Fleming Yachts 85 (2021-)

Brief Summary

The new 85 is the flagship of the Fleming Yachts fleet of long-range cruisers. She’s available with an open or closed flying bridge and, like all Flemings, she’s designed to be at sea for extended times.

Specifications

Length Overall	85' 2' 25.9 m
Beam	21'2" 6.48 m
Dry Weight	183,050 lbs. 83,030 kg
Draft	5' 5' 1.7 m
Air Draft	20' 6.1 m
Fuel Capacity	3,170 gallons 11,999 L
Water Capacity	500 gallons 1,892 L

Engine Options

Std. Power	2 x 1,550-hp MAN V12

Captain's Report

Report by Eric Colby

Mission Statement

In an introductory video, Fleming Yachts said the 85 was three years in development. The manufacturer said its mission is to build “the ultimate cruising yacht with true ocean-crossing range, superb fuel efficiency and speeds up to 25 knots.” Based on our experience with previous Flemings, we expect to be thoroughly impressed when we get to test her one day. She’s available with an open flying bridge or a new enclosed design.

Fleming Yachts 85 Major Features

• Humphree 16 sq. ft. (1.49 sq. m) zero-speed stabilizer fins
• Two 29-kW Onan eQD generators
• Choice of open or enclosed flying bridge
• 3 or 4 cabin layout w/2 crew quarter options
• Full beam master stateroom
• 3,170-gallon (12,000-liter) fuel capacity
• Hydraulic bow and stern thrusters
• Hydraulic swim platform

Fleming Yachts 85 Features Inspection

The Flying Bridges. On the Fleming 85 with the open flying bridge, centrally positioned stairs lead up from the galley to the flying bridge. Aft to starboard, a horseshoe-shaped lounge wraps around a table with an entertainment area to starboard. A fiberglass hardtop provides shade and the deck in this area is teak. The flying bridge helm is offset to port and has a double-wide seat with dual screens and all the controls look to be logically positioned. The entire helm area is raised to give the captain a better view.

The enclosed version has stairs forward to starboard with an L-shaped lounge and table on a raised area aft. The helm is also raised and has triple captain’s chairs with fold-down footrests. The steering wheel is centrally positioned and the entire area is elevated. On either layout, the top of the hardtop is covered in solar panels that help power electrical accessories.

Both versions have a large boat deck with a 2,200-lb. (997.9 kg) davit and cradle to starboard with a grill and the stairs down to the cockpit to port.

The Bow. From the flying bridge, we could see twin gates from the Portuguese bridge that access the 85’s foredeck. It includes lockers in the cabin trunk and a clever fold-up seat where a couple can sneak away for a quiet interlude. Forward, her grounding tackle includes two Maxwell windlasses, stainless-steel chain rode and Ultra anchors.  

The Stern. Passengers can head astern on covered side decks that have tall bulwarks capped by stainless-steel rails. The swim platform has a hydraulic section that can be lowered to launch a tender or personal watercraft or serve as a private beach.

The Aft Deck. It’s a single step up to the center transom door that provides entry to the aft deck. There’s a walkway between the transom and a console that has three lockers across the aft side with a docking station to starboard. The front side is a lounge that wraps around a table. Forward to starboard is entry to the crew quarters and to port is the ladder to the boat deck. The boat deck extends aft overhead providing shade. To facilitate dockside boarding, steps fold out from the hullsides.

The Salon. A pair of doors open to provide entry to the Fleming 85’s salon where there is a large U-shaped lounge to port and a sofa and table to starboard. The forward area layout depends on the choice of the open or enclosed flying bridge. On the former, the galley is on the aft side of the bulkhead and is well equipped with a full array of appliances, lots of counter space and a large window to port. On the latter, there’s lots of open space and a fixed table. Stairs lead up to either the lower helm station or the galley and a dinette.

Fleming 85 Accommodations Deck

The Master Stateroom. A second set of stairs right next to those for the galley/lower helm deck lead below on the Fleming 85. The full-beam master has the berth on the centerline with a small settee outboard to port, plus large closets in each aft corner. The en suite head is forward with a separate shower stall.

In the four-stateroom layout, the guest cabins are amidships with two bunk-style berths in the quarters to starboard and side-by-sides with walking space between to port. The port cabin has private entry to the day head. The VIP is in the bow with two hanging lockers and an en-suite.

Crew Quarters. There are two ways to enter the crew quarters, from the aforementioned hatch in the aft deck and from the traditional entry from the transom. It can be set up with a double-wide berth to starboard or two singles separated by the centrally-located head. Each has an L-shaped lounge with a table plus a hanging locker and small galley.

Engines and Operational Systems. Fleming powers the 85 with twin 1,550-hp MAN V12 diesel inboards with Twin Disc MGX 6599A transmissions with Quickshift. Humphree 16 sq. ft. (1.5 sq. m) zero-speed stabilizer fins and Humphree Interceptors with the Active Ride control system keep the ride smooth. Electrical power is provided by twin 29 kW Onan eQD generators.

Observations

Saying it plans to create the “ultimate cruising yacht” is a bold statement for sure, but there’s good reason to believe that Fleming Yachts can achieve its goal. The company has built a reputation for producing some of the finest long-distance cruising yachts on the water. They are rugged and efficient for trans-oceanic passages and they offer the luxury and amenities that seasoned cruisers have come to expect. In this time of social distancing, we can see the patriarch and matriarch of a family purchasing a Fleming 85 to host multi-generational family gatherings. If they have the means to do so, the couple will want to place an order because current Fleming production is spoken for.