Sam Newington 1935 - 2017

Sam Newington the man who made Fairline become one of Britain's most iconic boat builders died peacefully at home, on 20th June 2017, at the age of 82 surrounded by his family. Sam was a husband, a father, a grandfather, an entrepreneur, a fighter pilot, an intrepid navigator, a keen amateur historian, a wonderful present giver and unfailingly generous to family and friends.  Sam Newington managed Fairline, the company his father Jack Newington founded in 1963, from 1971 till 1996. Since taking over Fairline, Sam took the Oundle based firm to new heights first by working with naval architect John Bennett who will design its most ever sold models, the 23 Holiday and 32 Phantom, both selling 600 plus units in a twelve and thirteen year production run respectively.  In the eighties San Newington gave Fairline the next step by handing over design to Bernard Olesinski, first model being the 36 Turbo.  Another Sam Newington clever intuition and one which came from influence with holidays on the French Riviera aboard the 26 Sun Fury, was the Targa series creation in 1984, with the 33 Targa which will sell 350 plus units in a seven year production run till 1991. This will be followed by that of the Squadron series launched in 1990 with the then flagship 62 model.  Both Targa and Squadron series are today an important back bone of the Fairline name.  Sam Newington had a very hands on approach on managing Fairline having owned eighteen of his vessels, and always getting very deeply involved in the design practicality aspect of each model, and also by testing and cruising many hull number one himself in the South of France and the Mediterranean sea.  Under Sam Newington Fairline will win Queen's Award for Enterprise and International Trade in 1986.  After 26 years Sam Newington will sell Fairline in 1996 to South African businessman Graham Beck who at the time also owned Princess yachts.