Fleming Yachts, Tony Fleming's Continuously Improved Cruisers

From American Marine to his own yacht

Tony Fleming spent more than two decades, from 1961 to 1983, as technical director at American Marine in Hong Kong, where he was largely responsible for the development of the Grand Banks line. In 1983 he and business partner Anton Emmerton began work with naval architect Larry Drake on a new pilothouse cruiser, and they chose the Tung Hwa yard in southern Taiwan to build it. Work on hull number one began in the summer of 1985. The first eight boats were 50 feet long, hull 9 was stretched to 53 feet and the line eventually settled at 55, all counted as one hull series that became the Fleming 55.

Fleming's guiding principle has been to refine rather than replace. Instead of launching a new model every few years, the company changes details from hull to hull based on owner feedback, so a recent Fleming 55 shares a name with the first but is a much improved boat.

From the 55 to the 85

More than 100 Fleming 55s had been delivered by 1997, and the company added the Fleming 75 in 2000, the Fleming 65 in 2005, the 58 in 2013, the 85 in 2022 and the 60 in 2024, with the Fleming 78 also in today's range. The 300th Fleming was completed in 2015. All are built exclusively at Tung Hwa, which gives Fleming tight quality control over a single yard.

We cover the Fleming 55 and Fleming 65. The 55 is a semi-displacement pilothouse yacht suited to couples cruising the Inside Passage, New England or the Bahamas, while the 65 adds a larger salon, more crew or guest space and greater range. Both cruise efficiently at displacement speeds yet can run considerably faster than a full-displacement trawler when weather or schedules demand it.

• Fleming 55, the core model, grown from the original 50-footer
• Fleming 58 and 60, intermediate sizes
• Fleming 65, introduced in 2005
• Fleming 78 and 85, the larger flagships

Why Flemings hold their value

Flemings are among the strongest-holding motor yachts on the US brokerage market. Continuous improvement means older boats share parts and know-how with newer ones, owners are typically experienced cruisers who maintain their boats, and the company maintains detailed records by hull number. Dealers in the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia support the fleet, and Fleming's Costa Mesa office stays closely involved with owners.

Even so, older Flemings are now decades old, so a careful survey is still necessary.

• Hull number and the specific updates that boat received
• Engine hours and service records on the twin diesels
• Stabilizer service history and hydraulic systems
• Teak decks and window seals on older hulls
• Generator, watermaker and electronics refits