Meet Fairline Yachts’ Squadron 68

The Fairline Yachts flagship Squadron 68 made its world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
Fairline Yachts Squadron 68
The first version of the Fairline Yachts Squadron 68, the largest yacht the British builder offers, was built in 2019. Courtesy Fairline, Simpson Marine

Fairline Yachts has updated its Squadron 68. The second generation of the model made its world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

The 68’s enhancements begin with the flybridge. Its new sliding fabric sunroof can now open completely above the helm station to starboard and above the helm’s companion seating with a wooden table to port. Moving amidships, there’s U-shaped seating and a dinette to starboard. Far aft is aft-facing seating for sundowners.

Fairline Yachts Squadron 68
With optional 1,622 hp Caterpillar C32 diesels, top speed for the Squadron 68 is reportedly 33 knots. Owners can opt for electric or hydraulic bow and stern thrusters too. Courtesy Fairline, Simpson Marine

Notable complements include a wet bar with a sink and a grill abaft the amidships seating, and an electric sunshade that extends past the wet bar to just short of the aft seating. The portside companion seating can convert to a sun pad.

Following the portside stairs down leads to the cockpit, where there is forward-facing seating with a wooden table and, to port, a bar with two optional bar stools. The window that’s forward of the bar opens for service from the galley, which also received an update. Instead of full-height refrigeration, the new Fairline Squadron 68’s galley has four pullout fridge-freezer drawers at waist height.

Fairline Yachts Squadron 68
The new Squadron 68 has an updated galley with four waist-height fridge-freezer drawers. The galley serves the cockpit bar aft—via a window that lifts up— and serves an extendable dining table with a settee to starboard. Courtesy Fairline, Simpson Marine

Opposite the portside galley is seating with an extendable wooden table. When the table is closed, there are two cup holders on each end; when it’s extended, the whole family can have breakfast while seated on the L-shaped settee. Forward of the galley is C-shaped seating in the salon, with a sofa opposite and a pop-up TV nearby. The 68’s helm station is to starboard, with two seats and a new side door.

Fairline offers four layouts belowdecks. In the standard three-stateroom layout, a fourth head to port serves as the boat’s day head. In one three-stateroom alternative, the forepeak VIP can be extended on the port side; in another three-stateroom version, that space becomes a utility room with a standing fridge-freezer and a pullout ironing board. In the layout with four staterooms, a portside stateroom is added with two bunks.

Fairline Yachts Squadron 68
The Squadron 68’s flybridge has a new sliding fabric sunroof that allows for full exposure to the sun above the helm station to starboard and its companion seating. Courtesy Fairline, Simpson Marine

Updates to the 68’s accommodations include more width in the starboard-side, twin-berth guest stateroom, Fairline says. Those twin berths can come together to form a double.

Fairline offers two power options from Caterpillar: twin 1,150 hp C18 diesels or twin 1,622 hp C32 diesels. Reported top hops with those packages are 31 and 33 knots, respectively.  

Take the next step: fairline.com