long-cours.62
Guru
It means
"little" more than you interpreted , if not they don't use :
"imperativement"
and
"trés prononcée"
"little" more than you interpreted , if not they don't use :
"imperativement"
and
"trés prononcée"
Nordhavn 40...lack of side decks
- Thread starter Bravo
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nwboater
Senior Member
Greetings Bravo,
I have owned a Selene 47 and before that, a 40' Willard wide-body sedan. The Willard did not have side decks...the Selene did. For a live aboard, the Selene was awesome...so nice to move about the boat outside while underway or on the dock. On the other hand, during the dozen years we cruised the Willard, we never missed not having side decks. In our summer long trips to BC and SE AK, the Willard was the ideal size...not too big, always welcomed in working ports, and easy to keep up. The Selene proved to be more boat than we needed for 3 months on the water...my wife often commented that it felt more like cruising in a condo rather than "boating", but that was our experience. We now have a 34' American Tug, which feels just right for us at this stage of life. (Btw, you own it to yourselves to check out the Selene 47, the added length is all in the saloon, which is very cramped in the 43.)
I have owned a Selene 47 and before that, a 40' Willard wide-body sedan. The Willard did not have side decks...the Selene did. For a live aboard, the Selene was awesome...so nice to move about the boat outside while underway or on the dock. On the other hand, during the dozen years we cruised the Willard, we never missed not having side decks. In our summer long trips to BC and SE AK, the Willard was the ideal size...not too big, always welcomed in working ports, and easy to keep up. The Selene proved to be more boat than we needed for 3 months on the water...my wife often commented that it felt more like cruising in a condo rather than "boating", but that was our experience. We now have a 34' American Tug, which feels just right for us at this stage of life. (Btw, you own it to yourselves to check out the Selene 47, the added length is all in the saloon, which is very cramped in the 43.)
Lack of side decks?
If you want to have walk-around side decks, you could look at the Kadey-Krogen 42, similar in size to the Nordhavn. Of course the side decks will take away from some interior salon volume, but to me, at least, full side decks are more important, especially as I get older.
At the price-range you mentioned, you should be able to find one that is not too old - maybe from the mid to late 90's, and with stabilizers.
Good luck!
Peter
If you want to have walk-around side decks, you could look at the Kadey-Krogen 42, similar in size to the Nordhavn. Of course the side decks will take away from some interior salon volume, but to me, at least, full side decks are more important, especially as I get older.
At the price-range you mentioned, you should be able to find one that is not too old - maybe from the mid to late 90's, and with stabilizers.
Good luck!
Peter
AndrewAdams
Veteran Member
Willard 40, no side decks
I don't think side decks would change our docking procedure at all. I steer from flybridge with coiled midships line. Admiral steps off stern onto dock with stern line. Ideally, she pulls and wraps midships line around bull rail and we're on. I can then walk down stairs from flybridge to foredeck and throw her the bowline, while she tightens stern line to pull our canoe stern in.
If docking conditions are suspect and/or we have an assistant, I throw the midships line to that person.
I'd much rather have that space in the salon. I can clingaround, or I can take the ladder from aft cockpit up to bridge and then walk down stairs to foredeck, for example to drop or weigh anchor.
I don't think side decks would change our docking procedure at all. I steer from flybridge with coiled midships line. Admiral steps off stern onto dock with stern line. Ideally, she pulls and wraps midships line around bull rail and we're on. I can then walk down stairs from flybridge to foredeck and throw her the bowline, while she tightens stern line to pull our canoe stern in.
If docking conditions are suspect and/or we have an assistant, I throw the midships line to that person.
I'd much rather have that space in the salon. I can clingaround, or I can take the ladder from aft cockpit up to bridge and then walk down stairs to foredeck, for example to drop or weigh anchor.
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mvweebles
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I don't think side decks would change our docking procedure at all. I steer from flybridge with coiled midships line. Admiral steps off stern onto dock with stern line. Ideally, she pulls and wraps midships line around bull rail and we're on. I can then walk down stairs from flybridge to foredeck and throw her the bowline, while she tightens stern line to pull our canoe stern in.
If docking conditions are suspect and/or we have an assistant, I throw the midships line to that person.
I'd much rather have that space in the salon. I can clingaround, or I can take the ladder from aft cockpit up to bridge and then walk down stairs to foredeck, for example to drop or weigh anchor.
Andrew - if I recall, Patience is one of the rare "Wide body" Willard 40s that have a full width deck house and no side decks, correct? To get to the bow, either cling-on walk along the cap rails or go up to flybridges and down forward steps onto foredeck.
BTW - those types of stairs from the flybridge was a Hallmark of many Willard built Motoryachts, not just the 40 foot trawlers.
Peter
AndrewAdams
Veteran Member
Exactly right, Peter. I think they made the widebodies from 74-78, then they made narrowbodies with side decks for the rest of the production run. Last one in 2001, I think. After 9/11 they dropped the recreational boats in favor of military production.
kthoennes
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Funny you should mention American Tug. We very carefully toured an AT 395 (with an upper helm) at the Newport Boat Show in September. Very nice boat in excellent condition with a very proud owner (he was on board, he had loaned his boat to the show at AT's request). As nice as it was, it made me realize I've gotten so used to a direct jump down to the bow from the flybridge, there's no way I'd consider that model. If I ever needed to get to the bow or the windlass from the upper helm, you climb down two ladders, through the cabin, then up the side deck, and out to the bow. I've gotten so used to the walk-through door and steps down to the bow from my flybridge that I felt absolutely trapped in that upper helm. I know it's all about what you get used to and personal preference, and lots of chartering taught me you can make lots of different things work, but after our Mainship my preferences are pretty deeply set.
rslifkin
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On a boat with that layout, I'd always plan to dock and anchor from the lower helm, not the flybridge. Then you've got the side doors right there and it's a much faster trip to the bow.
Direct access from an upper helm to the bow is convenient, but not many boats have it.
PJ Crusing
Member
Roughwater 41
Bravo
We also are sailors but spend time in the PNW on our 41' trawler.
It's a Roughwater 41, single screw pilothouse with minimal sidedecks.
Just the Admiral and I most of the time and we've had minimal issues docking and that's without a thruster. Lots of good advice given already by the forum and you should adapt without much of a learning curve.
Our other vessel in a KP44 currently based in Northern California, did the Puddle Jump in 2005.
You can pick up a RW41 for a fifth of what your budgeting and they're worth a look. Great saloon area, twin cabin, twin heads and a cool vintage trawler.
We base ours in Anacortes Washington and I'd be happy to show you her if you'd like.
Bravo
We also are sailors but spend time in the PNW on our 41' trawler.
It's a Roughwater 41, single screw pilothouse with minimal sidedecks.
Just the Admiral and I most of the time and we've had minimal issues docking and that's without a thruster. Lots of good advice given already by the forum and you should adapt without much of a learning curve.
Our other vessel in a KP44 currently based in Northern California, did the Puddle Jump in 2005.
You can pick up a RW41 for a fifth of what your budgeting and they're worth a look. Great saloon area, twin cabin, twin heads and a cool vintage trawler.
We base ours in Anacortes Washington and I'd be happy to show you her if you'd like.
nightowl2
Newbie
Personally,as a Selene38 owner for 13 years, I much prefer side decks. Having voyaged this boat about 27,000 miles, all over SE Asia. H H, China, Vietnam,Thailand, Borneo,and Phillipines and now Turkey (5 years) I have always been very happy with the Selene layout, and incidentally the aft master cabin too rather than a forward master, which would have been uncomfortable on our longer journeys (350 Singapore---Borneo) I also fitted booms and paravanes, which although not used very ofter at sea, they are truly wonderful at anchor as long periods at anchor in both Asia and Turkey were/are a frequent occurrence. My boat has 4,000 engine hours now and has been an absolutely wonderful boat to own. As a live aboard for quite a lot of the time, ease of getting round the boat was important to me, and especially on my (often) solo journeys.
Darlin
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Highly recommend Nordic or American tug 37. Excellent choice for PNW / Alaska. I know a couple in their 80s that cruise from Seattle to SE Alaska each year on the Inside Passage in their 37 Nordic Tug with 10,000 hrs on their engine. Nordhaven also good. I did the the trip a few years ago in my 43 Ocean Alexander with good results.
jkleins
Member
I have a boat with one side deck and one side without (Nordy 47) and I thought that docking would be easier on the side with the walk-around. Turns out there is minimal difference. We put the fenders on from above (boat deck) on both sides so no real difference there. My wife is always on the back to hand the first line or step off as we come in stern first as do many others. She then picks the bow line off the rail from either side or I hand it to her from the pilothouse door.
We feel pretty much ambivalent about which side we dock unless we can get a floating dock to use our side door instead of the swim platform to get off the boat. I definitely would not trade the space in the salon for a walk around unless I had a larger boat.
Jim
We feel pretty much ambivalent about which side we dock unless we can get a floating dock to use our side door instead of the swim platform to get off the boat. I definitely would not trade the space in the salon for a walk around unless I had a larger boat.
Jim
Snapdragon III
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I like side decks, and would prefer to have them on at least one side. My wife is not a reliable helper with docking, so I want to easily be able to handle it myself, at least in calm conditions. Side decks help. I would be more likely to make the compromise of no side decks if I was living aboard my boat full time, and not just using it for vacationing. In that use case, the interior space would be more valuable.
At the risk of straying from the topic of this thread I have other thoughts on the Nordhavn 40. I love the build quality, and super robust systems. Especially the dry stack/keel cooled. On the downside, I feel like it is too much crammed into too small a boat. It doesn't feel very comfortable for hanging out at anchor and relaxing. The outside decks are too small to have a nice chairs and table set up, and there is no built in cockpit like a sailboat has. The flybridge is also pretty small. On the inside the windows are too small, and too high up when you are sitting down. In the PNW the weather is often wet and cold, but one of the great joys of power boats is sitting inside warm and dry and watching the world go by while at anchor. For maximum effect you want lots of big windows and views in as many directions as possible. Unless your plans include going way up to Kodiak island or something, I think there are cheaper boats that would be more fun. We did SE Alaska summer before last and made some friends with a Nordic tug 37. That is a sweet boat for a couple. Might be a little small if you want to live aboard full time. It was much faster than our boat, (or a Nordhavn 40) and I was jealous of the speed. We are slow, and had a lot of very long days. It would be really nice to be able to scoot along at 8-10kn instead of 5-7.
At the risk of straying from the topic of this thread I have other thoughts on the Nordhavn 40. I love the build quality, and super robust systems. Especially the dry stack/keel cooled. On the downside, I feel like it is too much crammed into too small a boat. It doesn't feel very comfortable for hanging out at anchor and relaxing. The outside decks are too small to have a nice chairs and table set up, and there is no built in cockpit like a sailboat has. The flybridge is also pretty small. On the inside the windows are too small, and too high up when you are sitting down. In the PNW the weather is often wet and cold, but one of the great joys of power boats is sitting inside warm and dry and watching the world go by while at anchor. For maximum effect you want lots of big windows and views in as many directions as possible. Unless your plans include going way up to Kodiak island or something, I think there are cheaper boats that would be more fun. We did SE Alaska summer before last and made some friends with a Nordic tug 37. That is a sweet boat for a couple. Might be a little small if you want to live aboard full time. It was much faster than our boat, (or a Nordhavn 40) and I was jealous of the speed. We are slow, and had a lot of very long days. It would be really nice to be able to scoot along at 8-10kn instead of 5-7.
Snapdragon III
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I found some pictures to illustrate the visibility in the Nordhavn 40. The first picture is the N40 from where you would spend most of your time sitting down while on the move. There is plenty of visibility to navigate safely, but not enough to fully enjoy the granger of the scenery. in my option. The latter pictures are of my previous boat that was a custom aluminum 40' trawler. It had walk around side decks, much less interior space than the Nordhavn, but glorious visibility in the large pilot house, which acted as the living room when at anchor. I would take that boat anywhere I would take a Nordhavn 40 except to Hawaii, as the fuel tanks were too small. It was also about 1/5 the price of a Nordhavn.
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Thanks for raising these points, Snapdragon. Especially about the visibility from the wheelhouse. We have been a bit concerned about the forward visibility when underway, for spotting deadheads or other UFO's when sitting back on the settee. Not a problem when standing at the wheel, but obviously we'd spend a lot of time both underway and at anchor on the bench seat. And we like your aluminum boat.....our current boat (Boreal 52) is aluminum, and it would be our first choice in a trawler as well. Unfortunately not many to look at, at least in the US/Canada.
