INTERVIEW WITH DUNCAN WALKER OF FAIRLIE YACHTS
design and then a yacht . During the Initial build phase an owner can follow progress via a camera which can be set up in the yard . When the fit-out starts the owner does need to come and sit in the yacht , ensure that their ideas have been translated perfectly and be involved in the many fit out decisions . It can be an intense relationship and is a little like being married !
Why use timber ?
Describe your love of yachting
I started as a toddler , in a small yacht my father built and then spent many teenage summers sailing . After graduating in production engineering I spent time as a professional yachtsman . A summer on an 89ft Fife classic changed my life , then I worked with one of the first major yacht restorations on a significant Fife yacht . Her owner and I then set up Fairlie Yachts and for 20 years I led a skilled team restoring Fife ’ s yachts . In 2011 we built our first modern classic yacht which took the important aesthetic elements from Fife and melded these with modern timber construction techniques , modern keel configurations and rig .
I have sailed in timber , steel , aluminium and glass / carbon yachts . The feel and sounds inside a timber yacht at sea , or even at anchor is different from other yachts . As long as timber comes from ecologically sourced areas it has a much lower carbon footprint than other mediums . I select and custom saw a single log to use for all visible joinery work so that everything matches perfectly as it is visible forever .
How does William Fife fit into your philosophy ?
To me ’ Classic ’ means a standard on which other things are judged . Fife ’ s elegant beautiful yachts epitomise this . His many designs , including two for the Americas Cup , have graceful lines and an unsurpassed attention to detail . Decades of experience with his work has ingrained this into my DNA . Closely liaising with a client and understanding what they want to achieve with a once in a life time investment , I get the chance to turn their dreams into a beautiful reality evoking Fife ’ s superb eye for a line and attention to detail . After many years I still have the passion to create these works of art .
Describe your client relationship
I will work with only one client at a time , to fully understand their requirements and translate these into a
What was the most enjoyable passage you have had ?
I recall an overnight passage in the Fairlie 55 . As dawn broke we entered St . Tropez bay and the wind rose , the yacht heeled a little , the helm remained perfectly balanced and we just sped along . We entered the harbour , furled the sails and berthed . I looked back at her and thought ‘ yessssssssssss we got that right ’.
Describe your yachts in one sentence
An investment in enduring craftsmanship , elegant beauty and enjoyment allied with superb performance . www . fairlieyachts . com
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