seaworthiness all other things being equal.

The Dashews took the long route to getting the interior volume they felt
they needed for their type of passagemaking. This won't work for everyone
and some might even consider the trade offs that they made over the
top....until of course you are a 1000 miles from the closest safe harbor and
the seas are 18 and building......The pucker factor goes up remarkably fast
then.

Swan Song is by no means even close to the Dashews in terms of being
bulletproof but we are well ahead of what many are selling today as
"Passagemakers" to people who don't have the offshore experience to realize
what a bad day at sea can be like. If they did they'd be beating a path to
Steve's door if they're in the market for a new all weather offshore
passagemaker.

As always YMMV.....

Dave & Nancy
Swan Song
Roughwater 58