an interview with tony fleming - fleming yachts – the ultimate cruising yacht an interview with...

T h e U l t i m a t e C r u i s i n g Y a c h t

FLEMING

An Interview with Tony Fleming

F l e m i n g – T h e U l t i m a t e C r u i s i n g Y a c h t

An Interview with Tony Fleming,March 28, 2007

How long have Flemings been in production?

The first Fleming 50 was delivered at the end of 1986. The first Fleming 55 was delivered in 1990.

Where are Flemings built andhow was this decision arrived at?

I was trained as an aeronautical engineer, howeveras technical director for American Marine, (Grand Banks) I had been building boats in Hong Kong and Singaporefor 24 years, so I had plenty of experience building boatsin that part of the world for customers in the US andEurope. In 1985, when I started the Fleming project,Taiwan offered the best choice of yards capable of building the type of boat I had in mind. After extensiveresearch, I selected the Tung Hwa yard to build theFlemings. This proved to be a great choice as we stillonly build in that same yard which has been expandedand modernized to meet the demands of production.

We have excellent relations with the yard and they nowbuild exclusively for Fleming. Many of the craftsmen have been working on our boats since the beginning.Continuity and a co-operative relationship with thebuilder are essential for producing a reliable and qualityproduct. One of the things that most people do notunderstand is the pragmatic nature of the boatbuildingyards in that part of the world. They are capable of building superb boats, but if the customer does notwant to pay for the quality, the same yard is perfectlyhappy to downgrade accordingly.

Unfortunately, most people who went to Taiwanwere looking for yards that would build as cheaply aspossible. I chose the yard that could and would build to the highest standard, not the lowest price. They nowbuild only to the highest standards and take as muchpride in our boats as I do. Tung Hwa recently looked intothe possible advantages of relocating part or all of theiroperation to the Chinese mainland, but concluded thatthere was no real economic advantage.

The majority of the price of a boat reflects the materials and equipment that goes into it and thatremains the same no matter where it is built. As theboats get more complex and technology changes so,unfortunately, do the prices. For example the moderncommon-rail engines are much more fuel efficient andcleaner burning than their mechanical counterparts butthey are much more expensive. Nearly all of the priceincreases over the years have been because of increas-es from suppliers or an upgrade in the specifications.

Moving building locations and training new staff aredisruptive, time consuming and a huge distraction fromsupervision of the boats themselves. Many Taiwan yardsare reaching the conclusion that they have better controlover their operations if they bring them home and, on arecent trip to Taiwan in January 2007, it was noticeablehow many of the Taiwan yards were expanding theirfacilities at home.

chose the yard that could and would

build to the highest standard, not the

lowest price. They now build only to

the highest standards and take as much

pride in our boats as I do.”

“I

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What considerations did you have in mind when designing and building this boat?

In 1985, the fashion was turning towards the sleek,Eurostyle type boats which look great at boat shows,but are quite impractical for cruising in the real world. My objective was to build the ultimate cruising/live-aboard yacht for a retired or semi-retired individual orcouple with reasonable accommodations for occasionalguests. The kind of boat that I would want for myself.The Fleming is a classic low-profile motor yacht with apilothouse configuration which will never go out of fash-ion – but it incorporates the latest in features, equipmentand engineering. I chose the pilothouse configurationwith split level access to all areas of the boat and gener-ous, protected side decks as being the most practicaland functional arrangement for a boat of this type. Our original objective was, very simply, to build the bestcoastal and offshore cruising yacht using the experienceacquired over many years of building and operatingboats. I took a fresh and objective look at every systemand every piece of equipment and selected only

those which would be the best and the most practi-cal for a boat intended for serious blue-water cruising.

The same philosophy still holds true today. Everychange in design or construction is carefully weighedbefore being implemented and, if we go a certain direction, it is because we choose to do so for practicalreasons and not simply to follow the latest fad.

MultipleGrabrails

WideSide-Decks

22”

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Can you explain different hull shapes and how that relates to the Fleming hull?

Mono-hulls fall into three basic categories. Theseare full displacement, planing and semi-displacement.

Full displacement boats have a design that is loose-ly modeled after the hull design of commercial fishingboats. With this type of hull, regardless of how muchpower is added, the boats are limited to their hull speedand are therefore quite slow. Since speed is not a consideration, these boats generally have single engineswith the extra space being used to carry additional fuel.Combining the lower fuel consumption, that is typical atthe lower speeds in any hull design, with the additionalfuel capacity gives these boats a longer standard cruis-ing range. This type of hull design has a salty look butthere are other disadvantages that make this type of hulla poor choice for a cruising yacht. Commercial trawlershave much deeper drafts and completely different stabili-ty considerations than yachts – primarily because com-mercial trawlers need large holds capable of carryingmany tons of fish. Due to the low moment of

inertia of the waterplane typical of a full displacementhull, yachts using this type of hull generally roll exces-sively and frequently require lead or steel ballast to meetminimum stability requirements. These adverse roll char-acteristics are particularly noticeable when low on fuel andstabilization is almost essential.

At the other end of the scale are boats designed forfairly high speeds, which requires that they be light inweight and have a flatter, planing bottom. They tend tohave limited range because they have neither the internalvolume nor the load capacity to carry the large amountsof fuel burnt when traveling at high speed. Even thoughthese boats have the ability to run fast they seldom doso for extended periods because it can be uncomfort-able for the crew and fuel consumption is high. Limitedfuel capacity - combined with high fuel consumption -means frequent refueling stops which, apart from thecost and inconvenience, restrict cruising range andopportunities. Even at reduced speed the ride is lesscomfortable because of the flat underbody and light

weight construction necessary for attaining the higherspeeds. This type of hull design is normally found in highspeed sportfishing boats and day cruisers, but is a verypoor choice for a bluewater cruiser.

When designing the Flemings, we chose the middleground giving the boats semi-displacement hulls withmoderate deadrise and an underbody optimized forspeeds around 16 to 18 knots which we feel is the maximum speed at which even fast boats run forextended periods of time. In practice, many Flemingowners enjoy running their boats at 10 to 11 knotswhich is an extremely comfortable and very economicalspeed. The 55 Fleming hull design is extremely efficientwith a very fine entry, rounded bilge sections forwardand a hard chine, modified vee aft. The generous flare of the bow and the soft forward sections make for acomfortable ride in most any sea condition. The wave-making component of the hull resistance, particularly atpassage-making speeds, is very low, and there are fewboats of comparable size that can compete in terms offuel economy at any speed.

hen designing the Flemings, we chose the

middle ground giving the boats semi-displacement

hulls with moderate deadrise and an underbody

optimized for speeds around 16 to 18 knots which

we feel is the maximum speed at which even fast

boats run for extended periods of time.

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Fine ForwardEntry

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Flemings running at passage-making speeds of 6 to8 knots have similar fuel consumption to displacementboats and our boats have crossed the Atlantic andcruised to Hawaii. However, most cruising owners wanta boat that is self-sufficient for extended periods and primarily use their boats for cruising along the coastlinesof the world. For the occasional extended trip they canuse bladder tanks rather than have their coastal cruisingcapabilities and their self sufficiency compromised by the

need to fill up the boat with prodigious amountsof fuel that is rarely needed.

Semi-displacement hulls with twin engines generallyhave generous waterplane areas and low centers ofgravity which make them very stable, contributing tocomfort and safety at sea as well as to convenience andsafety at the dock. Normally semi-displacement hulls donot require stabilizers, although stabilizers do contributegreatly to comfort on long voyages on any vessel, andmost Flemings are equipped with stabilizers.

Have you ever considered building a single engine version of the Fleming 55? Since your keel is already a foot deeper than the propellers, it would appear to be an easy task?

I have not. The fuel advantage of a single engineinstallation, if there even is one, is insignificant comparedto the safety factor and responsiveness inherent in a twinengine installation. I find the little auxiliary engine thatsome manufacturers use as a get home engine, while

certainly better than nothing, is a poor substitute for asecond engine. Over the years I have seen too manydisabled engines or power trains to make a long bluewater cruise without a good spare engine. The Fleminghas no problem maintaining a good cruise speed on oneengine and it only needs 15 degree rudder deflection tomaintain a constant heading, so there is plenty of rudderin reserve for adverse wind or sea conditions.

There are many factors that can affect the compar-

ative fuel efficiencies of a twin engine versus asingle engine installation in the same boat. In light weightboats the reduction in weight from eliminating the sec-ond engine is a major factor in favor of the single engine,however in heavy cruising boats it is not very significant.In most cases the single engine installation will have avery slight advantage due to the reduction in drag fromeliminating one strut, one shaft and one rudder. Our own tests, conducted over hundreds of miles in real lifeconditions, showed that running on two engines actuallyburned less fuel at a given speed than running on one.Keep in mind that the basic principle of model tank testing is that the same boat at the same weight willtake a specific amount of energy to move it at a givenspeed. It is basically irrelevant whether that energy is obtained by burning a given amount of fuel in oneengine or in two.

Large Ruddersand Deep Keel

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When you talk about speeds, are you talking about advertised speeds or real world speeds?

Most manufacturers talk about speeds of theirboats in the condition they are when they leave the factory - stripped bare and light on fuel. We talk aboutspeeds the way customers actually use the boats –fueled up and equipped with tender, electronics, ownersgear, etc. Our boats that cruise at 16 knots are actuallyfaster in reality than many boats that advertise a 20 knot cruise speed.

I note that the Fleming 55’s are offered only withtwin Cummins 500 hp engines. Would a pair ofsmaller engines be a better choice?

Not really. The larger engines swing larger propellersand may well burn less fuel at a given speed than thesmaller engines. Meanwhile, the extra power provides a useful reserve which permits higher speeds when circumstances dictate. For example, you may wish toreach the safety of the harbor ahead of bad weather,

take advantage of a favorable tide or to arrive at an unfamiliar harbor in daylight. In addition, the extra powerimproves responsiveness when maneuvering and whentransiting tricky inlets or areas of strong currents andconfused seas. These are all important safety considera-tions. The Fleming hull design offers flexibility in operationat both low and high cruising speeds as well as comfortin all the speed ranges at which most people cruise. Asthey become available, we are also installing cleaner-burning and more fuel-efficient engines which are moreenvironmentally friendly and more economical to operate.

he Fleming hull design offers flexibility

in operation at both low and high cruising

speeds as well as comfort in all the speed

ranges at which most people cruise.

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What is CE Classificationand does it count for anything?

The letters CE are an abbreviation for EuropeanCertification which, in one form or another, applies tomost products sold into the European market. The application that concerns us here applies to boats. This certification is based on the standards originallypromulgated by the International Organization forStandardization (ISO) which cover the entire vessel andits systems. These include the boat’s designated type ofuse, stability and buoyancy, structures, cockpit drainage,visibility from the helm, and the fuel, electrical, steering,and fire protection systems. Onboard equipment, including engines, electrical equipment, pumps, tankshoses, electrical cable, hatches, portlights, navigationlights etc must also conform to CE standards and bemarked accordingly. In fact it is mandatory to produce atechnical file for each boat model which includes the CEcertificate for all the materials, as well as for each andevery piece of equipment, used in the boat’s construc-tion. Window size and related glass thickness are also

covered by the regulations.Within this classification are four categories of use -

the toughest of which is Ocean Class A defined as the“category of boats considered suitable for operating inseas of up to 7 metres (23 feet) significant wave heightand winds of Beaufort Force 9 (41 to 47 knots) or less”.We have been meeting the CE requirements for OceanClass A since 1998 when they were first introduced andlong before anyone outside of Europe had even heard of them. Actually, it was not difficult to meet the basicrequirements of the regulations because our boats havealways been built with seaworthiness and rigorous engineering standards in mind. What did take a lot oftime and effort was acquiring certificates for every cable,fitting and piece of hose plus proving to the CE inspector– who visited the yard on several occasions – that every-thing on the boat and our construction methods werein compliance. To quote just one example we had todemonstrate that the fuel tanks met fire and other regulations by actual testing. By visiting the yard the

inspector was able to see boats at all stages of con-struction and inspect areas which are later hidden fromview. Most surveyors do not have this opportunity. It’swhat you don’t see that is going to keep you safe eventhough it may be the looks and the fit and finish whichattracted you in the first place.

All Flemings destined for the European market havecarried this certification since 1998 but the fundamentalfactors involving stability, seaworthiness and engineeringare inherent in every Fleming built. Unless specificallyrequested, Flemings built for destinations outside ofEurope do not have the actual certificate because thereis a cost involved in the burdensome certificationprocess plus there are a few minor changes to hatchesand railing heights which most users prefer not to haveor to be charged for.

Of course we don’t expect the majority of Flemingowners to voluntarily subject themselves to Ocean ClassA conditions but it is reassuring to know that the boat isdesigned and built to take them.

e have been meeting the CE requirements

for Ocean Class A since 1998 when they were first

introduced and long before anyone outside of

Europe had even heard of them.

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How do Flemings compare to other boats with respect to convenience of boarding?

Most of the boats available today can only be boardedat the transom swim step or by having steps on thedock. On all Flemings – including the 75 – you can stepdirectly from the dock onto the generous side decksthrough mid-ships bulwark doors and, when you do,you will notice the inherent stability of the boat. In manycases the Fleming can also be easily boarded throughan optional upper level boarding gate adjacent to thepilothouse door which is a great benefit when tied upalongside very high piers or in areas of extreme tides.The aft bulwark doors are also positioned right wherethe tender is lowered so that it is a very simplematter to board or leave the tender, somethingthat is very difficult on many other designs.

Why did you choose a hallway to access the staterooms as opposed to a staircase from the pilothouse and a midship stateroom? Isn’t the hallway just wasted space?

This deceptively simple question has no pat answerbecause the full soup-to-nuts explanation goes tothe heart of the fundamental character of the boatand what makes a Fleming a Fleming. Everybodyunderstands that everything in the design of any boat is a trade off and priorities have to be set as to what the designers believe to be important. As an engineer, Ialways consider functionality first and foremost and theoriginal mission statement was to produce a classicallystyled, safe and reliable cruising boat with excellent sea-keeping qualities and capable of withstanding the haz-ards likely to be encountered in extended coastal andoffshore cruising. This begins with having the right hullshape and a low center of gravity as these determine thesea keeping qualities of the boat as well as her appear-ance and ease of boarding. The Fleming has a low profileand her hull is relatively fine forward which keeps hertracking well in a following sea unlike those boatswhich are much fuller forward sections and have ahigher freeboard in order to meet the designer’s priority for maximizing interior space over other considerations.

Fleming 65 - from ForeDeck to Aft, featuring Portuguese BridgeDeck, Pilothouse Galley, Salonand Cockpit

Midship SideDeck Doors

TransomDoor

Upper LevelBoarding Doors

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Circular staircases from the pilothouse leave a littlemore floor space for the staterooms but the central hall-way arrangement is much more efficient and much safer.In the Fleming there are three steps down from the salonto the stateroom level and three steps up to the pilothouse. The alternative - a much higher, steep, spiralstairway leading down to a lobby from the pilothouse -requires steps which are, of necessity, wedge shapedand which, on many boats, taper to almost nothing –making them very dangerous and difficult to negotiatewhile underway.

Stairs from the p/house to the accommodation turnthe pilothouse into a traffic area for anybody, from anypart of the boat, wishing to go below to use the headetc. From the salon this would involve going up threesteps to the pilothouse, across the pilothouse and downsix steep, curving stairs to the lobby and the same inreverse on the return journey. Apart from the inconven-ience, this traffic through the pilothouse detracts from its primary function which is, of course, navigation andpiloting. Without the stairs, during night running, the

pilothouse can be fully isolated by an optional door andbe maintained in complete darkness while crew mem-bers have full use of lighting in the galley, salon andstateroom areas. We call the Fleming a pilothouse boatand we designed it to have a real pilothouse and not aconcourse with a galley. That is fine for those who wantit but it is incompatible with the design philosophybehind our boat. When you hear owners praising the“flow” through their boats, they are voicing their appreci-ation for the forethought given to convenient access.

There are also a few misconceptions concerningthe forward stateroom. It is commonly believed thatthere is unacceptable up and down motion in the for-ward cabin. Whilst it is undeniable that there is moremotion the further forward you go, I would like to quotewhat Sid Stapleton wrote in a review of the Fleming 55,titled “Passagemaker”, which appeared in the August1992 issue of Motorboating & Sailing. You may recallthat Sid Stapleton took a Grand Banks from Maine toAlaska so he knows what he is talking about.

Fleming 65 - featuringAccommodation A,Engine Room andLazerette

s an engineer, I always consider

functionality first and foremost and

the original mission statement was to produce a

classically styled, safe and reliable cruising boat

with excellent sea-keeping qualities and capable of

withstanding the hazards likely to be encountered

in extended coastal and offshore cruising.

“A

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“Elsewhere I’ve criticized builders for putting the master

stateroom in the bow, because on overnight passages in

heavy seas, pounding would make it impossible for the

off-watch to get a decent night’s sleep. In the case of the

Fleming I have to eat my words. Its motion in a seaway

is so easy that sleeping in the bow stateroom simply

isn’t a problem.” – Sid Stapleton

So you can see from this that not all forward state-rooms are created equal which, again, takes us back tothe Fleming’s fine lines forward. I entirely concur with SidStapleton’s opinion after sleeping soundly every night inthe forward cabin of our Fleming 65 “Venture”while we made the non-stop passage fromSeattle to Southern California at a time when theweather was such that the harbours along the coasts of Washington and Oregon were closed to recreationaltraffic. Being under the foredeck, the forward cabin hasskylights which provide more light and ventilation. These

double as escape hatches as required for meeting CEOcean Class classification.

I do admit that making the bed on the 55 can be a chore when the foam mattress has been replacedwith a much heavier, interior sprung mattress butthis has now been addressed by a recentlyintroduced modification which allows the bed to open or slide aft at the touch of a button.

Knowledgeable boaters appreciate that, in the forward cabin, you are more aware of how the boat is behaving when swinging on the hook. I know thisallowed me to sleep all the more soundly during ourmany nights at anchor in Alaska’s deep bays and unpredictable weather.

e are always adding new features and upgrading equipment in response tofeedback from users and to take advantageof the latest technology.

“W”

Master BerthStorage Closed

Master BerthStorage Open

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What is Fleming policy on model year andimprovements to boats that superficially neverseem to change?

We continue to follow the original objective – rein-forced by a policy of ongoing refinement to the basicdesign – which has so convincingly proved its worth over the years. We are always adding new features andupgrading equipment in response to feedback from usersand to take advantage of the latest technology. We donot follow the model-year concept which was borrowedfrom the automobile industry. When we encounter a newidea we institute it in the next available hull.

Why does Fleming continue to use solid glass construction when cored construction seems to be so popular?

While cored hulls are lighter and cheaper to build,since less glass and resin is required, there is no ques-tion in my mind but that solid glass construction is farsuperior and is well worth the additional expense.

Hull stiffness comes from hull thickness and oneway to achieve this is to use a core material sandwichedbetween two relatively thin skins. This sandwich con-struction provides a light, stiff hull but it does have certain drawbacks. The biggest technical problem with cored construction has always been in assuring acomplete and consistent bond between the core andthe laminate skins - something which must be taken on faith since it is not visible in the laminating process.Furthermore it is normal for this bond to weaken overtime as the hull is subjected to repeated impacts fromwave action. Should this bond fail, the hull will lose all of its structural integrity. Because the outer lamination is relatively thin it offers less resistance to penetrationthan a solid glass hull.

Aft Boat DeckControl Station

Excellent ViewWhen Backing

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On the Flemings we have always used solid glassfor the hulls reinforced by an interlocking matrix offrames and full-length box-section stringers. This stiffen-ing lattice is mostly hidden under the sole in the forwardsaccommodation or under tanks and equipment in theengine-room and in lazarette where the stringers rise atthe aft end to support the transom and to reinforce therudder ports and raise their tops above the waterline.

In a cored hull, the installation of thru-hull fittingsrequires especial care and, although this is usually welldone by responsible manufacturers, the integrity of thehull is vulnerable to sloppy work by boatyards once theboats have left the builders. If a thru-hull is installed with-out cutting back and sealing the foam – or even if theouter skin is cracked or penetrated for any reason –water can enter and saturate the core which compro-mises its strength and is extremely difficult and costly to repair. There are many knowledgeable people in theindustry who believe that there are only two kinds ofcored hulls - those that have water in them, and thosethat are going to have it. A recent tour of repair yards

has shown that not much has changed over the years in that respect.

The resistance of a solid glass hull to penetration isan important consideration and one which was proved ina spectacular fashion when a Fleming 55, running at 16knots, ran head on into a large channel marker on theIntra-coastal Waterway. The 55 demolished the markerand would have come away unscathed had it not beenfor the steel framed solar panel that sliced into the hullbut failed to cause significant damage The Fleming wasable to continue under her own power for another 800miles until it was convenient to haul out.

Some race boats, which are kept out of the waterbetween races, have used Kevlar in their very lightweightcored laminates for additional strength; however Kevlarhas other characteristics, such as its affinity for absorb-ing water, that make it undesirable for use in boats that stay in the water year round.

Are the Flemings “overbuilt’ as some have said?

Actually, it is almost impossible to overbuild a bluewater cruising yacht. 95% of the time you will never getin seas that will test the limits of your boat or run into afloating cargo container at night in the middle of theocean, but on that rare occasion that you accidentallyend up in that situation, it is reassuring to know thatboats identical to yours have survived horrendous seasfully intact and that your builder has tried to design forany eventuality. Less well constructed vessels - if theysurvive at all - might end up with all of their cabinetry allover the salon floor. If our focus was more on quantitythan quality, we could make significant reductions in our production costs without any of the changes beingnoticeable to the buyers, but we would know, and ourgoal is to build the best boat we know how to build and not to sell the most boats.

Why do Flemings have a full-length keel when so many boats seem to be eliminating them?

All Flemings have full length keels which extend signifi-cantly below the rudders and propellers. We believe this

to be an absolutely essential feature for any seriouscruising yacht. No one ever intends to run aground but,sooner or later, it happens to almost everyone. With a fulllength keel this can result in nothing worse than a redface but, if the running gear is the lowest point of theboat, then even a minor grounding will almost certainlyresult in severe damage to propellers and rudders and a Mayday call for immediate outside assistance followedby a huge repair bill. The full keel also imparts stabilityand accurate tracking in large following seas.

The downside of a full length keel is the additionalwetted area which is one reason faster boats tend toleave it off. Even though, when fitted with the appropriatepower, Flemings exceed 20 knots, speed is not our firstpriority and the small additional drag caused by the keelis of minor importance compared with the extra securityit provides.

The primary reason why most boats do not have full keels however lies in the expense and difficulty ofincluding them. For reasons of economy most boats arelaid up in one piece molds. This limits the depth of a keel

Box-SectionStringers

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to how far a man can reach into a slot to lay up thefiberglass. This is a very short distance, only a fraction of the depth of a Fleming keel. To accomplish the deepkeel on the Fleming requires a two-part mold. This alsoallows us to mold in integral stainless capped midguardswhich protect the hull sides when lying alongside a pier

The interior of our keel is filled with closed-cell foamand sealed off from the main hull with heavy laminationsso that the boat will not leak even if the keel should suffer major damage. A Fleming 55 which lost almost1/3 of its keel during an inadvertent grounding on theunder water concrete remnants of an old bridge was stillable to return home without any water entering the boatand with all running gear undamaged. As additional pro-tection, a stainless steel shoe is installed on the under-side of the keel and it is very rare to have any significantkeel damage during a grounding incident. In most casesthe captain simply backs off and moves on with nodamage whatsoever.

A case has been made for strut extensions extend-ing just below the props but, while these are clearly

better than nothing, they are too fragile to substitute fora full length keel. When boats impact the sea bed theydo not do so delicately but hit with considerable forceand surge up and down with the waves - impartingforces of thousands of pounds to the points of contactwhich will, at best, sink into the seabed or, more likely,break off or be driven up into the hull.

ll Flemings have full length keels

which extend significantly below the

rudders and propellers. We believe this

to be an absolutely essential feature

for any serious cruising yacht.”Props Protected

by the Deep Keel

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I have read about hull to deck joints failing on quitewell known boats. How does Fleming address thatscenario?

This joint is critical to the strength and safety of any fiberglass boat and there have been horror stories of this joint failing on even the most prestigious and expen-sive of yachts. In the Fleming we have not just one jointbut two! The hull and deck are joined both at the top ofthe bulwarks and also at their base where the hull anddeck are glassed together. We have two joints – one atdeck level and on at the top of the bulwark – whichmeans double strength.

There is also the added reassurance from buying a well-proven boat. Over the past twenty one yearsFleming has delivered over 200 boats and, inevitably,some of them have been caught out in weather that noone in their right mind would have chosen to go out in.There has never been a case of structural damage toone of our boats although I am sure that there wereoccasions when their crews would have preferred to be on shore. While riding out a hurricane at a Bahamas

marina a few years back one of our boats broke pilingsand demolished a pier with only minor cosmetic damageto the Fleming.

How does Fleming address the noise and vibration issues that plague so many boats?

It is quite common for customers to comment ontheir first Fleming ride to the effect that they have neverbefore ridden on a boat as smooth and as quiet. Noiseand vibration contribute to fatigue and we decided rightfrom the outset to eliminate these. From hull #1, weused the Aquadrive CVA anti-vibration system which hasrevolutionized standards of smoothness and quietnessby allowing free movement between the engine andshaft and, by transferring the thrust from the propellerdirectly onto the hull rather than through the engineswhere, in conventional installations, the thrust is trans-ferred to the hull through the engine mounts. With theAquadrive, much softer mounts can be used and thisadditional softness, carefully matched to the vibration

characteristics of the engine, results in further reductionto the noise and vibration transmitted through the hull.As a further bonus the thrust bearing protects the engineand transmission from damage in the event of the pro-peller hitting a log or some other obstruction and youneed never again be concerned with shaft alignment.

The flexible mounts and thrust bearing brackets arebolted to full-length steel bars encapsulated deep insidethe fiberglass lamination of the engine stringers – eachone of which is a full five inches wide with its top surfacedressed, and trued, with mirror-finish stainless steel.Fleming pioneered the use of internally reinforced enginebeds dressed with polished stainless steel over twentyyears ago and this idea has since found its way intoother brands of boats which claim it as their own.

The engine room is insulated from the rest of theboat by lead-based sound insulation and foam. Its interi-or surfaces – including tanks – are sound deadened andfaced with an attractive, easy-to-clean sound board. On the 65 and 75, fuel tanks extend the full width of theengine room forward bulkhead and insulate the engine

room from the accommodation. On the 55, the spacebetween the forward tanks is aligned with the accom-modation passage stairs. All current Flemings will soonfollow the lead of the Fleming 65 by having fiberglasscomposite salon soles using honeycomb constructionwhich offers additional stiffness and insulation. All theengine hatches are clamped down tight on rubber gaskets and double hatches are fitted in the serviceopenings over the engines to further contain the sound.The result is a boat in which you can hold a conversationin a normal voice and one in which the vibration isreduced to barely detectable levels, even at the highercruising speeds.

ith the Aquadrive, much softer mountscan be used and this additional softness, carefullymatched to the vibration characteristics of theengine, results in further reduction to the noise and vibration transmitted through the hull.”

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Some people say that too much space has beengiven over to the engine room in the Flemings?How come?

All boats are a compromise. Some designers put the emphasis on interior space at the expense ofaccessibility or even stability while we have tended togive higher priority to aspects concerning practicality and seaworthiness even at the expense of losing someinterior volume. We believe that is a worthwhile trade off.It has been our policy to ensure that, not only shouldevery piece of equipment be the best suited for the purpose, but also that it should be easily accessible for service and maintenance. This policy is most clearlyevident in the engine-room.

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I don’t see any air intake vents on the sides of the hull. Where does the intake air for theengines come from?

In the average boat, intake air – laden with saltspray – enters the engine-room high up from intakevents on the outside of the hull. Salt not only enters theengines but also settles on every surface in the engine-room causing rust and corrosion. In the Fleming, coolintake air is brought in through vents under the cockpitcoaming and is separated from its burden of spraybefore entering the engine-room through vents in the aft bulkhead.

What about the water tanks?

Water tanks in the Flemings are very heavy walledpolyethylene moulded in one piece in the USA and con-sequently have no joints and no welds. We previouslyused stainless steel which, despite its popular reputationfor excellence, is in fact vulnerable to crevice corrosion.The corrosion-resistant surface of stainless steel is only

a few microns thick and, should this become disturbedand there be insufficient oxygen present to replace it,corrosion can occur very rapidly – especially at thewelds. In some instances, we found that chlorinatedwater was sufficient to trigger the problem. Polyethyleneis totally inert and is used universally for the storage ofdrinking water – as well as for corrosive chemicals.

Why doesn’t Fleming use sea chests?

Larger vessels sometimes offer sea chests ratherthan individual seacocks for water intakes. Sea-chestscan provide some advantages with centralized accessbut, as is usually the case with all things, there are alsodisadvantages. For a sea chest to be useful, either thetop surface needs to be some distance above thewaterline - so that the top can be removed when at sea,even when the boat is surging up and down – or thewhole chest needs to have its own, large isolation valvesand, because you cannot afford to have all intakesclosed off at one time, this means having a second seachest on the opposite side of the boat connected to thefirst. Another disadvantage is that intake hoses must alllead to this central point from wherever each piece ofequipment is located. This can result in long hose runs – full of seawater – which have to slope consistentlyup with no high points. I considered sea-chests back in1985 but , after carefully considering all the factors, concluded that we were better off to have individualintakes each adjacent to its respective piece of equip-ment. Another factor is that some pieces of equipmentrequire scoop strainers while, for others, a scoop is arecipe for disaster so individual intakes need to be tailored as required for the appropriate use.

How are the fuel tanks constructed?

Fleming has been using fiberglass fuel tanks for manyyears. These tanks are far superior to any metal tanksince there are no concerns about corrosion or weld failures. The Fleming tanks are laid up over male moldsimparting a smooth surface to the inside of the tanks.The inner layers are laid up with vinylester resin while theouter layers use fire retardant resin. All the baffles arefiberglass. The tanks all have integrally molded sumpsallowing them to be fully drained. Our tanks are far superior to commercially available fiberglass tanks, some of which do not even have baffles. Fleming tanksare also fitted with clearly readable sight-gages evenwhen remote-reading electric gages are also installed.Very little can go wrong with a sight-gage and having asimple mechanical back up to an electrical convenienceis an example of the thought process behind the boat. Asanother small example, the “tails” of all hose clamps arefitted with a plastic protector to prevent you being gashedby the sharp edges - an event all too familiar to anyoneused to working in the average engine room.

Air Intakes: In Cockpitto Reduce Noise Levels

Port AftFuel Tank

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Why does Fleming continue to use what appearsto be an old fashioned stuffing box?

Over the years, we have tried virtually every so-called “no-drip” shaft seal on the market. The bottomline is that at one time or another we experienced a fail-ure with every design. They all require cooling water andare particularly susceptible to failure when the boat isbeing operated on only one engine. The biggest problemwith these seals is that when they do fail there is usuallya major leak situation and the only way to repair them isto haul the boat and pull the shaft. We concluded thatthese shaft seals, which all need an uninterrupted flow of cooling water for their continued safe operation, arenot compatible with the requirements for a serious cruis-ing yacht designed for operation offshore. We thereforereverted to the traditional style of stuffing box but with a specially formulated Teflon packing that makes themessentially dripless without any requirement for lubrica-tion. In the worst case scenario where the packingwears out or is damaged by excessive tightening, the result is only a little minor dripping until the

packing can easily be replaced without hauling the boat.We still run water lines to the stuffing boxes but we dothis to keep sand flushed out of the cutless bearing atthe aft end of the shaft log when operating in shallowand silt-laden water as well as to ensure a good supplyof water to the bearing when running at higher speeds.

Stuffing Box with Cooling Water Hose

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It seems that every few months there are newdevelopments in electronics and associated elec-trical systems. What is Fleming’s policy on this?

Electrical systems continue to evolve as new tech-nology becomes available and demands for electricalpower increases. The Fleming 55 has large capacityalternators installed on the engines while the 65 and 75 both have two alternators per engine. Using largecapacity inverters (one on the 55 and two – working intandem - on the larger boats) together with large banksof AGM service batteries reduces the need to run theAC generators. The generators have a proprietaryexhaust muffler/separator which reduces exhaust noise down to a whisper. This results in environmentallyresponsible, silent, operation with no exhaust or noise to disturb quiet anchorages overnight. Isolation trans-formers have been added to the shore supply to makethe boat safer and better protected from defective marina wiring. To reduce power consumption and heat,we are moving towards LED lighting as warmer colorsare becoming available.

We do not advocate installing electronics at theyard. This is because, as with all modern electronics,anything you buy is the ‘old” model by the time youopen the box. The lead time on purchasing, shipping tothe yard, installing the equipment and shipping the boatto the dealer requires a minimum of four months so it is counter-productive to buy early and, in my opinion,

it is best purchasedfrom, and commis-sioned by, a knowl-edgeable localdealer who will beresponsible for it working correctly.In my experience,electronics areresponsible formost of theteething troubles on a new boat.


”

he generators have a proprietary

exhaust muffler/separator which reduces

exhaust noise down to a whisper. This

results in environmentally responsible,

silent, operation with no exhaust or noise

to disturb quiet anchorages overnight.

“T

Before ElectronicsInstallation

After ElectronicsInstallation

During ElectronicsInstallation

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A salesman for another brand of boat told me thatFleming does not bond their throughulls fittings. Is this true?

I doubt there is a single boat built anywhere today in which the through hulls are not bonded. I’m afraid Ifind it inconceivable that the salesman did not know thisso I would have to question his motives for making sucha ridiculous statement. Every Fleming ever built has hadevery throughhull – plus fuel fills and deck railings -checked with a meter at the factory to ensure continuity.

Can a Fleming be ordered with non-skid fiberglass decks?

The short answer is yes it can. However, very fewbuyers have chosen to do so. I have to admit to havinga strong preference for teak over as fiberglass a non-skid material. It looks better, is much less abrasiveshould you fall and is a much more reliable non-skidboth wet or dry. All my own boats have had teak decksand I really cannot say the maintenance has been anissue. Fiberglass non-skid still needs to be scrubbed

and maintained and can be slippery in wet conditionswhen the depressions in the design fill with water.

Where is Fleming headed in the future?

Because we chose to build our boats with a classic look and not chase after the latest fad, Flemings willnever go out of style and will continue to stand out fromthe crowd. Good engineering has always been high onour list of priorities and we have followed a program ofcontinual refinement to the basic design. Confirmationthat this policy has been recognised internationally wasdemonstrated when the Fleming 65 was voted the bestboat in its class in the Yachts Worldwide Awards inCannes in September 2006.

Our small team consists almost entirely of peoplewith hands-on boating experience and we make person-al use of the boats we build. As part of this program,Fleming 65-001, named Venture, was retained in thecompany as a test boat and within 15 months of beingcommissioned had traveled 6,300 nautical miles up and

down the West Coast of North America from La Paz inthe south to Juneau in the north. I was personally onboard for all but a few of those miles and the lessonslearned along the way were invaluable and have beenincorporated into the production boats. Venture hasallowed us to evaluate different equipment which wecould never do in a production boat. The process continues and in summer of 2007, Venture will continueher exploration of the Pacific Northwest.

Why does Fleming sell exclusively through authorised dealers?

Flemings are sold and marketed only through authorizeddealers because it is only with their specialized knowl-edge of the boats and their familiarity with their local areathat we are able to guarantee a high quality of service toour customers. Essentially, we are outsourcing the salesand service aspects of our business to people who arebetter qualified in that field thereby leaving us to concen-trate on what we do best which is to design and buildboats. The bottom line is that a good dealer organiza-

tion, like ours, is the most efficient way to handle the distribution of our yachts which also means the lowestinitial price and the best service for our owners.

Is there anything else that you would care to add?

The Fleming 55 is a boat where everything came togeth-er just right and it has certainly achieved classic status.There are only a very few boats in boating history thathave been as well received right from the outset byknowledgeable boaters. From the time the first Flemingappeared on the market,others have tried to pro-duce their own versions,however these imitationshave yet to match the original in style, class, orfunctionality. If imitation bethe sincerest form of flattery,then I guess I have everyreason to feel flattered.

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T h e U l t i m a t e C r u i s i n g Y a c h t

Fleming Yachts, Inc. • 1760 Monrovia Avenue, A18 • Costa Mesa, CA 92627 • USATel: +1 949 645 1024 • Fax: +1 949 645 3047

www.flemingyachts.com • email: [email protected]

FLEMING

FLEMING 55 LOA 55’9” • 16.99m LWL 50’10” • 15.50m Beam 16’ • 4.88m Draft 5’ • 1.52m Displacement 66,000lbs • 30,000kg

Fuel 1,000 USgallons • 3,784liters Water 300 USgallons • 1,135liters

FLEMING 65 LOA 65’ • 19.8m LWL 59’2” • 18m Beam 18’8” • 5.7m Draft 5’ • 1.52m Displacement 105,000lbs • 48,000kg

Fuel 1,700 USgallons • 6,435liters Water 400 USgallons • 1,514liters

FLEMING 75 LOA 75’ • 22.86m LWL 68’10” • 20.98m Beam 21’5” • 6.53m Draft 5’ • 1.52m Displacement 165,000lbs • 75,000kg

Fuel 3,000 USgallons • 11,353 liters Water 500 USgallons • 1,892liters(not including platforms)

(not including platforms)

(not including platforms)

an interview with tony fleming - fleming yachts – the ultimate cruising yacht an interview with...

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