FAIRLIE 55
“A modern boat offers enhanced sailing performance, manoeuvrability, reduction in crew numbers, reduced maintenance costs and so on”
DAN HOUSTON
Above: Anchor capstan and bow roller details. Above right: the 55 sports a Fife-inspired dragon as a marque of the firm’s heritage in restoring the great classics. Above far right: Lopolight LED bi-colour nav lights are unobtrusive
located to port just in way of the companion. An L-shaped workspace houses the galley which serves the saloon with its bench seat to starboard and U-shaped settee to port. A forward-facing chart table is located aft of this. There is substantial locker space for cruising. Fairlie used a single trunk of utile for timber on the 55, ensuring that the grain matches. Worktops are dark- stained while the cabin sole and the trunk are lighter. The deckhead is the grooved ply subdeck, painted white.
UNDER SAIL
The 55 has North-built Dacron sails in the conventional modern aspect. North helped in the design of the rig – sheeting positions and so on – bringing some of its R&D knowhow to the project. So how does she perform? Well we got a very good start in the passage race, trucking across the line seconds after the gun. She’ll do six knots in eight knots of breeze and she’ll accelerate quickly too, heeling to the pressure and getting into the groove. Going upwind she looked very competitive and the efficiency of the hull shows most on this point of sail. It’s easy enough to head up, scooping some wind before losing any way; she handles like a big dinghy in this respect. Her helm is finger-light and she balances easily. But she’s also big enough to handle the small chop we encountered; she looks good moving in the water too – check out the video of her sailing trials on our website. Handling the sails is easy thanks to the electric winch for the main halyard, and the self-tailing Andersons. Once off the wind we hoisted her chute and this moved her well in the diminishing airs. However, the sailing turned into frustration as the wind died and the race was finished early. At least we did finish, though; much of the fleet had given up and gone in under power by then. Fairlie’s new yacht is an exciting departure for the company which has established such a reputation for its fine carpentry in restoring classics. The firm also holds
48 CLASSIC BOAT MARCH 2012
Fairlie Yachts, Port Hamble SO31 4QD,
www.fairlieyachts.com Sales: Ancasta, tel: +44 (0)2380 450000,
www.ancasta.com/Fairlie
FAIRLIE 55 DESIGNER
Paul Spooner, Fairlie Yachts
LOA
55ft (16.8m) LWL
38ft 2in (11.6m) BEAM
11ft 5in (3.5m) DRAUGHT
8ft 5in (2.6m)
SAIL AREA 1,292sqft (120m²)
PRICE £850,000
the archive of William Fife’s designs and it would be great to see it building a traditional boat from these. However, as MD Duncan Walker explains: “A modern boat of similar size offers enhanced sailing performance, manoeuvrability, reduction in necessary crew numbers, reduced maintenance cost, and so on. There is also a well-established market for the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ type yacht. But,” he adds, reassuringly, “we can also build a traditional replica Fife design; the classic gene is embedded in the company.” Ancient or modern – it’s your choice.
DAN HOUSTON
DAN HOUSTON
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