Construction Update photo of new Nordhavn 120 Megayacht

Pacific Asian Enterprises, Inc., today passed along a new collection of informal photos updating the construction progress of the new Nordhavn 120.  The new-design megayacht will become the new queen of the Nordhavn fleet sometime late this year.  According to PAE,

“Work continues on the first hull of the future queenship of the Nordhavn line: the Nordhavn 120. The latest photos released by the South Coast factory last week illustrate progress on various interior sections of the N120. Evident are the glossy build-up coats of varnish on the cherry wood which will serve to prime the satin finish that the owners have chosen for the woodwork. ‘Even in its unfinished state, the boat is so impressive,’ notes Project Manager Trever Smith.”

Check out the updated Nordhavn 120 photo gallery below.

Copyright © 2012 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

Silver Spray, Nordhavn '63, running in Stuart, FL. Photo by Billy Black, courtesy of P.A.E.

We’ve got a great collection of photos of the very first Nordhavn 63, Silver Spray, taken by Billy Black in Stuart, Florida, for P.A.E. last month just before delivery.  There is quite a bit of detail to absorb and the photos leave you with the overwhelming impression of a luxurious, capable bluewater yacht.  I happen to think this might be the perfect size for a couple to handle without crew, although Ken and Roberta Williams demonstrate that the N68 is manageable for a couple, too.  If you haven’t seen the initial performance data, you can view it here.

We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on the yacht’s features and decor.  Let us know in the comments.

Here’s the link to the gallery page:  Nordhavn 63-01 Delivery Photos

Copyright © 2011 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

Helm of New Nordhavn 63-01 Before Electronics Installation. Photo courtesy of P.A.E.

Take a look at the photo above and imagine your favorite marine electronics installed in that non-glare acreage.  It occurred to me that you could put a 32″ HDTV in that slot and use the latest Picture-in-Picture (PIP) controls to split the screen with whatever secondary input you want.  On the other hand, one large screen like that means a single-point failure is going to be more of a pain in the rear.  So, typical design philosophy says we should split that area into two large displays.

Wide View of the Pilothouse Aboard the New Nordhavn 63

I know I would prefer a black-box solution, with the displays fully customizable and redundant.  If you really want to go the full belt and suspenders route, you could probably put a multifunction chartplotter/display on the far left side of the dash.  In fact, since most owners of yachts this size will have two radars aboard, you could run the secondary radar as part of the chartplotter setup and use the primary radar on the main displays via black-box processor.

Salon Looking Forward Aboard New Nordhavn 63-01

I’d love to hear your own thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Galley Aboard the New Nordhavn 63-01

In the other photos in this piece, all courtesy of PAE, you can see there is quite a bit of room to spread out and relax in this pilothouse, as well as a beautiful salon and galley below.  Delivery of N63-01 is set for a couple of months from now.  We did a piece a while back on an interesting design feature of the hull of this Nordhavn here on OceanLines.

Copyright © 2011 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

Nordhavn 76 Eliana at Delivery in 2010. Photo by Stephen Cridland

Editor’s Note — I’m running the full text here of a release this week from Pacific Asian Enterprises, the parent of the Nordhavn brand, in which they announce the recent delivery of “Eliana,” the 17th in the hull series.   I don’t normally run the full copy of press releases here on OceanLines, but this is a pretty good story, well-told; even if we have to forgive PAE for a little marketing hype. They’re good people and justifiably proud of this delivery.  Read on, dear reader…

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A few weeks ago, Nordhavn 76#17 Eliana was delivered to its owners Rick and Debbie Heiniger. The yacht is a portrait in contemporary styling and mechanical design savvy, and features a number of Nordhavn firsts on both fronts.

Prior to Eliana, the Heinigers had never owned a boat, but they approached the build and décor with the confidence and know-how of experienced yacht owners. The boat will become their full-time residence so they needed it to feel and function like a home. “We felt our design goal should emphasize a calm, serene and comfortable environment where one would love to spend time,” said Rick Heiniger. “Beauty would then be more of a feeling than an appearance.” The end result is what many have called the most exquisite Nordhavn 76 produced to date.

Designer Scott Cole certainly concurs with that description. “I am most proud of this interior of all the Nordhavns I’ve done,” said Cole. That’s high praise coming from the man who has helped create a number of gorgeous Nordhavn interiors. The Heinigers linked up with Cole and his firm, Seattle-based Ardeo Design, shortly after signing the contract for the N76 in 2008. From that point on, all parties were on the same page, and according to Cole, that chemistry was crucial toward the final outcome. “This boat is one of the best because everything just fell into place. The owners had good ideas of their own, were receptive to ideas, and made themselves accessible. They were appreciative of the entire process.”

Cole also attributes Debbie Heiniger’s great eye for style and her faith in her choices. The only time it wavered was in the beginning when the Heinigers, intent on creating a more traditional look for their yacht, saw another Nordhavn 76 whose interior had a modern feel. “After they saw the contemporary look of that 76, their minds changed.” The result? A combination of the two interiors; Elianaembodies the clean lines of the contemporary boat mixed with the warm African Cherry wood used in some traditional Nordhavns. The couple hail from Missouri and wanted to make sure the boat remained welcoming as well as sophisticated.

Salon Interior of Nordhavn 76-17 Eliana at Delivery in 2010. Photo by Stephen Cridland

The hardwood plays a key role in the spirit of the boat, and is a showcase of the Ta Shing yacht yard’s well-known excellent joinerwork, fit and finish. Incorporating the warm tones was critical in keeping the welcome feel, said Cole. The medium-toned quarter-sawn African Cherry is the primary wood and was used to construct the majority of the cabinets, as well as the walls’ wainscot, doors, and wood floors. The key to making the look contemporary was the couple’s decision to set the wood grain horizontally, which the craftsmen at Ta Shing executed masterfully. Adding a further contemporary nod, Cole suggested employing a mixture of woods and incorporated a darker wood, Charco, to use for the beds, nightstands, end tables and the dining table (the tops of the wood cabinets are Anigre.) The sprinkling of Charco wood was a way to introduce modern elements, simply within the woodwork itself. It easily transitions into the contemporary elements of the boat and disperses the oneness of all the African Cherry. Adds Cole: “It gives you the feel of loose furniture and breaks up the color palette. Combined with the other textural materials and finishes, they culminate to create a rich, casual elegance.” The touches of dark wood are present throughout the interior and provide a cohesive feel no matter where you go in the boat. This sustainable wood is FSC, SGS, and OLB- certified, and an example of Nordhavn’s efforts toward including green building practices.

Setting off the wood perfectly is the highly textural woven wall covering, which creates a lighter ambiance. Not many Nordhavns have wall covering, but the feature elevates Eliana’sstyle to a new level. As do the boat’s four heads. The master head is as luxurious as one would expect with stunning marble countertop, marble and glass accent tiles throughout, modern Toto satin nickel fixtures and a thoughtfully designed lighting plan. Venture to the two guest heads or the day head in the pilothouse and you’ll see the same fit and finish. “The guest heads and showers are finished to the same level as the master shower,” says Cole. “The owners’ keen eye for detail and willingness to upgrade these areas really made the interior cohesive.”

Behind the achievement of the interior aesthetic are a number of technical triumphs; of note, the design and implementation of a retractable awning extension over the cockpit. There are several eating and relaxing areas throughout the boat, but the simple addition of the accordion-like awning transforms the huge cockpit into a viable and pleasant space even in direct sun.

Another coup for the Heinigers is the design of a wheel-less helm. Only one other Nordhavn has been built without any sort of wheel present. “Esthetically, the helm layout is uncluttered and intuitive owing much of the efficiency to the absence of the destroyer wheel,” said Rick. The look is streamlined and seemingly practical, so why is the wheel-less helm so rare? Nearly all boats manufactured today are steered with joysticks while the boat is on autopilot, but when autopilot is turned off, for instance during docking, boat owners still want the familiarity of the ship’s wheel, says N76 Project Manager Garrett Severen. “On a Nordhavn, it is 14 revolutions from hard over port to hard over starboard, so docking with the lever control is much easier,” said Severen. “It’s like playing a video game.”

Nearly two years of construction and outfitting yielded Elianaa showstopper and shows just the level of sophistication that Nordhavns have reached. She’s a reliable, comfortable, state-of-the-art yacht that will provide enjoyable cruising and a safe haven for the Heinigers, no matter which place they happen to be calling home.”

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reprinted from press material supplied by Pacific Asian Enterprises.

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

Partial Profile of a Possible Nordhavn 68 Motorsailer

Pacific Asian Enterprises, the company that builds the Nordhavn line of passagemaking boats, has spent some of the less-pressured time of the economic recession to finish work on a couple of new designs.  Among them reportedly are a larger version of the 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher, a megayacht even bigger than the Nordhavn 120 currently under construction, and this one — a 68-foot motorsailer.

The 68MS is in official company drawings of layout and general arrangement that appeared on the Nordhavn Dreamers Group website this summer. The new motorsailer builds on the 56MS but, naturally, is significantly roomier and features twin engines.  These drawings show a masthead sloop rig with a large foresail, but company sources indicate the boat could also be delivered as a ketch. You can download the profile drawings here; and the layout drawings here.

How long it takes before we see this boat probably has most to do with how long the recession lasts. While there are a handful of slightly positive economic measures out there, consumer (boat-buyer) uncertainty seems to be at an all-time high. Many boat-builders in the trawler/cruiser/passagemaker segment experienced a sharp drop-off in demand last April, in the midst of what was supposed to have been the recovery. Not only has that caused the untimely death of some companies (see our piece on Nordic Tugs here), but even some of those remaining are beginning to think it might be 2-3 years before demand recovers.

There is a tremendous amount of money out there, but between the “haves” who are worried about tax uncertainties and poor investment vehicles (the stock market); and the “have-nots” who can’t get loans from banks, that money is not being spent on new boats.

Copyright ©2010 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

You can also see how gorgeous the hull surfaces look, even before they’ve been finished and painted.  There really is nothing like a composite mold to ensure the perfect finish.  Also note the overall scale of the thing by the fellow walking down into the bulbous bow extension. Looks like there might be room in there for crew quarters!  Updated specs and program info available from P.A.E. here.

Starboard Quarter View of the First Nordhavn 120 - Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Bow of the New Nordhavn 120 as Yacht is Pulled From Mold -- Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Starboard Bow of the New Nordhavn 120 Half-in, Half-out of Her Mold - Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Starboard Hull View of the New Nordhavn 120 - Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Forward Interior Hull View of the New Nordhavn 120 -- Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Transom View of New Nordhavn 120 -- Photo Courtesy of P.A.E.

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

P.A.E. today confirmed that hull #1 of the new Nordhavn 63 is in final preparation for shipment from the factory in China to Florida, where it will be commissioned and available for inspection. The N63 is a development of the N55/N60 series, with new deck and engine room molds. With its beam narrower than the N62, it will fit in places the latter cannot.

Bow-on Shot of the New Nordhavn 63

The N63 is described by PAE as an aft-wheelhouse version of the N60, retaining some of the saltiness of the original N62 but with the narrower beam.  In the accompanying photos, you can see it in the “tank” at the factory in China undergoing its first tests and systems checks. P.A.E. President Dan Streech told me yesterday that they hope to ship the boat by mid-September and have it available for viewing by the end of October.

Stern View of the New Nordhavn 63

Port Bow Photo of New Nordhavn 63

View of Foredeck on New Nordhavn 63

Port Quarter View of New Nordhavn 63

Starboard Quarter View of New Nordhavn 63

Portuguese Bridge on New Nordhavn 63

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

Nordhavn 75 EYF Without Flybridge

Pacific Asian Enterprises said on its website that it has developed a version of its 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher (EYF) without the expansive flybridge common to most sportfishing battlewagons. The change acknowledges the cruising half of this split-personality ocean-going yacht and gives it a more conventional “Norhdavn look.”

I took the liberty of scanning a print of a high-res pdf file of the new profile and layout, which you see here in this article. You can click on the image above for a larger view of it and if you’d like to download the original pdf file, just click here.

According to Chief of Design Jeff Leishman, the design caters to the client who “likes the wide-open layout of the EYF, but doesn’t necessarily need a tower to seek out big game fish.” The boat’s upper deck and huge cockpit provide owners plent of great spaces to sunbathe or entertain al fresco, according to the company.  “And it’s already set up so that if you want to fish, dive, or cruise extensively, all you need to do is pick a destination and go. It’s just a variation of the current Yachtfisher,” says PAE’s vice president Jim Leishman. “I think it will emphasize the versatility of this model.”

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC.  All rights reserved.

2010 Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail

Kadey-Krogen said this week that it will have a Krogen 58′ and the 48′ North Sea with the redesigned galley and bridge, which we wrote about here on OceanLines recently.

P.A.E. advises that their final plans for the upcoming Miami boat shows include the 75 EYF and the 62 at Collins Ave., — more formally know as The Yacht and Brokerage Show in Miami Beach.  They also plan to have a 47 over at the on-water display of the actual Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail at the Sea Isle Marina in Miami.

At this point, Selene does not appear to have a boat at the show, although the Selene Annapolis dealer will be there and Jet Tern Marine owner and chief designer Howard Chen will be attending to accept an award from MotorBoating Magazine.

We will update you over the next week with the plans of other passagemaking boat builders.  If you use the official website for the boat show, don’t rely on the search function there to tell you who will be there. There are some brands missing from the database. Best to check the website of the brand you’re interested in directly.  Here are the basic logistical details for the main Miami Boat Show, from the show organizers:

Show Information
Dates & Location
February 11–15, 2010
MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
1901 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

SEA ISLE MARINA & YACHTING CENTER (New home of Strictly Sail Miami, joining forces with the Miami International Boat Show powerboat in-water location)
1635 N. Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33132
*** This location now requires a ticket or badge for admission.

NEW! BIG BOAT ROW
Looking for the BIG sailboats? Begin the day at Sea Isle Marina, then head over to Bayside Marina by way of Strictly Sail Miami’s FREE water taxi service to view some of the largest sailboats and catamarans in the world. Lagoon America, Leopard, Prout, Seawind Catamarans, Hylas, Passport and others will all have boats on display at Big Boat Row.

Courtesy Shuttle Buses will run between all locations including the park & ride at the American Airlines Arena from 1 hour prior to show opening through 1 hour after show close daily.

Show Hours
Premier Day
Thursday, February 11, 10:00am–6:00pm

Friday, February 12, 10:00am–8:00pm
Saturday, February 13, 10:00am–8:00pm
Sunday, February 14, 10:00am–8:00pm
Monday, February 15, 10:00am–6:00pm

Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center is open from 10:00am–6:00pm daily

Admission
NEW — 5 Day Pass (Good all 5 days of the show)
Thursday, February 11th–Monday, February 15th — $75.00

Premier Day — $30.00

Friday–Monday:
Adults — $16.00
2 Day Pass — $30.00
Youth, age 13–15 years — $6.00
Children, age 12 and younger — FREE

Tickets will also be available for purchase at both the Miami Beach Convention Center and the Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center locations.

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Layout for New Nordhavn 78 -- Drawings Courtesy of P.A.E.

P.A.E. has released preliminary layout details for its new Nordhavn 78 long-range motoryacht.  The plans reveal a focus on outside entertaining and roomy berthing spaces. Clicking on the drawing above will open a larger view that can be magnified somewhat to show more detail.

The plans show a spacious owner’s cabin just forward of amidships and oriented fore-and-aft. A sitting area to port and a desk to starboard are complemented by a large head aft and to port, with a walk-in dressing area aft and to starboard. A guest stateroom is farther aft and features twin berths, a spacious head and storage closet. A dedicated laundry room is also on the same aft level.

The main guest stateroom is forward, accessed down a stairway from the pilothouse and features lots of storage and a head between it and the owner’s suite aft (let’s specify extra sound insulation in that bulkhead). The guest suit also has room to port for a small desk or dressing table.

For the crew, there is a captain’s cabin, with a small head in the aft end of the pilothouse; the main quarters being all the way aft, entered normally through a transom door, but also accessible through a hatch in the aft end of the engine room. Another door at the forward end of the engine room leads to the smaller guest suite and laundry room.

The nominal layout for the saloon shows a dining table for eight to port, with sofa and two chairs to starboard. The galley is forward and to port and puts the stove on the large, aft-facing counter, with a raised counter above it and three bar stools on the other side for informal dining or conversation with the chef. The aft cockpit looks roomy and uncluttered, with a long bench along the curved transom with a table in front of it for dining. Curved steps lead down to the swim platform from both corners of the transom.

Up a few steps forward into the pilothouse and you come into a large, comfortable-looking space. Twin helm chairs, with the main instrument panel and controls on the left side and complemented by a large desk/chart space to port and a huge, u-shaped settee and table aft. Sliding doors on either side of the pilothouse lead to wide walkways, which can be followed forward to a large sunpad on the forward deckhouse.

The flybridge is accessed from a starboard stairwell in the pilothouse. There are twin helm chairs forward and to port, and a circular table and chairs behind that. To starboard is an outdoor galley and curved bar. Aft are the Jacuzzi to port and an L-shape settee to starboard. The boat deck is all the way aft and this drawing shows a davit to port and a moderately large Nautica center-console RIB tied down athwartships.

As with most Nordhavns in this size, there is likely to be plenty of flexibility for owners to customize the layouts, particularly on the main deck.

Copyright © 2010 by OceanLines LLC