Our story 

Where it all began. Jack Newington acquires an assortment of disused gravel pits by the River Nene, as well as the land between the main lake and the road. By cutting a route through from the lake to the river, and erecting workshops, offices, a chandlery shop and slipway, he transformed the area into Oundle Marina.

Birth of Fairline. The launch of the Fairline 19, the first Fairline to ever be built. The river cruiser blended handcrafted techniques with the latest GRP boat construction practises of the time, and set the pace of the brand.

Launch of Phantom 32. Awarding Fairline long-standing credibility, the seven-berth boat remained in production for seven years, and gave its name to the long line-up of ‘family’ cruising boats that followed with such success over the next three decades.

Launch of Fairline 40, a flagship boat that remained in production for a record 11 years.

Turbo 36 launched to huge acclaim. A well-designed aft-cabin layout led the versatile model to become one of Fairline’s enduringly popular boat.

Launch of the very first Targa. An integral part of the Fairline story, the Targa 33 set the benchmark for the modern express cruiser. Fairline continues to grow apace, with new production sites at Weldon, Corby and Nene Valley, Oundle, and international recognition.

Fairline wins the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement – a major milestone in the company’s history. Pictured are Sam and Briony Newington proudly receiving this coveted and much deserved award.

Launch of the Squadron range. Establishing Fairline within the ‘large yacht’ market, the Squadron series first began with the innovative and stylish Squadron 62. The range fast became a Fairline classic, and the now-renowned flybridge models combine well-proven design features with precision marine engineering.

A new purpose built 60,000 square foot factory opens in Oundle to supply increased capacity from strong export sales.

The 10,000th Fairline leaves the yard, a Squadron 65. Fairline completes two of its most ambitious programmes to date: the construction of the major new production facility, Nene Valley II, and the launch of its stunning flagship yacht, the Squadron 74.

Introduction of GRAN TURISMO versions of the larger Targa models, incorporating the innovative powered retractable hardtop. Whether in OPEN form or GRAN TURISMO, Targa set the Fairline tone for sophisticated design and bold exploration.

Fairline celebrates 40 years with an impressive clutch of trophies: in the UK’s IPC Marine Awards, the Targa 38 and the Squadron 68 win MOTORBOAT OF THE YEAR in their respective categories, with the Phantom 48 being highly commended. The Targa 38 also wins EUROPEAN MOTORBOAT OF THE YEAR, the industry’s leading award.

Fairline wins the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – the world’s most prestigious award for International Trade.

Fairline’s 12,000th boat is built – a Squadron 55.

Launch of the 48 series. The innovative design incorporates both resin infusion technology and a new monocoque deck construction, as well as a unique hull designed exclusively for IPS technology.

Fairline begins work with celebrated Italian designer Alberto Mancini and Dutch naval architects, Vripack launching a new Fairline era. A collaboration uniting British craftsmanship, Italian style and Dutch engineering.

Fairline’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in style across the world. One of the largest customer events took place in Mallorca, where 50 Fairline’s came together to create the largest flotilla of its kind.

September saw the launch of the Targa 63 GTO – the first of the Alberto Mancini-designed Fairline yachts. With its fluent lines and sleek design this new model promptly won acclaim at the 2017 World Yacht Trophies winning the award for ‘Best Exterior Design’.

A busy year for Fairline Yachts that began with the high-profile sponsorship of champion racing driver Rick Parfitt Jr and ended with the new Targa 43 Open winning a World Yacht Trophie for Best Exterior Design. Not to mention acres of positive press coverage for this great new addition to the ever-expanding Fairline product range.

On her debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the Squadron 68 wins the accolade of Best Interior Design at the World Yacht Trophies – the Oscars of the yachting industry. This win, against some very stiff competition, makes a hat-trick of wins for Fairline at this prestigious annual event. 

The sleek and sporty F//LINE 33 beat tough competition to take the crown in the hotly contested “Superboats” category at the 2020 Motorboat of the Year Awards. Described as an “extremely hard category to judge” by the panel from Motorboat & Yachting magazine.

Renowned Italian yacht designer, Alberto Mancini – who designed the F//LINE 33 in partnership with the Fairline Yachts Design Studio said, “I put my heart and soul into every boat I design, regardless of the size. This is such a huge honour for me and for Fairline.”

The award winning F//LINE 33 is further enhanced with the addition of a hardtop option and revised cockpit layout offering simultaneous seating and sunbathing. Launched at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September to critical acclaim from customers and the media in equal measure. 

The year began with our ‘reimagined’ Squadron 68 flagship on display at Ocean Village, Southampton. With customers, dealers and the media visiting from around the world to see the subtle exterior styling updates and radically new interior – filled with exquisite details and luxurious features.

The year started on a high with our F//LINE being recognised as a Cool Brand – a coveted award putting us in excellent company. This was quickly followed by a Motorboat of the Year award for the recently launched Phantom 65. Fast forward through the summer to the World Debut of the new Squadron 58 – a yacht that took the market by storm with it’s innovative features. 

The year was completed with the industry recognition of one of our home-grown designers, Christian Gott, who was awarded Designer of the Year at the annual METSTrade fair.