A Burr Experience – Golden Hawk

Sharon and I have now completed about two thirds of our Great Loop adventure as well an additional trip down the ICW and a summer in The Chesapeake. We were sitting on the boat on the west coast of Florida recently discussing our travels and the conversation once again drifted to how absolutely fantastic this boat has been. As you know Sharon and I have been boating seriously for over 20 years. We have had the pleasure of owning a few boats and although we have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them, our experience with our beloved Fleming has not only gone way beyond our very high expectations but to a point where it is actually difficult to articulate the satisfaction and pleasure of operating and owning this ship. The inherent capabilities, design, structure, systems and foresight that the Fleming organization has put into their product goes beyond even what they describe as their objective in building this great boat. We can honestly say that owning the Fleming is without question the highest level of satisfaction we have ever had with any item we have ever purchased. Every dollar we paid for this product and invested in her during our travels was worth every last cent and we just could not be more pleased. The most difficult thing we will ever have to do with our Fleming is to part ways with her. We dread that day.

Secondly, we also wanted to confirm another very important part of our Fleming experience has been our relationship with your organization. You and all of your people told us that after we left the Burr docks your entire company would continue to be there seven days a week, 24 hours per day. Well let us assure you that that has certainly been the case. We feel so very blessed to have been supported the way we have been by Mick, Kevin, Charlie, Craig, Dana and the rest of your staff that when you combine the excellence of product that we described above with the support, technical skills, operational knowledge, boating experience and just plain personal interest in Sharon’s and my situation, there are not many areas that Burr needs to improve upon. Pat himself is one of the greatest and most knowledgeable support people Sharon and I have ever met and we have valued his presence immensely. Anyone that is considering buying a Fleming and does not for whatever reason is making a major mistake. They will only truly know this, however, after they have signed the check and used this great product. They can be rest assured that whatever Fleming and Burr Yacht Sales tells them will be the absolute truth.

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity and helping to make this stage of Sharon’ and my retirement everything we had hoped.

Regards – Jay and Sharon Shore, Golden Hawk

Venture Charter

Nicky,
We are safely back from a wonderful week in BC. The boat was fantastic and we successfully exceeded everyones expectation of the trip. My parents enjoyed reminiscing about the trip we made 25 years ago and appreciated the significant upgrades in accommodation. We managed to accommodate all seven of us quite comfortably. On the last day we went on a fishing charter and landed a 20lb Salmon, one of the objectives of the trip.

Please let you father know that i think he is a genius. We loved the boat, I appreciated all of the details that make it so practical yet stylish beyond her peers. We also enjoyed watching DVD's of his adventures on Venture II, quite professional. My kids thought it was narrated by David Attenborough.

Many thanks for everything.

Sincerely,
Ian

Allowed To Dream

This is reprinted from Motor Boat and Yachting Magazine. Read the article.

A Fleming Great Adventure

The phone rang. It was Bill Ebsary calling to ask if I was available to assist him in bringing his new Fleming 55 back to Pittwater, Sydney, from the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show in Queensland. Bill and I have been friends for more than 50 years and over that time have shared many thousands of miles racing yachts both with and against each other as well as enjoying one another’s company just cruising. I prevaricated for about a nano second before accepting his invitation. I had been on board Bill’s Fleming “Le Billet” just after he took delivery in Sydney a couple of months before and had been very impressed by the overall appearance of the vessel, the build quality and the practical layout. Over my 40 years professional experience as a coastal engineer and researcher I had clocked up many tens of thousands of miles rolling around at sea on research vessels ranging from a few metres long to over 40 m, in all sorts of weather, and so was keen to see how Bill’s new acquisition handled at sea.

At Sanctuary Cove I was impressed with courtesy extended to me by Egil, Duncan and the rest of the Fleming crew including Sam, who accompanied us onboard on the trip back, and with the after sales service and follow up they provided to Bill. Then came the real test: how would she handle at sea? Having re-supplied we exited the Show’s marina early in the afternoon on the day after the show. There were still a large number of vessels in the marina so there was very little room to maneuver. I was pleasantly surprised at how, with judicious use of the twin engine controls and the bow thruster, she was easily turned in her own length and then safely “extracted” through a very narrow opening. The additional maneuvering station at the rear of the flybridge was a real benefit in making the whole process manageable without unnecessary “excitement”. Out in the labyrinth of the Gold Coast waterway we steamed along happily at 6 kts winding our way between the array of potentially confusing port and starboard markers and the other waterway users, some of whom had a somewhat “challenging” concept of the rules of navigation. The excellent visibility afforded by the main flybridge steering station and the clear instrumentation significantly contributed to our confidence in handling the Fleming under these circumstances.

Preparing for sea we battened down the hatches and turned her head out into the Seaway channel between the breakwaters. Conditions were relatively mild but we turned on the stabilizers and crossed the bar easily. Out in the open sea we set a course for a waypoint 15 miles off Danger Reefs as we wanted to get out into the East Australian Current which was running south and would add 1.5 to 2 Kts to our boat speed…for free! Glancing back we noticed a rather ominous cloud starting to form over the ranges behind the Gold Coast. All was going well; nice weather, little wind, small underlying swell, Le Billet on automatic pilot, so we had lunch. Then it happened! The heavens opened up, the wind roared, the sea kicked up; the storm that had been brewing had caught us up. But, we just sat there continuing to chat and having lunch with the Fleming comfortably handling conditions; the stabilizers were worth their weight in gold and the hull form meant the auto pilot had no trouble holding course.

Well offshore in the current we altered course to starboard to head south. Cruising along at a boat speed of 10 kts and with the GPS telling us that were actually achieving 12kts across the ground due to the current assist, the twin Cummins 500s were quietly ticking over at a synchronized 1460 rpm, only consuming a total of 35 litres per hour; surprisingly economical for a vessel of this size. By now a westerly of 15 to 20 kts had developed a nasty cross-sea on top of the developing southeasterly swell yet the Fleming was behaving as if it was in calm water. We were able to comfortably read, chat, and deal with our emails before cooking, and consuming, a hearty three course dinner.

After dinner we split into two watches for the nights run and the two of us on the second watch went down to bed for a good 4 hours sleep. Awaking around midnight feeling refreshed I went up into the now dimly lit, but warm and friendly, pilot house to get a briefing before taking over. The pilot house arrangement, being well protected from the lights and conversations in the main salon and with clear instrumentation and visibility was excellent for night running. It was immediately clear that the designers at Fleming knew what they were doing. The auto pilot and the stabilizers were happily working away together so all I had to do was slip into the comfortable seat behind the wheel and keep a good lookout. The chart plotter, the radar and the arrangement of the windows made this an easy task. At four the next morning the other watch took over and we again went to bed. By now we had 25 kts of southwesterly kicking up a steep 1 metre sea hitting us on our starboard bow. The spray was impressive but the ride was unbelievably smooth so sleep was quickly achieved.

In 24 hours we had comfortably covered 260 nm and were well on our way back to Pittwater with 130 nm left to travel. However we had become increasingly concerned by the weather forecasts. All the indications were that an East Coast “Bomb” (a severe low pressure weather system) might rapidly develop in a few hours, producing winds of over 50 kts. Despite our now well deserved faith in the Fleming we saw no point in punching headlong into a developing gale so, after another pleasant lunch while underway, we decided to head for Port Stephens. It was nightfall before we arrived at the entrance and dark and windy with a strong run out tide by the time we reached the marina at Nelsons Bay. Again the Fleming was put to the test as we maneuvered, under these adverse conditions, through the relatively small breakwater gap and into the marina berth which the operators had kindly arranged for us by phone that afternoon. Despite the rather tight situation the Fleming behaved magnificently and we docked in unfamiliar waters, in difficult conditions, without even a bump, let alone a scratch.

Enjoying a comfortable night we awoke the next morning to a howling gale. Winds offshore were storm force therefore the decision was easy: wait a couple of days before pushing off again. Within reach of Sydney and with all the crew except myself having work commitments a car was quickly hired by Bill and the rest of the crew disappeared southward vowing to return on the weekend. This left me with the absolutely horrible task of having to spend a few days on board looking after Le Billet….in the lap of luxury! Bill thought twice about leaving the ignition keys behind with me just in case I was tempted to “shoot through” to a country that didn’t have extradition agreements with Australia!

So in summary, I have now experienced the Fleming 55 in a variety of difficult situations and weather and sea conditions and have been “forced” to live on board for an extended time….well someone has to do it! All I can say is that this is one magnificent craft. It is by far the best vessel I have been to sea on; it is well built, carefully thought out, competently engineered, practical, safe, comfortable and pleasing to the eye. It is a real credit to Fleming Yachts….and no, they didn’t pay me for writing this piece, I wrote it because I was so impressed! Sadly, my wife has emptied my bank accounts and cut up my credit cards after hearing me rave about the Fleming. Apparently she feels that the cruising and the racing yachts we already have, and the fact that my family still wants to go sailing, is sufficient for the present! Oh well….one day!

Oh, and by the way…thanks Bill for a great week.

Angus Gordon,

Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Engineering Science, Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Yachtmaster and past Commodore The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Australia.

55-175

To all the admirers of our Fleming 55 we tell them there are very few vessels out there that can match the design and ocean going capability of a Fleming. A Fleming is one of the most desired vessels amongst seafarers of all kinds.

Tie up a Fleming alongside a 'plastic fantastic' and see which one draws the most admirers. We've been to enough Boat Shows to speak with some authority. Our Fleming 55, 'ANDANTE,' is just over four years old now and has completed 21,500 nm of ocean cruising around the East coast of Australia and overseas. This includes nine 700 nm passages through the notorious Bass Strait located between the SE corner of Australia and Tasmania. Passing through the Strait is always a challenge and an exercise in weather watching and timing. The extreme weather that comes in from the Southern Indian Ocean - one stretch is ominously named 'The Shipwreck Coast' because it presents a lee shore to all shipping and is a coastline dotted with many shipwrecks.

Andante has never faltered or hesitated through this treacherous stretch. We are constantly reassured through all legs of our journeys by the solid construction and workmanship that has gone into the building of ANDANTE. The things like the reinforced hull, engine installation, the fuel management system, the sea handling capabilities, and all the associated equipment and electronics that make a Fleming a solid, reliable, ocean going ship.

On our long passages, we find that the quiet seclusion of the separate pilothouse keeps the business end away from the distractions of the busy galley and salon area. In our four years of ocean going we have had very few problems with the installed equipment - this we feel comes from the Fleming philosophy of building a vessel with quality materials, fittings and equipment - they are built to a standard not found in many other semi-production vessels.

Wherever we are berthed our Fleming 55 is always subject to much comment on her looks - even people who know very little about boats never fail to stop and admire her lines. During our visit to the remote islands of the Louisiades Archipelago in Papua New Guinea even the local fisher folk commented on ANDANTE and her seagoing lines.

Our next ocean passage in ANDANTE will be across the Coral Sea to New Caledonia, which is 800 nm from Australia and then another 300nm to Vanuatu later this year.

Our Fleming is not just an entry level ship - it is a lifestyle.

Thanks to all the team at Fleming Yachts

Geoff Gowing

Chartering VENTURE I

Nicky:
I don't know where to begin so I will just say "thank you!" Julia, Trent and I just got off "Venture" today at April Point and had Kenmore Air fly us back to Seattle. What a cruise!

Over the years we have cruised on boats and yachts of all sizes in 15 countries and we want you to know that this was, without a doubt, the most fun and best charter we ever had. The captain you provided was terrific; could not have been better. Low key, was great with Trent, had the patience to teach me what I wanted to learn, etc. On top of that, he let me bring Venture in to an assigned space at Dent Island Lodge that required us to pass between a bunch of large yachts on both sides and then somehow secure her alongside a finger pier that was maybe a maximum of 68 ft. for our 65 ft boat. I won't even try to tell you how nervous I was but, fortunately, I managed to do it with a dozen people watching and never bumped anything. I felt like a kid who just hit a home run and he gave me the confidence to pull it off.

Venture is a magnificent yacht and we will be buying a Fleming; no question about it. For the past 5 years or so we have studied every detail of the Flemings versus the competitors and we are among your biggest fans. Despite all of the studying, however, we had never actually been on a Fleming under way. That was why we wanted to charter Venture. Quite honestly, it was better than even our very high expectations. I am the only person I know who has watched every one of your father's DVDs multiple times and I knew what to expect on this trip. Incredibly, the reality was even better than the expectation. We went to Ganges Harbor, Gardner Marina, Chatter Box Falls, Gorge Harbor, Fredrick Arm, Dent Island, April Point, etc. Virtually all of these places were in the DVDs I had watched.

There is nothing like a Fleming. In every harbor we drew a crowd and all sorts of people wanted tours and to know everything about her. We felt like commissioned salesmen but loved every minute of it. We passed out brochures, told them why they should buy one, pointed out why Venture was better than what they were on, etc. We have endless stories and it was magical.

Thank you for allowing us to charter Venture. For Julia and I it was a real opportunity to develop experiences and memories with Trent that (we hope) will last him a lifetime. We are older than most couples with a 9 year old and we work hard to give him enriching experiences. This trip was part of that plan.

Attached is a picture of Trent in front of Chatter Box Falls. It was breathtaking. And, you might like to know, Trent lost a tooth while on Venture and was visited by the tooth fairy. I don't know for sure but my guess is that it was the first time Venture ever had a visit from the tooth fairy.

David Bianchi

---

We are delighted with our Fleming 55, Izafel, it is a rare occurrence in this world for the reality to exceed the expectations of the dream but in this case our Fleming 55 has exceeded our expectations.

With very kind regards

Allan Duggin

55-171

Our family had been looking at several options as to what we wanted our "Next Boat" to be. We had looked at long range, 8 knot, Trawler style boats. We had looked at express cruisers, that would "get us there fast". As it turned out, the Fleming 55' gave us the best attributes of both of those style boats while delivering much more. The performance, safety, fit and finish of the Fleming leaves nothing behind. When we have friends aboard they are amazed at how beautiful and thoughtfully the boat has been carried out. We were stepping up from a 28 foot vintage mahogany runabout. Chuck Hovey Yachts and Team Fleming delivered us Tracy Lynne with a comprehensive owner education program. This made learning the capabilities and operation of numerous onboard systems intimidation free, enabling us to truly enjoy the boat. The support and follow through post-purchase are second to none.

Mark & Tracy Widder Newport Beach, California