Reporting from the 2022 Southampton Boat Show, Motor Boat & Yachting editor Hugo Andreae takes us on a full tour of the Fairey Sabre 19...
Back in the 1960s the name Fairey Marine was synonymous with British-built motorboats, but the Fairey name went out of business and nobody was building them for a while.
That is until Mark Lewis (who is a well-known restorer of classic Faireys) managed to buy the name. He has now reinstated it and started building his own range of Fairey boats.
This Fairey Sabre 19 is the very first one, it is an entirely hand-built twin-cockpit cruiser, with cedar strip planking cold-molded over a recycled foam-filled structure, and the whole thing is sheathed in epoxy.
This combination should make it strong, easy to maintain and very lightweight – the entire boat weighs just 1,300kg, including a 140hp Volvo D3 engine that can deliver a top speed in excess of 30 knots.
Stepping on board and the attention to detail shines through, with beautiful mahogany woodwork, teak capping, a curved windscreen, perforated leather and engine air intakes based on the Fairey Huntsman 28.
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The hull itself is a Ray Hunt deep vee with a couple of spray rails and chines, finished in a beautiful shade of turquoise.
Beneath all this retro styling, there are some modern touches too – such as USB charging sockets, LED lighting, a Raymarine MFD and 3D-printed speaker grilles.
This boat took five years to complete, including a COVID-enforced hiatus, and it really feels like a labour of love.
Enjoy the tour…
Fairey Marine Sabre 19 specifications
LOA: 19ft 6in (6m)
Beam: 7ft 1in (2.16m)
Displacement: 1,300kg
Engine: Single 140hp Volvo Penta D3
Top speed: >30 knots
Starting price: £250,000
