Fairline Squadron 68 (old version)

Hi

someone of you have information on the Fairline Squadron 68 (old version; not the new one from 2019)

From when until when it was build? I saw some versions form 2007 and 2008. Does someone know what are the differences between each year. I assume sometimes form year to year Fairline improved the boat.
How many of this boats where produced? was this a high runner for Fairline? How is the spare part availability on the market?
The fuel volume is 4'044l. What is the range with different speeds?

overall how reliably is this boat?

Quite hard to find this informaton of dedicated boats

It existed in 3 names - 66,68,70. The 66 and 68 were the same. The 70 had a very big (and very nice) hi-lo swim platform with an excellent H+B (German) mechanism.

The 66 was launched in 2005/6. The change to 68 was about 2 years later. The last 70 was built around 2009/10. I don't know the production run but I would guess about 35 boats.

Engines were man1360 or caterpillar c32 1572hp. The cats were more popular, and better imho.

Range depends entirely on speed. At 20 knots, about 300nm. At slower speeds much more.

Generally they are well built reliable boats. The big swim platform on the 70 model is very nice to have.

On the interiors, at these ages a lot will have failing/sagging fabric linings on the ceiling and wall panels, and that's a big job to fix but it can be done. Interior woodwork was either gloss walnut (with a reddish tone, so it looks a bit like cherry) or matt light oak. I don't think any matt walnut boats were made. The boat was offered with the option of an internal staircase from galley to flybridge but iirc only one was built and a later owner of it had it removed. So I don't think you will be able to buy one now with an internal staircase.

You don't really get spare parts for boats. All the installed hardware not made by the boatbuilder, like aircon, domestic appliances, pumps, engines, generators, etc can be replaced or serviced, but the GRP and wood parts can't be purchased off the shelf. Those things have to be repaired rather than replaced where possible, and custom made if they need to be replaced. That's normal in the world of boats - don't worry about it.

Good luck!

Hi jfm

thanks for this great information.

do you have experiance in the prices? for my understanding the prices for used yachts like the squadron 68 and 70 only know one way. And this is down.
The Squadron 68 originally was app 2.0mio Euro in 2008. Now, app, 15 years later you can get them for app. 800k to 950k EUR (The 950k hast some 3 year old retrofits and looks quite good.
How ever the 800k to 950k are the requested prices. To my understaning form that you can again reduce app 20%.
So means you can get them for app. 650k and then you need to do some retrofitting for app 200k to have it nice and almost up to date.

what do you think about this?

I really don't know about prices 2nd hand. They were in the ballpark of £1.4m GBP ex tax new, back in 2010, but that's kind of irrelevant now. Sq 78 (a better built boat) are typically €1-1.5 now used, so yes the 66/68/70 will be in the €650-900 zone. But it all depends on the particular boat, its condition, the market, the negotiation. Not sure I agree your "that you can again reduce app 20%" - it depends on the deal.