Motor Boat & Yachting – August 2019

“Fantôme is the latest version of
the famous Huntsman 31 with
similar fi ne entry and fl ared bows
based on race design practice,”
says the much-thumbed Observer’s
Book of Small Craft that has been
in my possession since the age
of 8. What it fails to mention is the
boat’s stand out feature – launched
in 1972 this Fairey is made of GRP
rather than the usual hot-moulded
wooden construction. Named
after a prototype of a British fi ghter
aircraft that Fairey designed in
the 1930s, this is as close as you’ll
get to a practical, affordable Fairey
cruiser. Which makes it a great
shame that the company only
ever built eight of them.

INTERIOR

Built at a time when boats were

designed from the outside in (the

reverse of current trends), space

inside the Fantôme is adequate

rather than plentiful, with a

converting dinette at the front of

the cabin and a heads opposite

the small L-shaped galley. Back

aft, a separate cabin offers a pair

of single beds. This example is

especially nice, having been

refi tted in 2005 by the then

commodore of the Fairey Owner’s

Club, who owned it at the time.

EXTERIOR

With a cabin at either end, there

isn’t a lot of room left for the centre

cockpit but it is safe and well

protected with generous side

decks for going forward.

PERFORMANCE

Twin Ford Mermaid 180hp engines

were standard originally but this

boat was re-engined in 2005 with

a pair of Perkins Sabre M300TI

260hp. These give up to 30 knots.

SEAKEEPING

“She handled immaculately in the

rough stuff, and the Whitlock rod

steering was a joy. As a vehicle

for rapid open water crossings she

would be very hard to beat”, said

MBY when we got behind the

wheel in 1973, although we did

rather scathingly refer to it as “far

from being a genuine all weather

cruising boat for there is no

protection for the helmsman.”

Weren’t people supposed to

be made of sterner stuff in

the olden days?

LOA 32ft 3in (9.8m) Beam 9ft 9in (3.0m) Draught 2ft 10in (0.9m)

Displacement 6.5 tonnes Fuel capacity 416 litres

Engines Twin Perkins Sabre M300TI 260hp diesel

FOR SALE Bucklers Hard Yacht Brokers; http://www.bhyachtbrokers.com

FAIREY FANTÔME

FIND ME A SECONDHAND...

BUILT 1973 PRICE £65,000

The central cockpit is modest
in size but the helm is well
protected with good visibility

A refi t and re-engine in 2005

means this example is in

particularly good condition