Squadron 53
The Fairline Squadron 68 is a 69.3-foot is the flagship flybridge of renowned British yacht brand Fairline Yachts launched at the 2022 Southampton Boat Show. While an earlier model debuted in 2019 to wide acclaim and even wider global sales, this new-for-2022 model has been restyled and reimagined by industry legend Alberto Mancini. As with other Fairline yachts, the Squadron 68 has a range of layout options and extra amenities for buyers to choose from, including a four-cabin layout and an extended VIP suite.
The high-low bathing platform on this Fairline Boat is a stunning perch from which to dive or simply dangle your feet in the water, cooling off in the water and enjoying the sea breeze. If you’d rather use the space for a tender, it can also carry a William 345. Up two gentle stairways on either side, you’ll find a sumptuous aft cockpit with ample C-shaped seating around a large dining table for al fresco meals. The foredeck is perfect for lounge lizards, with seating and sunbed cushions, cupholders, and a tonneau cover when the weather becomes a bit too hot. There’s even a USB socket to charge your phone.
A sliding glass door leads to the salon and main-deck galley, which give even the most opulent contemporary penthouse a run for its money. Guests can congregate on the stylish L-shaped sofa to starboard, enjoying cocktails and tapas around the folding hi-lo table. Directly opposite is a convivial galley kitchen with solid surface worktops and cupboards enrobed in a glossy, rich finish. Amateur cooks and professional chefs alike will delight at the chopping board with sink infill, electric induction cooktop, fridge-freezer, integrated waste bin, single combi-oven, ample storage, and stunning views from the hinged window. This space is separate enough to allow cooks to concentrate on the task at hand, but open enough to encourage free-flowing conversation throughout the salon.
Just forward, you’ll find a large, curvy sofa and coffee table to port facing a snug starboard loveseat behind the helm. This is the perfect spot to retire with a nightcap or a warm cup of tea after a day of leisure. The starboard helm features two comfortable helm seats with an adjustable/tilt steering wheel, cup holders, a USB socket, and state-of-the-art equipment: bow thruster controls, electronic single-level throttle and gear controls for the engines, an F-Drive MFD, Glass Bridge with full engine instrumentations, trim tab controls a high-speed magnetic compass, Garmin 16-inch digital multi-function color display, Garmin autopilot, Garmin VHF marine radio, tri-data display, and an electronic opening window.
Below deck, you’ll find a standard three-cabin layout. Pride of place goes to the full-beam amidships owner’s suite, which features a European king bed, nightstands, a portside sofa, TV, a vanity with a stool for freshening up, and wardrobes with mirrored doors. This space also benefits from a Fusion Apollo sound system, perfect for dancing the night away to your favorite music or watching old movies cinema-style. Just aft is a long, luxurious en suite bathroom with an electric silent-flush toilet, storage lockers, a feature window with an opening porthole, a full standing height shower with a bench to enjoy the steam, and other home comforts like a vanity unit with an elegant sink, mirror, and towel rail.
The starboard guest cabin features two twin beds with an en suite bathroom. The VIP suite is found forward at the bow, where guests will not feel second fiddle to owners: they, too, will enjoy a European king size bed, wardrobes, feature windows with an opening porthole, and even an escape hatch to the foredeck. The en suite bathroom is the same as that in the owner’s cabin, although it is a sight smaller, and the standing shower lacks a sitting bench. The lower deck also features a day head to port of the companionway. If you really want to spoil your guests, you can opt for an extended VIP room, but you’ll lose the day head from the standard layout. Alternatively, this space can be configured as a utility room.
Up top, the flybridge is an elegant lounge space with several social areas for you and your guests to mingle, dine, and lounge. Aft, there are two L-shaped sofas with coffee tables, while a central J-shaped seating and dining area is the perfect spot for dinner and cocktail parties. The two-seater helm to starboard is equipped with the same state-of-the-art equipment as the lower helm, with a large companion seat to port.
The Squadron 68 is equipped two standard 1150hp Caterpillar C-18 shaft drive diesels that can reach top speeds of 31 knots. For more power, optional twin 1622 Caterpillar C32s offer bracing max speeds upwards of 33 knots.
