FPB64 or Fleming 58 or Buehler Ellemaid?

My dream one day is to purchase a power boat that is capable of serious blue water cruising, starting with exploring the Australia, NZ and South Pacific, then explore Asia, and then the US West Coast and Canada.

Need to save for a bit longer but if I were to purchase a new boat today, I would be tempted by the following three boats:

Dashew FPB64, $3million
http://setsail.com/fpb-64/
Probably the ultimate is power cruising boats, long range, very safe, designed exactly for what I am proposing but expensive. What I do not like is the lack of open deck space, and when the tender is stowed the rear deck space is very limited. Very efficient hull enabling a 9.5 knot cruising speed.

Fleming 58, price? guess $2.5million
http://www.flemingyachts.com/fleming58.html#
Nice layout, seem very usable, semi-displacing layout. Whilst most cruising would be done as slower displacement speeds, it would be nice to have some speed available at times. Wonder if they can provide say 2x150hp engines?

Buehler 71 Ellemaid, $800k
http://www.georgebuehler.com/Ellemaid71.html
http://eglobalyachts.com/info.cfm?listingnmb=100548645
http://www.asboat.com/modeldetails.php?q=16
Seems more like a little ship than the typical trawler boat very cheap. The base $800k price probably includes very little as standard, but if it is well built, you can buy a lot a of extras to get up to the $3million. Modified slightly with say 2x150hp engines, bit more fuel, and a rear with a boarding platform similar to the FPB64 or other Buehler diesel ducks, this could be a very interesting capable boat.

What are your thoughts on these boats, or any other power boats?

 

Quite a bit smaller than what you have listed, but you might find the Idlewild Expedition worth checking out:
http://idlewildexpedition.ca/index.php
It's also a Buhler design: http://georgebuehler.com/Idelwild.html

And you might find the boat still listed, for considerably less than these listed.

 

So is the question......

A) Are these boats suitable for the intended voyage?

Or

B) Are these boats suitable for you to undertake the intended voyage?

Have you ever owned a boat?

 

Been sitting down at Shelter Island near Vancouver for a few years now,for sale at $550k.
I've seen it up close-IMO divide that by 3.

 

Idlewild is currently listed at $250k


http://www.idlewildexpedition.com/Page945.htm

 

Tad,yes I have owned boats, but never a boat like one of these. But if I could afford one of these boats, I could afford to hire someone with suitable experience and I can learn And the TAD Passagemaker Lite 5602 or Dawkins 62 also looks interesting. How much do the requirements for canal access compromise the open water role? It would be nice to have the option to spend a summer in the French canals seeing the sights, enjoying the wine, eating the food.

All the three boats I listed have a similar purpose, but all are also very different so am interested to discuss pros/cons of each.

As for Idlewild, I have read their blog and not being able to cook for for weeks on end due to the boat rolling so much does not really appeal! I like to concept of Idlewild, but I think they compromised open water comfort too much by their requirement for a narrow beam and shallow draft.

 

Greetings,

Idlewilds shallow draft and narrow beam are not the problem, its the excessive pilot house sizes, pilot house bridges George designs, and super high freeboard.

Why do you need twin 150 hp? The FBP64 will probably cost $1,000.00 + in fuel per day while crossing oceans.

My opinion: Find a designer and redo Ellemaid 81'. Reduce to 2/3's draft, freeboard, displacement, engine size, pilot house, and eliminate bridge deck. You will then travel at about VL 1.0 at 8.5kts. very efficiently. It could be a much better boat regarding seakindliness, efficiency, and cost.

81' Ellemaid vs Redesign
Displacement 100,000# Redesign 60-70,000#
Draft 6'-6" Redesign 4'-4"
Engine 100hp Redesign 60hp
Freeboard 0'-0" Redesign minus 12-24"

 

Well that's getting closer to realistic..

 

If you are going to spend a few years circumnavigating, you would be better with a motorsailer.

Small ocean going motorboats are twin screw floating fuel tanks. Underway They have a permanent motor " rumble " with an uncomfortable motion.

If you must go motor, buy the fastest one and get the circumnavigation over as rapidly as possible.

 

or http://www.artnautica.com/designs/long-range-cruiser-58

 

That's kinda what I was getting at..a friend recently bought 9 year old 50' motorsailor-can't remember brand name-with 230 hours on the engine for $170k that will have more liveable space.

 

Or why not this one http://www.balta.fr/my16.html

Goes up to 12 kts with single 180 hp. 800 000€ built in France in strip planking.

Faster 24 m version in project (twin 330 hp) : http://www.balta.fr/my24.html


NB: There are things I do not understand with FPB boats [I am very far from having 3M$ to spend in boats].
a) At this price level, does the fuel bill is really a concern ?
b) Again, at this price level, who do all cooking, washing, ironing while living on the boat ? Or is there a paid help, aka a crew...

 

Certainly fuel burn is a concern ..regardless of how much money you have.

If you not careful with design and fuel consumption your entire cruise routing will be dictated by refueling points...not points of interest.

Very poor value for money

 

Range and fuel bills are 2 different things.

A heavy boat with huge tanks can have considerable range. See Nordhavn boats.

BTW, Nordhavn has sold much much more units in the 60-70 ft range than FPB.

 

The FPB actually has a lower cost/mile than the Dashew's previous sailboat. This has been covered before in detail, but sailboats of this size are expensive to operate, and a low hp powerboat sips fuel, regardless of the size of the hull.