Fairline Phantom 65

By Victor Tan

Yachts are flashy by nature. Their luxurious comforts, by design, shout flair and opulence. The Fairline Yachts Phantom 65 , however, shows off in a subtler way. From stern to bow, this sport-bridge model has hidden features that can transform spaces in big and small ways.

Take, for example, the quietude of the cantilevered teak table in the cockpit. It connects the transom seating with the starboard-side, L-shaped settee to create an alfresco dining area big enough for all guests to enjoy. The two settees can also become one with a sliding hideaway connector from the transom settee, and diners can add the two stools from the indoor dining space, should guests drop by for dessert.

Powered by twin 1,622 hp C32 Caterpillar engines, the Phantom 65 topped out at 36.2 knots and 2,300 rpm, with a fuel burn of 178 gallons per hour. Considering the yacht’s 1,103-gallon fuel capacity and a 10 percent reserve, range is 202 nautical miles at top hop. Dial back to a cruising speed of 26 knots at 2,100 rpm, and fuel burn drops to 99.8 gph. Range pops up to 258 nm. The Phantom 65’s engine room is accessed from a cockpit hatch. Everyday checks are accessible from the entry point.

Belowdecks, Fairline offers four layouts: three with three staterooms (one with a day head, one with an extended VIP and one with a utility room) and a four-stateroom setup. Hull No. 7, which we got aboard, had the portside utility room with an additional full-height fridge/freezer, an ironing board and stowage. In the extended-VIP version, the forepeak stateroom’s head replaces the utility room and serves as a day head. In the day-head layout, the utility room becomes a fourth head. The four-stateroom option places a stateroom with bunks in the same space.

The Fairline Phantom 65 has an aft garage that’s sized to accommodate an 11-foot-3-inch Williams Sportjet 345 without having to deflate the tender or remove its steering wheel. This garage also has a hydraulic winch and a roller system for easier launching and retrieval of the tender.

Hauling an anchor has been enjoyed by no one, anywhere, ever. It’s a back-breaking chore that can only be resolved with one thing: an anchor windlass. But, blessing though they may be, anchor windlasses are known for having numerous issues that can stop them cold. The good news is that it’s usually easy to troubleshoot and resolve the problem in short order. Here’s how to figure out what the windlass issue is, and hopefully, get it running again.

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