Nordhavn - a surprising boat!!!

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Gludy

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www.sailingvideos4us.com
I took a trip in a Nordhavn 50 footer the other night and was very impressed.
I still want a Marlow - but I am looking at possible short term purchases to fill in any gap.

The big thing that really drove itself home was how small a turning circle these things have - they are very easy to manoeuvre. I know it looks like a big boat but I can tell you they are easy to handle.

The next things that scored was the nice peaceful ride and the economy – a 50 foot boat can give 3 mpg plus and circumnavigate the UK almost twice without having to fill up so it’s a good boat to have after red diesel day in November 2008 and I think we will be seeing many more of these boats around.

The hull sections are not just slightly thicker than a normal planning boat they are dozens of times thicker – real serious hunky hull that offers greater protection against hitting something than most other boats.

I enjoyed the trip and the friendly relaxed atmosphere that surrounded it – seems to be a great company with a great product.

They even said I could make a video of my impressions of it and publish it so that others can experience something of what taking a trip in one of these is really like from a Gludy, personal point of view.

They seem to price in world prices as well.

So this is a public thank you to Neill Russel and staff for a very pleasant few hours.
 
That's nice but if I was the Nordhaven Salesman You would own one right now!
Aren't they built like a Battleship?
drewstwos and I boarded the one at SIBS, smaller I think, still seemed like One Hell of a Ship though.
Welcomed aboard although We expressed no interest in Purchasing, well I did don,t know about Drew, well He does look the Part but We won't go into all that stuff again!
Very impressive Boats that's all there is to it!
Oh! and thanks again for the Posty Piccie Tutorial.
Seems Long John Silver has used the same route.
Obviously works for Old Pirates /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Had a look at the one down at the boat show,a solid proper vessel compared to the identikit shiney white dollops of 40 knot fashion statement surrounding it.
 
Boats should look like boats,not like Gucci designer handbags with engines ............................ /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
so if you (oldgit) also apply that to cars, you would rather have an old boxy morris traveler or Fiat punto rather than something sleek like a Porsche Boxster then?

emm......................
 
Arr,but the Porche is German innit and nice example of performance and practicality right from the start then continued with thoughtful development and smooth progress through the years.
Porche gave their customers a reliable car free from designer flights of fancy.
Form followed function not fashion.
 
and certain planing boats look like cheap chinese trainer knock offs,but to avoid a well attended forum lynching at which I am the principle guest of honour.... am not saying which. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
There is no doubt in my mind they are very good boats. I think you could easily beat 3mpg if you pulled the stick back a bit and wander along at 6 knots. I noticed that on the 40ft version a 27hp auxiliary will push it along at 6 knots very economically. With the extra length of waterline on the 50ft version I would imagine 8mpg @ 6knt is achievable. I suppose more fuel can go into running goodies like aircon than propulsion.

[ QUOTE ]
The big thing that really drove itself home was how small a turning circle these things have - they are very easy to manoeuvre. I know it looks like a big boat but I can tell you they are easy to handle.

[/ QUOTE ]

It probably has 45° of rudder in each direction. Turning with the prop walk could turn her around in 1¼ times her length. Have you tried her astern? I bet she is very difficult.

Oldgit.

[ QUOTE ]
and certain planing boats look like cheap chinese trainer knock offs,but to avoid a well attended forum lynching at which I am the principle guest of honour.... am not saying which.

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean tent and gazebo boats.

[ QUOTE ]
Had a look at the one down at the boat show,a solid proper vessel compared to the identikit shiney white dollops of 40 knot fashion statement surrounding it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree with everything you say. Is it a Medway thing? The proud british builder of my boat, embossed his name 1" deep into the 2" thick fibreglass bow.

cygnus.jpg
 
That\'s an interesting debate!

oldgit:
[ QUOTE ]
...a solid proper vessel compared to the ... 40 knot fashion statement surrounding it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sun_Coast:
[ QUOTE ]
Your just an old fashioned oldgit you, bet you got a pipe and slippers too

[/ QUOTE ]

I heard similar comments many times.
And I went myself all the way from a 40+kts sportcruiser to a 9kts trawler.
Now, you know what?
The "pipe and slippers" image, in spite of what the boats themselves might resemble, in terms of boating habits is usually much more appropriate for the 40kts crowd.
Unless of course the opposite of "pipe and slippers" (how could I define that, possibly the "macho" attitude?) is regarded as the ability of pushing the throttles on a flat sea.
Which is actually ridiculous: when I had a fast sportcruiser, quite often swmbo wanted to helm when sea conditions were good, and she was confortable cruising at 35kts or so.
On the other hand, the number of times when we went nowhere due to sea conditions was much higher than it is now - not to mention how shorter were the journeys.
And I've met a number of fellow MoBoers which had similar experiences.
Hence my bottom line, fwiw: when looking at the boats, you might obviously think of Nordhavn etc. as "pipe and slippers", and Sunseeker etc. as "macho".
But in terms of boating experience, quite often real life shows that it's exactly the opposite.

PS: I'm not considering the REAL speedboats in this evaluation - jumping waves at 70+kts, that's definitely something requiring a mix of "macho" and crazy attitude. Different league, really.
 
Some of the new boats I have seen make candy floss look substantial and as for
...................."1" deep into the 2" thick fibreglass bow." ..............................
Try that on many new boats and you will see the sun streaming in.The tent on top is prob thicker.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: That\'s an interesting debate!

Suncoast is pulling our collective leg a little bit here.He was until recently the owner of a very nice Broom with a very tasteful selection of window drapes in which he went all over the place.His halo did slip a bit when he departed from the true path and bought a boat the name of which shall not pass my lips but he has redeemed himself of late by buying a nice middleaged type persons boat from the holy boat builder P******ss
 
Re: That\'s an interesting debate!

LOL, I didn't realize that Suncoast was joking on that, not being aware of where he came from.
But what he expressed is actually a very common viewpoint, and it was about the general concept that I was arguing...
...and anyway, you don't mean that the Princess in his profile is a proper serious boat, do you?! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
"I think we will be seeing many more of these boats around."

Not 100% but I think they have just appointed a UK dealer............. I recived a DVD from them last week which tells you all about the company and their targets.

Gludy I told you to have a look at one of these a long time ago /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif but what did you do. It seems like your ready to cruise /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif welcome to the club!

All the best and if you need somebody for the delivery trip may I put my name forward first! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Tom
 
My preferred cruising speed is 8/9 knots. However I do sometimes want to go faster and so it will be the Marlow for me – at least one day.

I had better explain. The world on the Marlow side is in complete chaos at the moment with an unbelievable developing story that may one day have to pop out - however the boats and the Marlow company are just the same in my opinion - great. So, when my lawyers have sorted out my current situation and enforced agreements that I have in place, I will have a clearer picture of how and when I can have my Marlow which, without any doubt at all, will not be coming from the UK supplier.

The situation should resolve itself fairly quickly, like in a month or so and I can then look at my options and know just how long it will be to obtaining the Marlow. In the meantime I will need a boat and hence the Nordhavn is on the list as an option.

The Nordhavn uses brute strength for the very strong hull – a very thick hull indeed. It may be 50 times thicker than the see through ones I have become used to and even hundreds of times thicker than some boats I can mention /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The Marlow used technology to do the same thing and also save the weight. I would like to make a video test of both by ramming the bows into a floating container at say 10 knots and study any damage – only then would I know which solution was the best but I feel I will never get permission to make that video. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

If the Nordhavn was to cruise at 6 knots then the mpg figure would indeed be very high indeed. Probably one tank would get you round the UK a fair number of times.

I frankly do not know what I shall do until I know what the longer term future is with the Marlow and then I can plan. I am just exploring alternatives in the meantime.
 
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