Steve and Linda Dashew have left an indelible mark on the cruising world, both power and sail They developed the Deerfoot line of blue water sailboats that changed the way many voyagers thought about offshore yacht design.
They did the same to the power cruising world when they launched the FPB series. The concept behind the FBP designs from 64 to 97 feet focuses on long-haul, efficient and low-maintenance cruising.
New Zealand boat builder Circa Marine, based in Whangerei, North Island, built all 17 of the FPB designs until the Dashews decided to end the project at it peak of popularity so they could stop running a business and go off cruising on their FPB called Wind Horse.
Long, narrow and easily driven, the FPB designs translated waterline length into easy speed with a minimum of horsepower. The 64 was the most popular of the designs with 11 built. It had a 63-foot, sic-inch waterline but only 17 feet of beam.
Driven by a single John Deere 6068 engine and with 3,000 gallons of fuel aboard, it has a range of 5,500 miles at 9.5 knots. We have not seen a fuel-burn chart but suspect that at 8 knots or roughly 200-miles-per-day, that range would soar to 7,000 miles or more.
With only a single engine, Dashew knew the boat needed redundancy so he and the engineers at Circa developed a get-home system that used a smaller Yanmar engine with an auxiliary driveline.
To minimize the time and money spent on boat care and cosmetics, the FPB boats are all uncoated aluminum. The finished hulls and decks are left to oxidize into a light gray patina that never needs to be cleaned with anything more than a fresh water hose.
For stability, Dashew and Circa developed a flopper-stopper system based on gear used in offshore fishing boats. The booms swing out sideways, with guys fore and aft, and trail and ”fish” in the water that are shaped like a wing or foil. These ride under the water and prevents the hull from rolling from side to side.
Given this basic working-boat aesthetic, the Dashews and Circa did not hold back on the interiors which have a high-gloss yacht finishes and everything designed and build for life at sea so you would think you were on a luxury sailboat instead of a fancy power cruiser.
The FPB project was terminated, but Circa still builds a range of offshore quality aluminum power boats and has retained many of the design principles that made FPB boats so unique and sought after.
To get your hands on an FPB model, you will have to wait for one to come on the market, which is rare. But, if you are ready for a custom expedition yacht in the FPB style, Circa stands ready to build it for you. You may be building an ultimate voyager.
