In British shipbuilding, there are 3 notable names: Fairline, Sunseeker and Princess. The former is arguably the smallest of the trio, however, its levels of luxury motor yachts, adding the Fairline Phantom 65 that was unveiled at the Cannes Yacht Festival in September, have a developing foreign appeal.

To date, Fairline Yachts has been an as-yet-under-active offering in the United States, but this is about to change. Visitors to next February’s Miami International Boat Show will struggle to avoid this British shipyard, which has its eyes fixed on its renewed view of the United States. Part of its strategy has focused on appointing new partners to its broker network, adding Strong’s Marine and Nautical Ventures.

“Fairline is back in the U. S. ,” says Miles Moorhouse, marketing manager for Fairline Yachts. “Through it all, Fairline has controlled re-participation in the U. S. shipping market. “U. S. “

As the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show draws to a close, Moorhouse talks to Forbes about his new yacht, the Phantom 65, and what American consumers can expect in the coming months.

How has Fairline fared in recent years and what are the near-term prospects for the shipyard?

The market took it away in July 2020. Honestly, no one had foreseen it and did not give in, which is wonderful news for a shipyard, because you have a line of sight in the distance to know precisely what you are heading for. ser. imble. La demand is there, and there are ups and downs, in general, the momentum continues. Lately we have an e-book of orders that is probably the largest in our 55-year history. We are sold out in 2022 and 2023. We have sales until 2024 and, for some of our boats, until 2025. The challenge is to find the balance between promoting a ship and realistic delivery expectations.

How does the new Phantom 65 have compatibility with the brand’s history?Was it a product of the expansion of the Covid market or was it already in Fairline’s plans?

Covid has given us the opportunity to take inventory and devote quality time to strategic thinking and planning. That meant for our competitors. We have noticed that Sunseeker and Princess entered the market in recent years with a flybridge style of play; in the case of Princess, it is the S66, and in the case of Sunseeker, it is the 65 Sport Yacht. We look at them and think, we have a wonderful platform on our existing Targa 65, and we can design a gaming yacht from the deck, which is precisely what we did.

In 1972, Fairline introduced a boat called the 32 Phantom, which was a motor sports yacht. It was a bit monstrous, to be honest, but in the early 70s, the total category was unknown. We thought we were the first on the marketin 1972, why not resurrect the Phantom name?

How is the Phantom 65 compatible with your existing product offering and what sets it apart?

We have our Squadron flybridge style range, our explicit Targa cruise range, and it sits firmly in the middle, bridging that gap. It is aimed at a user who has the sporty appearance of a Targa with the extra area and capability that a small flybridge gives him. .

The owner of a Phantom 65 is unlikely to sail for the first time. It is a giant boat 65 feet long and 17 feet wide. It’s a big boat to handle, even if it’s an owner-pilot team. The interior design we put into the yacht makes it a compelling proposition for any prospective owner.

Given the reception the Phantom 65 received, either before launch and at launch at the Cannes Yacht Festival, I think we will presumably be looking to join the Phantom line in the future.

The Phantom 65 will make its U. S. debut at the Miami International Boat Show in February. What can visitors expect?

We expect a five-boat program in Miami. We passed with a wonderful presence of brilliant new products. In addition to the American debut of the Phantom 65, we will also have the first of the F-Line 33 models. It is a ship for the US market. It ticks all the boxes: it has a very stylish European day boat with a hardtop and outboard motors. We hope you do very well in the U. S. , especially among other people who have a small dock in the finish of their backyard, like many other people in Florida.

Line F 33

Miami is also a vital occasion for Fairline next year, as we will see the relaunch of the logo in the US market. We have booked appointments with major distributors in the United States this year. While it has had representation in the U. S. , we recently partnered with Strong’s Marine. in the Northeast and Nautical Ventures in Florida, two serious players in the US market. We will use Miami as a springboard to relaunch the logo in the US market.

So why are you so interested in the United States in particular?

It is the largest recreational market position in the marine world. We have been underrepresented in the United States for an abundant amount of time. We haven’t targeted the U. S. “It’s the U. S. in a decade, and that’s negligence of our component: Now we correct that. We have been executing our U. S. strategy. It’s been in the U. S. for a few years, and everything is starting to fall into place now. We are excited about the opportunity the United States gives us.