What does it take to build a yacht capable of crossing the Pacific, riding out 100 knots at anchor, refuelling from 45-gallon drums on remote islands, and cruising among drifting ice and orca in Antarctica? In this episode of the Berthon Podcast, Sue Grant sits aboard FPB 78-2 Grey Wolf II with owner Peter Watson to talk through one of the most extraordinary private cruising programs of the last decade. Peter’s FPB story began with Little Grey Wolf, an FPB 64 he bought in New Zealand. Instead of shipping her home, he made the bold decision to drive her across the Pacific. “I looked at shipping the boat back,” he says, “and then thought, no, let’s drive it back.” The resulting three-month journey carried a crew of five, including a retired MOD naval architect and two apprentices, through Tahiti, the equatorial countercurrents, Panama, the Azores and on to the Channel Islands. It was on this voyage that Peter learned the practical truths that would shape his next FPB: carry the spares you may need, because help is thousands of miles away, and make sure everything on board is accessible. While the 64 was crossing oceans, Grey Wolf II was under construction in New Zealand. The design was a collaborative process between Peter, fellow FPB owner Pete Rossin, and Steve Dashew himself. “It was very much a group effort,” Peter explains. “Steve designed the hull, but we all worked together to refine how she should be equipped and laid out.” He even spent nine months in the yard during the build, ensuring the systems, access and fit-out met the standard needed for high-latitude cruising. Safety was at the core of the project. Peter insisted the yacht be built to MCA Category Zero. “I wanted the boat to be as safe as it possibly could be. The MCA standard is one of the best internationally,” he says. Grey Wolf II is the only FPB 78 coded to that level. Once completed, she took the long route home. New Zealand to Tahiti, then the Gambier Islands, where fuel was hand-pumped aboard from 45-gallon drums. Past Pitcairn and Christmas Island, then into Chile. From there she and FPB 78-3 Iron Lady II travelled south together and spent three unforgettable weeks in Antarctica. “The wildlife was extraordinary,” Peter says. “Orca, penguins, seals. By the end I was almost penguined out.” The conditions, of course, were real. Charts were unreliable, ice drifted unpredictably and anchoring required constant vigilance. “You might put the anchor down and be fine, then the wind shifts and suddenly the ice is coming at you. You have to decide whether you can push it off or lift the anchor and move.” Between Little Grey Wolf and Grey Wolf II, Peter estimates he has logged close to 100,000 FPB miles. The capability, he says, is what keeps drawing him back. “You do not go looking for bad weather,” he explains, “but you know the boat can handle it. We had 100 knots on the nose in Chile and everything held without a problem.” If you are interested in real world ocean crossing capability, practical design lessons, or what it means to run a family expedition yacht to some of the most remote places on earth, this conversation is not to be missed. Grey Wolf II is a remarkable platform, and Peter’s miles prove the point. Listen now and step aboard one of the most capable private cruising yachts afloat Steve Dashew - Dashew OffshoreIconic yacht designer and one of the true legends of modern ocean cruising.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
