New Fleming 58 cruises into Sydney Harbour

The first Fleming 58 in Australia arrived in Sydney for the 50th Sydney International Boat Show opening August 3. Having spent the best part of a day aboard — including lunch on deck — we can vouch for this boat's up-sized volume, liveaboard comforts, serious engineering and long-range legs.

Powered by the latest twin 800hp MAN i6 engines, and with a full Twin Disc joystick docking system and position-holding system, the 58 is number 19 of the newest and best-selling Fleming in the world today.

NORMAN WRIGHT DESIGN
Released back in 2013, the Fleming 58 is all the more remarkable for the fact it has close ties to Australia in respect of its design.

Conceived to bridge the gap between the Fleming 55 and the 65, the 58 is
an entirely new boat designed from the keel up with the assistance of
Norman Wright and Sons from Brisbane. The boat taps into Wrights'
expertise with building semi-displacement passagemakers for more than
100 years.

"The 58 has the same design concept as the 55 and 65, it’s a big
boat with a lot of volume and it will be a nice fit. There are a lot of
55 owners out there and some are on their third boat. But they’re now
moving into the 58, with the next build available being number 24 since
the launch four years ago," explains Sam Nicholas from Fleming Yachts
Australia.

FLEMING 58 FOR SYDNEY
The latest 3D modelling and CAD software was employed during the design process and a 1/12 scale model was built and tank tested at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania. Several load conditions were simulated at varying speeds to determine resistance, trim and other performance parameters. These included the adding a bulbous bow, which is being offered as an option.

The tank tested semi-displacement hull is a modern design based on the proven Fleming 55. A fine entry and generous flare in the bow is said to make for an efficient, comfortable, and safe ride. A variety of accommodation layouts are on offer including a full-beam master cabin with access from the pilothouse.

At Sydney boat show, the Fleming 58 will be joined by a classic 55, the
most popular model in the range, with hull 243 the next available on the
global order book at the time of writing. All 55s are powered by the
Cummins 500hp QSC 8.3L common-rail diesel engines.

NEW FLEMING 78 CLASSIC
Beyond the 50th Sydney International Boat Show and the Fleming 58's debut, the other big Fleming news is a 78 "Classic." Thus updated version of the flagship 75 has an entirely new single-level, low-profile flybridge design. Standard engines will be twin V12 1550hp MANs.

The waterline has been extended from the 75 and they’ve reworked the bridge, giving the boat a 'shippy' look, while adding a 'Californian aft deck', which has a mezzanine level with a lower extended cockpit and a luxurious crew's quarters below.

The other big improvements are on the flybridge, with more comfortable seating, a BBQ, fridge, icemaker, freezer and entertainment centre. The davit is positioned aft so that the tender can launched over either side or off the stern. The systems have all been upgraded to include the latest technology for safety and convenience.

THE FLEMING STORY
Fleming Yachts is one of those fairy-tale stories. Tony Fleming left American Marine in Hong Kong and Singapore as technical director in charge of Grand Banks boats — he also developed the Alaskan series of motor yachts there — to make his own eponymous long-range pilothouse boats in the 1980s.

The Fleming 55 was launched in the mid-1980s and it accounted for more than 100 sales by 1997. A 75 footer was launched in 2000, before Tony built himself a 65 in 2005 called Venture. His North American, Alaskan and European voyages were shared in blogs and videos.

Evidently, the lure of the motor-cruising life didn't go unnoticed and, by 2006, Fleming Yachts had delivered 170 Fleming 55s, 12 Fleming 75s and five 65s. For the 30th Anniversary in 2015, the 300th Fleming was shipped from the Taiwanese yard. 

In 2017, Fleming will build about 14 boats from the same family-owned factory. While Tony has retired, the next generation is at the helm keeping the yard going after 31 years of continual operation.

Meanwhile, Fleming Yachts Australia is looking forward to displaying the new 58 at the 50th Sydney boat show. From its on-water office at Kirribilli, it manages the Fleming fleet using preferred contractors around Australia.

On the second-hand market, Flemings are hot property with some preloved boats shipped from Europe to Australia to meet demand for these tightly held long-range liveaboard motor yachts.

More at Fleming Yachts Australia.