As I first wrote on Mad Mariner, Pacific Asian Enterprises has announced the Nordhavn 120, an ABS-classed global explorer.  Weighing in at more than 715,000 pounds — nearly the weight of an early-model 747 — the new queen of the Nordhavn fleet will be powered by twin MTU Series 2000 M72 diesels, producing 975 HP each.

PAE says the N120 will have four decks, with four “King-size” suites, and what the company calls a “tantalizing owner’s suite.”  The company will customize the interior to an owner’s taste.  The profile of the new boat sets it clearly in the now-familiar line of aft-pilothouse trawlers that are the hallmark of designer Jeff Leishman.  The tall bow, significant displacement and 17,500 gallons of fuel all signify a design intended to explore oceans without limits.

Artist's Rendering of New Nordhavn 120

Copyright 2008 Thomas M. Tripp

Pacific Asian Enterprises (PAE) has announced that it will have three of its famous Nordhavn trawlers at the Miami International Boat Show next week.  On display will be a Nordhavn 43, Miss B Havn, which is for sale; a Nordhavn 47, Aqua Daze, privately owned, and Always Friday, a well-known example of the Nordhavn 55 model.  Nordhavns are significant boats; they’re designed for ocean passagemaking and the qualities that give them that capability are not subtle.  For example, my own boat is the same length as the N43, yet weighs less than half the Nordhavn’s 54,540 pounds.  Nordhavn reports that two 43’s with husband and wife teams made Pacific crossings in 2007.

Nordhavn 43

For fans of the Nordhavn fleet — and they are many, and growing in number — there will also be plenty of other news to talk about, as well.  The company is also preparing two new boats for delivery, each first of a new line.  The 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher and the Nordhavn 86; new queen of the fleet, are in sea trials and pre-commissioning work at the builder’s facilities. 

Nordhavn 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher

The N55 at the show is Always Friday, owned by Buddy and Kathy Bethea, who have already put more than 13,000 miles under her keel.  Buddy is somewhat of a prolific writer, too, and his website is a fantastic, and entertaining resource for anyone thinking of bluewater cruising, or even dreaming about it.  (ed. note: It seems as though the website is no longer active; and Always Friday is for sale on the Nordhavn website)

Over the last several years, PAE has expanded the Nordhavn brand tremendously.  The N62 used to be the queen of the fleet, but has been passed in quick succession by the N68 (Ken and Roberta Williams have the first and Ken maintains a great website and travelogue featuring his boat, Sans Souci, the N64, N72 and N76, and now the 75EYF and N86. 

Nordhavn 56 Motorsailer

There is also a new motorsailer in the line, which I wrote about earlier here.

There may be something even more surprising coming soon from Nordhavn.  I can’t yet say what it is, but this company has BIG ambitions, and so far they’ve lived up to them.  Stay tuned.   I’ll report more from the Show and let you know what I hear.

Copyright 2008 by Thomas M. Tripp

Nordhavn trawlers are considered by many global passagemakers to be the ultimate long-range, powered vessel.  That reputation has been reflected in the company’s success in the marketplace and its growing line of boats from 35 feet to 86 feet.  Not everyone realizes that the Nordhavn brand grew up only after its parent, Pacific Asian Enterprises, had finished a long and successful run building the Mason line of sailboats.

Well, that history has come full circle now and the PAE folks have decided to build a brand new motorsailer, under the Nordhavn brand, to meet the needs of those who got their sea legs under sail but who might appreciate some of the performance and features of running under power at times.  Thus was born the new 56MS (motorsailer), now under construction in the Taiwan shipyards of PAE’s longtime partner, Ta Shing.

As befits its Nordhavn heritage, this is no ordinary motorsailer.  The N56MS has a 3,000 mile range under power alone, due to its high-efficiency, full displacement hull designed by Nordhavn’s master designer, Jeff Leishman.  Of course, should you choose to raise the sails and shut down the diesel and feather its controllable pitch propeller, your range will be limited only by your stamina and food supply.  I suppose scurvy could make a comeback with range capabilities like this.  Just in case, remember to bring citrus along.

Motorsailers are not a new idea, of course.  They’ve been around for many years and in many iterations — some of them sailed better than they ran under power; some were better powerboats than sailers; but typically the compromise was significant.  Nordhavn has taken advantage of the lastest technology and materials and design philosophy to create a new motorsailer where the performance — and comfort — compromises have been dramatically minimized.  Several elements combine to make this so.

Probably most unique in the N56MS is its fully controllable-pitch propeller, from the Danish Hundested Propeller company.  By fine-tuning the pitch of the prop to match load conditions, utilizing exhaust gas temperature and fuel flow measurements, the 56MS captain can achieve motoring efficiencies never-before possible in a motorsailer.  A Lugger 1066 T diesel will drive the 36-inch, four-bladed prop at a top cruising speed of 9 knots. 

The sailing setup aboard the 56MS is a sloop rig with powered main and headsail furling, along with powered winches, which should make for very easy sail handling.  The boat is designed with a typical trawler-style wheelhouse/saloon and cockpit aft, with the sailing cockpit forward of the wheelhouse.  There is room to carry a RIB athwartship on the roof of the wheelhouse and Nordhavn fits a standard power winch for launching and retrieval. 

The aft cockpit has room to sit and enjoy a cocktail at anchor and also features hatch-access to a lazarette below deck.  The saloon/wheelhouse entry is through a door slightly offset to port.  The saloon features chairs to port and a U-shaped settee to starboard with a table for dining.  The helm is forward and slightly offset to port, enabling the helmsman to see clearly forward past the main mast.  Stairs to port of the helm lead below decks to the galley along the starboard side and the stand-up engine room admidships.  There is a guest stateroom forward with queen-sized accomodations and head, while the master stateroom is aft, with a very large head to starboard and another queen berth.

Nordhavn provides room along the portside for laundry facilities and storage for tools and spare parts.  Standard in the galley will be a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer with icemaker, Force Ten three-burner, gimballed LPG stove with oven and GE microwave oven and trash compactor.  The countertops are Corian in the galley and heads, with teak fiddles.  The interior spaces feature lots of teak, including bulkheads, decks and cabinetry.

The 56MS dimensions and capacities reflect its mission as a long-range passagemaker.  The freshwater tanks for example, hold 250 gallons, which most cruisers will undoubtedly replenish from a watermaker.  The LPG tanks — two 20-pound Worthington bottles — are carried in a portside transom locker.  Fuel capacity is 750 gallons with a centerline day tank.  The system features a proprietary supply reservoir for the diesel fuel, with a calibration feature and water sensor.

An overview of the N56MS specs:  (Specifications are subject to change at the discretion of designers and
builders)

• LOA:                              57′/17.37M including swim step
• LWL:                             52′ 06″/16.0M
• Draft - full load:           6′/1.83M
• Displacement:              70,410 lbs./32.0T
• Water Capacity:          250 gallons/946L
• Fuel Capacity:             750 gallons/2,839L
• Engine:                         Luggar L1066T Diesel
• Power Output:            165HP @ 2400 RPM
• Sail Area:                     1,217 SQ FT/113.1 SQ M
• Range under Power:  3,000+ nautical miles

Source:  PAE           http://www.nordhavn.com/56/overview.php

Copyright ©  Tom Tripp 2007