General Info: Astrea 42: Owners?

[BKC]

Hi All

Astrea Hull #8 Catestrophic Fire

I started this thread and Sorry I have been silent for a long time. All good but life got busy.

I wanted to update and make readers aware that we have been informed that our Astrea 42 (hull #8) went up in a fire inferno while sitting on the dock at the Dream Yacht Charter base in Key West, Florida 3 days ago - Saturday morning. She took just 30mins to be entirely burnt to the waterline! Total loss.

I'm sorry that we have no idea of the cause yet, as we have yet to be given any update by DYC except an email Saturday informing of the total loss and there was (thankfully) no one injured. Apparently charter guests were on board, as were DYC staff giving a briefing when the fire started and evacuated. The pictures are from Fire Dept posts and someone fishing at sea.

I will update when we know more but wanted others who own or are interested in Fountaine Pajot / Astreas to be aware of this disasterous occurence asap, just in case. This catastrophe is not what one would expect on a boat just over 2 years old. Hopefully we will learn more but thankfully no one was hurt.

Stay safe and more to come (I hope).

Brian

[jefffay]

I saw this accident on the Facebook group but had no idea it was your Astrea. So sorry to hear about this, I certainly hope you will be made fully whole by insurance. Keep us posted, I'm sure everyone would appreciate finding out what happened almost as much as you. Best of luck to you.

[doctorbill]

So so so sorry to hear of this loss and thankful no one was hurt!!
This must be devastating news to receive.

Hopefully insurance and DYC will make it right.

I would assume no, but I'll throw out the question... Were Lithium batteries installed? It's scary how fast the fire went, which makes it sound as if there was some type of accelerant involved (maybe just high wind)?

[Aqua Adventures]

Have read through many of the 39 pages here and was shocked in the last page of your Catastrophic Fire. So sorry to hear!
Certainly be interested to hear the outcome of the investigation and if Lithium batteries were installed.
Just confirmed my new Astrea 42 which is due for pickup in November of this year.

[David2.0]

So sorry this happened Brian. Please keep us posted, especially if the cause of the fire was something common to all Astreas.

[BKC]

Hi Everyone

We are still working on the cause of the fire and I promise to post full details once we know. Several things have been eliminated already. More to come.

Question: can anyone tell me where the inverter board is located on the Astrea. I'd check myself, but....:-)

[BKC]

To be more specific on inverter question...
its in one of the engine compartments I believe and should look like this blue box (attached pic).
I'm assuming it's in Port Engine compartment but good to confirm exact mounting surface i.e. bulkhead wall adjoining aft port cabin?
Can anyone confirm??

[CruiserUser]

Hi Brian,
that is exactly the inverter used in the Astra, at least in mine (#5). It is mounted in the starboard engine room against the bulkhead adjoining aft cabin. Right underneath the steering mechanics console with autopilot and steering cables.
So sorry to see what happened to your boat. Please keep sharing.
Best regards,
Thomas

[BKC]

Thank you Thomas.

Very helpful. I've seen a photo of another Astrea with the inverter mounted in the Port Engine compartment so I wonder if it varies depending on electrical set up 120v/240v? The Starboard engine compartment is a long way from breaker panel/shorepower but close to the house batteries. Our digital controller switch for inverter/charger is on Port side companion way as you go down to Port cabins.

[CruiserUser]

Hi Brian,
mine is a 230V version for Europe. Shore power connector is on port side, with a short 230V cable to the 230V breaker box in the port side engine room, just as you describe.
Battery bank is on the starboard side as you state, and the Victron charger / inverter nearby. 230V wiring to / from inverter goes across the bridge deck through large plastic tubes where also the tiller connection rod is fed from hull to hull. Remote control unit for the inverter is also exactly where you describe close to the port stairs.
I will be back on the boat from the 19th on if you need any pictures.

[GoJo]

Greetings everyone,
I'm the proud new owner of FP Astrea 42 (#125) Serene Blue. Been trying to catch up on this forum thread and have run into a number of similar issues I have found.

a) Solar panels: I got the upgraded 3x400W and the panels extend a bit aft of the cockpit. As one of the users mentioned, it is currently mounted square and it creates a bird bath when there is rain. Looking to try and change the angle slope to 1-2 degrees to allow the rain to runoff.
b) Upwind sailing performance: I was pleasantly surprised at how well she pointed into the wind. I was going about 30 degrees close hauled out in the Chesapeake Bay and outperforming monohulls on that same tack.
c) Downwind sailing performance was less than ideal with the standard sail configuration. The sheet track is optimized for close haul and the jib tended to luff quite a bit. I was able to work around this by using a boomvang contraption (barber hauler) and hook this to the clew and the midpoint cleat to get the sail to catch more air downwind. It works great! Not sure anyone else has tried this?

1) I did not like how violent the jibes were and currently looking to install a Boom Brake. Does anybody have any experience installing a boom brake on FP catamaran before?

2) Downwind sail. I have not yet looked into getting a downwind sail yet and would love to hear any additional advice on what the community has good experience with? Asy spinnaker? Sym spin? Gennaker?

Brian (BKC), I am so sorry to read about your boat burning down. Glad nobody was hurt and hopefully insurance make you whole. Curious what may have been the cause of this incident?

Hope to hear from all you folks and happy to be part of the community!

Cheers,
Jo

[BoilerUp]

Hello Astrea 42 owners,

I'm planning a bareboat charter on an Astrea 42 in the BVI for next summer. The boat we are chartering (https://www.bviyachtcharters.com/yachts/idle-time-fp-astrea-42/) has 4 double beds plus a single bed in the port forward v-berth as pictured below:

We have a 9th person interested in joining us for the 10 day cruise, but I wanted him to know what his sleeping arrangements would be before he commits.



I've tried googling for pictures of the v-berth as well as asking the charter company for pictures, but no luck.



If anyone here has some pictures of the v-berth that they could share, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[Funkydrum]

The forward berth is functional as a small crew bunk. The occupant 'might' not view their occomodations as commensurate with the other guests (if they're paying the same $$).


All that said, a crew of nine is a lot for a 42' cat. I'd look at a 45' or larger if it were me...

[Khamawy]

Hi,

This is exactly what I'm planning to do, buy an Astrea and put it with Dream Yacht charter, can you please tell me how was your experience with DYC and the boat.