General Info: Astrea 42: Owners?

[Thalas]

Originally Posted by peterp

and the shower I don't quite understand is it a poor fit allowing water out?

People are understandably upset by such an inelegant solution on a boat in this price range. The "shared shower" concept is fantastic on a boat of this size. Had they used sealable hatches similar to the front cockpit door of the Leopards (though not that heavily engineered), it creates a watertight, relatively soundproof and odor proof barrier. I'm talking a 6' door with a 2" gap wall all around it so that when it's closed, it's one large sealed, opaque wall.

As it's designed now, there are huge gaps along the ceiling reminiscent of public bathroom stalls. Imagine your aft guest putting on makeup in her bathroom while your fore guest is blowing out his bad seafood on the fore toilet. There is literally no odor or sound barrier between them. This is unacceptable and turns a two bathroom solution into a one large, shared bathroom experience.

[brownman61]

I just booked my flight to Annapolis to attend opening/preview day at the show Thursday Oct 4th only. So anxious to see the Astrea in person, and hopefully meet up with some of you other Astrea owners/buyers/prospects who may be attending. Our hull #6 is a week 40 build date (Oct. 1-7, 2018). She's in the final stage at the factory now. We just got this photo from FP - she looks terrific! We'll welcome her to her new home in the BVI and take her out for our first sail in early December!!!

[BKC]

Thanks Lee/Christophe! Who knows which hull they'll have. Which ever one it is has been delayed trans-Atlantic by Florence and I think it is an Atlantic Cruising Yacht boat as they had to postpone their preview. ACY normally do a LOT of after market work this side of the pond so could be quite a different boat.
I'm really disappointed not to be going and grateful to have you guys there to take pics.
Christophe, I have a Pink Pather scene in mind for your undercover work..."Does your dog bite?"

[BKC]

https://youtu.be/Iguu-rAdAI4

[BKC]

Well said! As you probably know, I couldn't agree more. I look forward to seeing this concept executed properly on another boat. Sadly, it may well be a different brand given FPs responsiveness so far.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by BKC

https://youtu.be/Iguu-rAdAI4

ROTFLMAO!! I LOVED Peter Sellers.

Great reference.

[BKC]

****FP PRODUCTION DELAY****

Chased my ex-factory date yet again seeing brownman61 post ystrdy that Hull#6 from is only Oct 7th ex factory. I've been told there are production delays. I'll know more tomorrow. Not exactly how you would expect to find this out?? I'm hoping this is only a few weeks but seriously worried it will be more as has major implications on taxes etc given US tax year end Dec 31st and charters already booked. We are hull#11 and planned for ex-factory in mid-late Oct.

[BKC]

Originally Posted by brownman61

I just booked my flight to Annapolis to attend opening/preview day at the show Thursday Oct 4th only. So anxious to see the Astrea in person, and hopefully meet up with some of you other Astrea owners/buyers/prospects who may be attending. Our hull #6 is a week 40 build date (Oct. 1-7, 2018). She's in the final stage at the factory now. We just got this photo from FP - she looks terrific! We'll welcome her to her new home in the BVI and take her out for our first sail in early December!!!

Congrats on being almost there!!

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by BKC

****FP PRODUCTION DELAY****

Chased my ex-factory date yet again seeing brownman61 post ystrdy that Hull#6 from is only Oct 7th ex factory. I've been told there are production delays. I'll know more tomorrow. Not exactly how you would expect to find this out?? I'm hoping this is only a few weeks but seriously worried it will be more as has major implications on taxes etc given US tax year end Dec 31st and charters already booked. We are hull#11 and planned for ex-factory in mid-late Oct.

Hard to do but try to be positive; maybe they're re-designing the shower stall!

[BKC]

Thank you Lee. Haha. That would have been the hope except that was also mentioned in the email as not resolved (despite the fact that I have given up any hope on having that solved by FP!).

[Rdhdandme]

I too will be at the Annapolis Sailboat Show and am anxious to see the A42. I've been following the thread for a while. Although we haven't purchased yet, I do have my quote, I'm just not one to put money down on a boat sight unseen. So I cant wait to see her!! I hope shes everything my heart desires in a retirement vessel. Hope to get to meet some of you there. If you see a redhead there at the FP booth ogling and drooling at the Astrea, ask, it's probably me! We are there from Oct 4 - 8th.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Rdhdandme

I too will be at the Annapolis Sailboat Show and am anxious to see the A42. I've been following the thread for a while. Although we haven't purchased yet, I do have my quote, I'm just not one to put money down on a boat sight unseen. So I cant wait to see her!! I hope shes everything my heart desires in a retirement vessel. Hope to get to meet some of you there. If you see a redhead there at the FP booth ogling and drooling at the Astrea, ask, it's probably me! We are there from Oct 4 - 8th.

YIKES! I sure hope they have several spitoons for all the drool they're going to collect!

I'm not sure of my schedule as the prospective buyer is trying to arrange for the surveyor and haulout this week before the sale (which is one step closer for us!) I know I'll be there Sat or Sun.

[Off the Hook]

I saw Astrea 42 hull #4 at the ACY dock in Annapolis last Tuesday. It had just come in from the freighter out of Baltimore and was still all taped up. ACY has a lot of work to do to it to make it show ready as the mast was still wrapped in plastic for shipping when I saw it. I'll make sure to get on it at the boat show this weekend and go over all of the details about the Jack and Jill shower that was mentioned. I'm not too interested in having gaps underneath the shower doors either.

I'm also seriously debating about getting the davits instead of the lift platform. I don't think that 500lb weight limit is sufficient especially if you the tender gets full of water. All mechanical things break and the more complicated they are the more that they break. I guess I want to see #4 with a tender on it to see how it operates.

I had originally ordered a Lucia 40 at the last Oct boat show but then FP came out with the Astrea 42 so I decided to upgrade. Upgraded in March and it's supposed to be ex-factory in November of next year. Don't have a hull number yet.

I'm planning on setting her up to circumnavigate after three or four seasons of back and forth to the BVI during the winter and summer in Annapolis where I can use it when it's not being chartered.

I'll be at the show Saturday through Monday. I'll be the big guy hanging out at the FP dock.

[BKC]

Hey Guys.

Delighted to hear so many of you are going to Annapolis. Sadly I'm in Germany this week & looks like I have to get deep into a battle with an unresponsive FP. Found out on Friday that my boat will be months late (but only after I chased delivery dates - boat was due ex factory this month). To add insult to injury, despite the fact it's not even in production yet (now due wk 49 or 50), and the fact that I have been chasing details on their Central Shower set up (with assurances) since April, they are now telling me it's too late to change it. Utter nonsense. We would have to fix it after market, which would be outrageous.

For those of your going to Annapolis, please make it clear that you are hearing (correctly) of horror stories on customer service chaos - they are way behind on production, hence why that ACY boat is so late. Please comment on their airport stall shower set up as they just dont understand why we have an issue. Make it clear what you think - ours will have to be fixed one way or another.
On production delays - of course it can happen. But when you are in a US tax dependent DY Performance Program as we are, risking missing year end & not communicating AT ALL with customers is utterly unacceptable. The program will fall apart if they carry on like this as the resultant tax costs are staggering, let alone lost charters as we wait. I'll keep you all posted. If I was able to make it there, I'd be the one with steam coming put of my ears.
Sad to say but right now, I'm kinda wishing I had bought from Lagoon because of our FP customer service experience. The Astrea might be a better boat on paper, but FP are proving to be an utter nightmare to deal with - feel free to share that.
There is a chance we might even back out of purchase. Yes, its that bad...

[LeeV]

Off The Hook:

Not that it's meant to influence anybody, but I would never want that weight hanging off the back, nor the potential issues with break down at sea. If I had a large pocketbook, and the boat was going to sit in the islands somewhere, I can see that it would make a nice platform for snorkeling, diving and an easy place to put the dinghy.

Shower stall: all I can say is ugh. The Helia (which I think may be the best FP boat ever) has the issue and I know the owners have raised hell about it, coming up with seals for the bottom, etc....

Brian:

Yikes! I'm sorry to hear things have gotten that bad. I hope your situation improves.