[PUP] PPM design

[John Marshall]

Ken,
	When we talk of the FPB, we have to differentiate Wind Horse (83')
from the production boats at 64 feet.

	I did have the privilege to walk through Wind Horse, so I can comment
on a few of your comments.

	Interior space in the central Great Room was excellent and fit and
finish very nice. The idea of this boat is to have one huge room where
you navigate, cook, eat, recreate, etc. The forward cabin is for use
only at anchorage and in port, but is along the size of something
you'd see on a 40-something foot boat.
	The sea cabin is back by the engine room and consists of two single
berths with seat belts. It's located in the aft for obvious reasons.

	Bottom line, the Great Room is terrific, with lots of windows, and
perfect for a couple who plan to cruise continuously. Huge galley in
the center. Lots of handholds. The navigation station is more living
room grade than pilot house, although it has all the gadgets. TCrew
fatigue with only two crew is a big concern on long passages, and
every step was taken to minimize this.

	The idea is that you can cook or read a book or do laundry while
keeping an eye on things. They even have aerobatic three-point
harnesses behind some of the couch seats so you can strap in and relax
completely in a really big sea. Its amazing how much energy you burn
when you have to hold on all the time.

	The staterooms are just for sleeping and the heads for that business,
and are just large enough to be comfortable.

	This is not a floating palace, nor is it a good boat for guests,
especially at sea. Its designed for a couple who spend all their
waking hours in the Great Room. Period.

	The engine room is plenty big and, if I recall, tall enough to walk
around. Everything is reachable and open to view.

	Not sure how much these comments would change with the smaller 64,
but both are a purpose-built passagemakers with everything optimized
100% for comfort at sea with minimal maintenance.

	In port or at an anchorage, its the ugliest boat you'll ever see (let
the crooks go prey on the shiny white yachts). The real beauty is
under the skin and focused on the single purpose of long-distance
passagemaking and living for long periods at anchor in remote areas
with minimal generator run (as in, 5 days without starting the
generator). A boat you can cruise in big seas and still be
comfortable, going fast enough to avoid the worst of the weather. It
accomplishes these tasks brilliantly.

	If I wanted to cruise to the ends of the world for years with just my
wife and myself, exploring remote and enticing anchorages, both
equatorial and high-latitudes, rarely visiting a marina, this is what
I'd buy.

	Instead, I spend most of my time cruising in the PNW and coastal
cruising down the West Coast with guests on board. Yet I want a boat
that can safely make an occasional 3000 mile passage comfortably in
half decent weather, and survive being at sea when the weather isn't
decent, albeit not very comfortably. A floating house as well, with
all the comforts of home and then some.

	A new buyer has to decide what they are REALLY going to do, not what
they just dream about doing. Not everyone enjoys being in the middle
of the big blue sea all the time.

	But if you do, the FPB is the ultimate way to go.


John Marshall
Serendipity - Nordhavn 55
Sequim Bay, WA


> Therebs a lot to love about the FPB series:
>
>
>
> -              3,400 gallons of fuel
>
> -              1,750 gallons of water!
>
> -              7,225 mile range at 8.5 knots!
>
> -              All Aluminum
>
> -              Incredible seaworthiness
>
> -              11 knot (claimed) Speed
>
>
>
> On the downsideb&
>
>
>
> Ibd like to actually be aboard one to see how it feels. My guess is
> that the
> interior and engine room feel cramped. The FPB 64 is not far in
> price from the
> Nordhavn 64, and I suspect the N64 has materially greater square
> footage in
> the interior and in the engine room. The narrow beam (17.5b), canoe
> shape
> and shallow draft of the FPB 64 are the basis of its great stats,
> but these
> come at a price. I would describe the guests quarters as
> inhospitable. And,
> the engine room as too tight to accept twin engines. It isnbt even
> clear a
> larger generator, or second generator would fit. For bget homeb
> capability, their literature gives a lot of reasons why it is
> unnecessary, and
> then says bwell, you could put up a sail, but itbs unlikely youbd
> ever
> need to.b