Second Nordhavn Yachtfisher arrives

You can taste the anticipation in the air in the editorial office at Circumnavigator magazine. We are less than 60 days away from spending time at sea aboard the revolutionary new Nordhavn 75 Expedition Yachtfisher!

Hull #1 is shown above in Newport Harbor, California, starting one of many sea-trials needed to get all systems working on a new yacht such as this beauty.

Meanwhile, on the right coast, Hull #2 has arrived, as reported by PAE's Jennifer Stern:

The second Nordhavn 75 Expedition Yachtfisher arrived from the factory on March 10 and was offloaded at Port Everglades in Miami and brought up the coast to our Southeast service yard in Stuart, Florida.

Despite the interior being covered in cardboard and minus all the electronics, rods and other specialty items her owner ordered up for her, the EYF drew slack-jawed gazes from those watching on land as well as from fellow boaters who passed her by in the water.

“The boat is just amazing,” says Nordhavn vice-president Jim Leishman, who rode hull #1 in San Diego. “You can look at pictures of her and tell that she’s a pretty boat. But nothing beats seeing the Yachtfisher in person. The impression you get stepping on her and seeing her with your own eyes is not justified by a photo.”

Luckily for fans of the EYF, there will be ample opportunity to climb aboard and check out the revolutionary long-range yachtfisher in the flesh. The powder blue-hulled #2 boat will make its public debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, March 26-29. Leishman—the EYF is his brainchild—will be in Palm Beach at the Nordhavn display (Slip 217) fielding questions about the new launch. He’ll be joined by his brother, Jeff Leishman, Nordhavn’s Chief of Design, and the one responsible for creating the gorgeous lines of this remarkable boat.

For those who can’t make it to the east coast, there’s opportunity to see the Yachtfisher at the forthcoming Open House slated April 25 at Nordhavn’s Newport Beach, California, office. The Open House is by invitation only, so be sure to contact PAE in order to secure your invite.

Nordhavn has taken what it does best—build long-range luxury expedition yachts—and incorporated all the fishing features and rigging found on tournament sportfishers to create a yacht that can truly go after any fish in the world. An enormous fishing cockpit, dual 60-gallon bait wells, a 35-cubic-foot deep freezer, plentiful gear and tackle storage, and all the rod holders and rigging a deep-sea angler could ever want top a long list of fishing features.

Kiwis greet Egret's intrepid crew

Egret and New Paige, shown at left, were joined by Southern Star at the gathering of Nordhavn faithful in Auckland.

More than 70 guests gathered at the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland to greet world travelers and Circumnavigator contributors Scott and Mary Flanders recently.

The party was not only an opportunity to congratulate the Flanders on completing the final leg of their two-year journey on board their Nordhavn 46, Egret, that started September ’06 in Gibraltar, it was the chance for Kiwis to extend a warm welcome to the couple whose adventures they have been tracking on the Web, and actually pick their brains in person about voyaging the world aboard a Nordhavn.

Hosted by Nordhavn’s Australian affiliate office, the day brought together cruising enthusiasts and boating media alike—all who wanted to find out what it's like to pick up everything and just go. Until now, fans have had to rely on the Voyage of Egret blog to glean their information about the traveling couple.

With the picturesque Auckland Harbour as a backdrop, the day began with a slide show of the Flanders’ various stops which guests took in while nibbling on hors-d’oeuvres. Afterward, the guests of honor were introduced and talked plain and simply about what it is they’ve done, how they went about doing it, and how anyone in the crowd gathered there that day could embark on the same path.

As an added bonus, Nordhavn 55 owners Roger and Joan Allard—along with daughter, Kimberly—were also on hand to field the group’s questions. The Allards, also global cruisers, tag-teamed with Egret to New Zealand since both landed in Tahiti last June. The Allards spoke about communication with the real world, maintaining and enhancing relationships, and in Kimberly’s case, how to manage education.

As questions shifted toward boat operation and performance, the party migrated down to the docks, where a visual could really be had. Here guests were treated to a virtual history lesson of Nordhavn by climbing aboard the 46, the first model of the line, then stepping on to New Paige, light years ahead in design, systems and space utilization and flow. A third Nordhavn, the 47-foot Southern Star owned by Peter and Angela Mott based in Auckland, provided the gathering with still another comparison. Many commented on the generous size of the N47, as she lay alongside Scott and Mary’s earlier model Nordhavn 46.

As the afternoon drew to a close, many attendees exchanged contact details, and offered Scott and Mary and the Allards true New Zealand hospitality as they continue to cruise the pristine waters of a beautiful country.

From the left, Scott and Mary Flanders; Roger, Kimberly and Joan Allard; Peter and Angela Mott.


In the next edition of Circumnavigator, Scott and Mary will report on island-hopping across the Pacific from Chile to Tahiti on a route seldom followed by powerboats. In the last edition, Kimberly Allard was featured in a story on families who have owned more than one Nordhavn.

Is this a good-looking Nordhavn or what?

The first Nordhavn 56 Motorsailer has arrived in Dana Point, California, home of Pacific Asian Enterprises, and the first photos show one good-looking yacht!

Your faithful magazine crew cannot wait to sea-trial the newest Nordhavn for a feature report in the next Circumnavigator.

Click on the images for a larger view. More photos, including shots of the interior, are posted at the Nordhavn site.

Interestingly, the purchaser of Hull #1 has no sailing experience. His background is in go-fast powerboats, but he figures motorsailing will be the most cost-effective way to cruise the South Pacific. More, in the next edition of Circumnavigator that will roll off the press in September 2009.

Norfolk terrier circumnavigates!

Despite snoozing a lot, Zulu, a Norfolk terrier, has circumnavigated the world aboard the Nordhavn 46 Kanaloa. His owners, Heidi and Wolfgang Hass, have now circumnavigated three times--twice with Kanaloa. For news about Zulu and his remarkable owners, visit Trawlers & Trawlering. You'll read the full story in the next Circumnavigator.

Eye on the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Authority maintains several webcams whereby you at home can watch your friends transit the waterway.

For example, here is a webcam screen capture showing the Miraflores Lock. The second vessel entering the lock from the north (Atlantic side) on Friday is Grey Pearl, a Nordhavn 62, captained by Braun and Tina Jones.

The Brauns are headed for Costa Rica to meet up with Sans Souci, the Nordhavn 68 mentioned in the preceding post. The two yachts will be transported by Yachtpath to Vancouver so their crews can enjoy the Inside Passage and Southeast Alaska this summer without having to slog uphill on their own bottoms.

Cover boat heads for Costa Rica

Sans Souci, the Nordhavn 68 that was featured on the cover of the most recent Circumnavigator, and is shown above in our weblog nameplate, is on its way to Costa Rica, with owners Ken and Roberta Williams aboard.

Our approximate 2,200 mile journey will take us along the coasts of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and ultimately to Costa Rica. There are plenty of boats that have traversed this route before. We will not be pioneering. That said, this is a very big deal for us personally. Although we’ve travelled long distances before, it has always been as part of a large group of boats, or in a location where there were lots of other boats around. This will be our first time to venture this far off the beaten track alone.

You can follow their blog here.

Updated specs for Nordhavn 75 Expedition Yachtfisher

Here are the updated particulars for Nordhavn's revolutionary Expedition Yachtfisher which will launch later this year:

LOA: 75'8" / 23.06 m
LOD: 72' / 21.95 m
LWL: 66'8" / 20.32 m
Beam: 22'4" / 6.81 m
Draft at half-load: 6'6" / 1.98 m
Displacement (empty): 185,447 / 82.79 long tons
D/L: 251 (half load)
Cp: .58
A/B ratio: 2.25:1
Fuel capacity: 4300 gallons / 16,277 liters
Water capacity: 600 gallons / 2271 liters
Engines: Twin Detroit Series 60 Diesels
Power output: 375 hp per engine, 740 hp total, @ 2,300 rpm
Estimated cruising speed: 13.5 knots
Estimated range at cruising speed: 3,000 nm

Incorrect information appeared on Page 50 of Circumnavigator 2008-09.