St. Francis 50: "Wayfinder"

[Hugh Howey]

Excited to post this update. Got a picture of the new side windows on Wayfinder. I found a shot I took of the previous SF50 saloon side windows, so I could do a comparison.

Older design on top. New design below. Sorry the top pic is so blurry; I had to crop it from the only shot I had side-on of hull #18.





Really, really, really excited about this modification. This wasn't my doing, btw. This was a change they already had in mind for subsequent builds. So all future SF50s will have these larger windows.

Looking at the galley, on the inside, you can imagine the difference. You'll have a better view straight out from the sink.



On the other side, you'll see out as you descend the stairs, rather than looking at paneling. The glass will take up almost all of that white fiberglass you see there.



It appears to me that the new windows will also be quite a bit taller. And you can tell by the recessing that they will be a solid pane of glass, rather than two panels. I think it's going to look amazing, inside and out!

[Heath68]

Originally Posted by Hugh Howey

I forgot to account for running the generator with those estimates, and to be really conservative, I ran the numbers again looking at a 1.3 gph burn rate, and with these additions, you're looking at 7.5 - 8 days of non-stop motoring, and a range of roughly 1,050 to 1,200 nm.

That's plenty for getting anywhere. I personally wouldn't add bladders anywhere, but if you wanted to carry more fuel, you could. The forward lockers and the transom steps have copious space. I'd rather not have the weight onboard, frankly, and put light-air sails up or take a dip and clean the bottom while I wait on wind.

I was thinking more like swapping the tanks.. diesel to water and vice versa... would give better range with minimal impact on water provision.

[Hugh Howey]

Originally Posted by Heath68

I was thinking more like swapping the tanks.. diesel to water and vice versa... would give better range with minimal impact on water provision.

Not sure that you could swap them. The fuel tanks are higher, and the lines are gravity fed to the mains. So even if you constructed the tanks out of the right material, I don't know that it would work. Wouldn't hurt to ask the builder, though. Either way, you'd learn something.

[BlueBuddha]

The windows look great. Which SF50 are the inside pictures from, Suliere? It looks so different with the lighter finishes compared to some of the pics they have on their website. It looks like the new hulls will have such a great updated look! So cool that it may get me into trouble with the wife since she already has her eyes on something else! I have some time to change her mind though

Thanks for the updates!

[Hugh Howey]

Originally Posted by BlueBuddha

The windows look great. Which SF50 are the inside pictures from, Suliere? It looks so different with the lighter finishes compared to some of the pics they have on their website. It looks like the new hulls will have such a great updated look! So cool that it may get me into trouble with the wife since she already has her eyes on something else! I have some time to change her mind though

Thanks for the updates!

This is "Guinievere," hull #18.

The owner of this SF50 had a deposit on a different catamaran prior to the Miami show. He and his wife walked on, and his wife said, "This is the boat." They got their deposit back on the other boat and bought this one the next day.

(They'd looked at the SF50 at another show, so it wasn't an impulse buy. But seeing this one totally flipped them.)

I think St. Francis would do well to update the pics on their website. Many are from boats a decade old, with darker interiors. Now they do bamboo paneling, light corian countertops, just a different look.

[CliffL]

So I understand you lose the cupboard above the sink? What about strength of the new window compared to the older set up?

Also, thanks for all the info. I'm an ex-Leapord 47 owner and fell in love with the SF-50 at the Annapolis Boat Show.

Cheers,

Cliff

[Hugh Howey]

Originally Posted by CliffL

So I understand you lose the cupboard above the sink? What about strength of the new window compared to the older set up?

Also, thanks for all the info. I'm an ex-Leapord 47 owner and fell in love with the SF-50 at the Annapolis Boat Show.

Cheers,

Cliff

You don't lose it, but it'll have to change. There's a rough diagram on my blog showing what it should look like. The cabinet is made to order, so we'll slide it toward the window over the stove.

The strength shouldn't be compromised too much. The glass that's going in is very strong. And this is the saloon, so the only bearing weight is the coachroof itself. If you've got seas crashing into the side of the hull that high, you're already doing something wrong.

Are you coming to the next Annapolis show? It's going to be cool to meet some CF members there. Be interesting to hear the mockery of the blue settee and the vinyl flooring I'm going with

[Hugh Howey]

I should add here that the cubbies you see over the stove, on the aft galley bulkhead, are AMAZING. They look minor, but they hold a ton. You can keep all your glasses up there (arranged by height, so coffee mugs on the far right, then tumblers, then glasses), or even your plates and flatware. Or casserole dishes.

They look small until you start using them, and then they keep swallowing stuff.

[Heath68]

Originally Posted by BlueBuddha

The windows look great. Which SF50 are the inside pictures from, Suliere? It looks so different with the lighter finishes compared to some of the pics they have on their website. It looks like the new hulls will have such a great updated look! So cool that it may get me into trouble with the wife since she already has her eyes on something else! I have some time to change her mind though

Thanks for the updates!

1st.. thanks for pointing me this way BlueBuddha... on the above I couldn't agree more. I'd looked at the website and the photo's were of a boat whose owner had asked for some unique ideas in terms of colour of decor etc. IMO I felt it made their boats look very dated.. that was one of the reasons I asked about cupboard design.

[Heath68]

Originally Posted by Hugh Howey

Are you coming to the next Annapolis show? It's going to be cool to meet some CF members there. Be interesting to hear the mockery of the blue settee and the vinyl flooring I'm going with

Blue settee and vinyl flooring... I promise not to smile if it doesn't deserve it.. but it sounds eclectic do you know about past corian problems with SF50s? Did you ask about this?

[Hugh Howey]

Originally Posted by Heath68

Blue settee and vinyl flooring... I promise not to smile if it doesn't deserve it.. but it sounds eclectic do you know about past corian problems with SF50s? Did you ask about this?

No, I haven't heard about corian problems. Anything I should be aware of? They looked great in hull #18, but that boat only had a few months and about 7,500 miles on her.

The blue settee is something I might regret. If so, I'll recover it. I'd rather take a few risks on the interior and fix them than go safe and then never be upset enough at the interior to try something bold. We've gone by this with our houses, and 9 out of 10 times, we love the bold move. When we go safe, again, it's not displeasing enough to care to try something else. You only live once, right?

The vinyl flooring also comes from our Florida home. I swear by the stuff. It looks and feels like wood, with a nice texture and grip, and it's bulletproof. The dog can't scratch it. Standing water doesn't phase it. Easy to clean. Good grip on your feet when wet, just everything going for it.

Not as pretty as teak and holly, but real wood scratches too easily. You have to really keep up with the varnish, or just let it craze over time. And so slippery when wet. I do love the look, but I also like the look of teak decks. Doesn't mean I ever again want to own one.

Not trying to talk anyone else into this madness. I'll probably regret a few of these decisions and have to remedy them later. We'll see!

[BlueBuddha]

I'm curious about what type of vinyl floor you are installing. The only vinyl I know is the stuff that was in my college apartment kitchen and I bet that's not what you are putting on the SF .

Have you seen the fake flexiteek? It looks amazing in some pics I've seen and I may consider for my boat when we decide to pull the trigger Flexiteek – The original synthetic teak decking material for boats

[Hugh Howey]

Originally Posted by BlueBuddha

I'm curious about what type of vinyl floor you are installing. The only vinyl I know is the stuff that was in my college apartment kitchen and I bet that's not what you are putting on the SF .

Have you seen the fake flexiteek? It looks amazing in some pics I've seen and I may consider for my boat when we decide to pull the trigger Flexiteek – The original synthetic teak decking material for boats

Yeah, that stuff from our dorm rooms and our grandparents' bathrooms is why people still cringe when they hear "vinyl." They try to call this stuff "luxury vinyl," but you can't dress up a name with such a bad rep.

The thing is, the stuff is everywhere. A ton of businesses use it now. And you probably have been on it and thought it was wood. Yoga studios love the stuff. It's just so hardy, and it looks great. Feels great underfoot as well.

It's perfect for boats, as it weighs less than wood, is water impermeable, flexible, can be replaced in individual planks if you have an issue, and there's a million variety to choose from.

Go to your local flooring place and see what they have. Or find a place where there's a good chunk of it down. It will never look as great as varnished teak and holly, but it'll hold up better, never be as slick when wet, weighs less, costs less, is easier to repair, and still manages to look pretty damn good.

Of all the things we did to our last house (pool, paradise landscaping, new kitchen and bath), there's not a thing that my wife raves about like the floors. Nothing. She goes on and on about them.

[BlueBuddha]

I just googled vinyl wood floor and there are so pretty nice options out there. It reminds me of the Ikea laminate wood, which is also pretty cheap and looks great. Nice idea!

[Catalysis]

Here's a shot of the Flexiteek cockpit we installed on our Antares 44 "Indigo" about 6 months ago - we like it so far.
Paul



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