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Old 12-21-2013, 07:03 AM   #1
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Building a Nordhavn

I think at some point I mentioned that we are building a Nordhavn 60, but I don't think I mentioned that I've got a blog that shows the whole process, or at least what's been completed so far. It's probably 3/4 of the way done.

Being a geek, I find the who process fascinating, so hopefully some other readers will too.

The main blog is here www.MVTanglewood.com

The build is intermixed with our current Grand Banks cruising, but it shouldn't be too hard to pick out the relevant posts. If you want to start at the beginning with the thought process that led to switching boats, it begins here Adventures of Tanglewood: A New Boat?

This boat is probably a good example of "different boats for different uses". We are planning to cruise all over the world, including some pretty remote places. There are very few production boats capable of that, and is how we ended up selecting this one.

Enjoy....
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Old 12-21-2013, 08:23 AM   #2
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I've been reading your blog for quite some time and have enjoyed it immensely. I really appreciate all the detail you share having a boat like this built, almost makes the reader feel directly involved in the build.
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Old 12-21-2013, 08:40 AM   #3
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I've been reading your blog for quite some time and have enjoyed it immensely. I really appreciate all the detail you share having a boat like this built, almost makes the reader feel directly involved in the build.
Oh, good, I'm glad you are enjoying it. Blogging is weird because you get very little feedback. It's more like talking to yourself than having a conversation with someone.

Right now I'm trying to get the commenting feature fixed. I've been trying to reply to someone's comment and it's not being posted. Unfortunately Blogger is a like that..... they break it pretty regularly. Usually it gets fixed quickly....
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Old 12-21-2013, 09:57 AM   #4
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I'm glad it's a blogger issue. I've tried to comment several times and it refused so I just gave up and visit it once every week or two and keep up that way. Love the extension, such a great idea I've no idea why it isn't a stock item.
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Old 12-21-2013, 10:36 AM   #5
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Your new Nordy is going to make your GB feel like the difference between a Rolls and a Kia..

Congratulations on the new build.. enjoy the experience!

HOLLYWOOD
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Old 12-21-2013, 10:42 AM   #6
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I'm glad it's a blogger issue. I've tried to comment several times and it refused so I just gave up and visit it once every week or two and keep up that way. Love the extension, such a great idea I've no idea why it isn't a stock item.
Have you been having trouble for a while? Sounds like it. Someone commented successfully this morning, so it at least works sometimes. Just not for me and you I guess ;-)
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Old 12-21-2013, 11:39 AM   #7
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Someone commented successfully this morning, so it at least works sometimes. Just not for me and you I guess ;-)
That kinda indicates that we are the problem

I will have my children sort out what they like to call dads "I - D - ten - T" tech issues.
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Old 12-21-2013, 12:47 PM   #8
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I'm watching.
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Old 12-21-2013, 04:03 PM   #9
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That kinda indicates that we are the problem

I will have my children sort out what they like to call dads "I - D - ten - T" tech issues.
If your kids figure it out, let me know. Otherwise I'll leave it to Google/Blogger to fix it. I tried on another blog and couldn't post their either.
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Old 12-21-2013, 09:07 PM   #10
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Twisted-I have been following your blog since seeing an earlier post with your link in it. It has been very interesting as you seem to put a lot more thought into the new boat and its systems than many owners do. I found your travails with the monitors enlightening. Like you, I want the biggest monitors I can get. I am looking to replace what I have now because of your research into it.

Thanks!
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Old 12-21-2013, 10:23 PM   #11
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I'm watching.
Mee too! Big commitment.
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Old 12-21-2013, 11:52 PM   #12
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Hey Twisted really enjoy your blog and the thought you are putting into your new vessel.
Will keep on your trail until completion and then into your travels.
Cheers
Benn
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Old 12-22-2013, 05:37 AM   #13
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Hi Twisted
Like others I have found your blog to be a great read. I toured an N55 a few months ago when we were both at a little family run marina in the Broughton's. So I have good context for your build process, design choices etc. I agree the 60 will be superior to the 55.

As to solar, if you had a hardtop over the flybridge, wouldn't that give you a lot of acreage to use? I have 1800 W, love it, but would have more if it would fit. But then I decided not to have AC, and I use propane for cooking and so no longer have a generator on board. Other than 2 x John Deere's with 200A alternators on each engine.

I agree with your choices of PC for primary Nav.function. I use Nobletec Odyssey Time Zero in the PH, and am very happy with it. I have a Furuno NavNet3D MFD 12 on the flybridge to get the daylight viewing capacity. But I also tend to agree with your summation of NN3D and TZ products. I also have an Simrad NSS 8. I use it in the cockpit when fishing, when its not in use on my 14' RIB. Its a nice product, and I am a fan of the touch screen functionality.

+1 for hydronic heating. I have a 'summer loop' built-in so that I can run the diesel heater just for hot water if I'm not at the dock, or haven't used the main engines, which also gives hot water. The summer loop means that the heating doesn't run through the boat when it isn't needed.

+1 for Spectra watermaker. They really are a good product, mine is the 400 gpd model which I figured would be enough.

I too look forward to your continuing updates.
Cheers,
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Old 12-22-2013, 05:59 AM   #14
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It has been very interesting as you seem to put a lot more thought into the new boat and its systems than many owners do.!
I'm slowly figuring this out too. Most people just take what's handed to them, not just in boats, but in pretty much everything. I'm always trying to figure out how to make it better. It's the engineer in me leaking out - I can't help myself - and I also enjoy it immensely.
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Old 12-22-2013, 06:42 AM   #15
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Hi Twisted
Like others I have found your blog to be a great read. I toured an N55 a few months ago when we were both at a little family run marina in the Broughton's. So I have good context for your build process, design choices etc. I agree the 60 will be superior to the 55.
Lots of people seem to agree. Since Nordhavn introduced the 60, there have been zero orders for 55s. A big part of that is pricing. The 60 costs 3% more than a 55, so it's pretty crazy not to step up.

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As to solar, if you had a hardtop over the flybridge, wouldn't that give you a lot of acreage to use? I have 1800 W, love it, but would have more if it would fit. But then I decided not to have AC, and I use propane for cooking and so no longer have a generator on board. Other than 2 x John Deere's with 200A alternators on each engine.
Actually, I do have a hardtop over the flybridge, and that's where I figured on placing the solar. Great minds think alike. Boy I wish I could fit 1800W - that would be a no-brainer - but the hardtop really is limited to 750W. I can fit 3 250W panels across the front half of the hardtop. It's a nice fit. The issue with adding more behind them is the radar which is centered in the aft half of the hardtop. It directly blocks a panel in the center, and the 6' antenna will shade anything to either side. Also, on the port side of the Radar is where the ladder comes up so you need that landing area to be clear. If I really pushed it I could probably squeeze in another 200W using smaller panels tucked in here or there. It's always an option once I have real power load numbers.

The only other place for panels would be the boat deck extension that covers the cockpit. I could probably fit another 750W there, but it's problematic too. First, my wife doesn't want to give up the space. Not that I need another reason after that one, but the tender will overhang the boat deck extension and likely shade a large section of the panels. Plus, it seems like it would be pretty easy when craning the tender over the panels to accidentally crash it into one of them. But that area remains a possibility for some sort of phase II project, assuming Phase I ever happens.

Quote:
I agree with your choices of PC for primary Nav.function. I use Nobletec Odyssey Time Zero in the PH, and am very happy with it. I have a Furuno NavNet3D MFD 12 on the flybridge to get the daylight viewing capacity. But I also tend to agree with your summation of NN3D and TZ products. I also have an Simrad NSS 8. I use it in the cockpit when fishing, when its not in use on my 14' RIB. Its a nice product, and I am a fan of the touch screen functionality.
A lot about electronics is personal preference. Another bunch is about where/how you will use it. I would have given Garmin very serious consideration, but instead rejected them very early because they do not support 3rd party and industry standard charts. There has yet to be a chart vendor who is the best everywhere, and I'm not willing to gamble that Garmin will suddenly be that supreme vendor. If I were just cruising the US and Canada, it would be a completely different story.

All the above is preference sorta stuff. But bugs are bugs and are not a matter of opinion. Granted, not everyone will run into them, but when you do they are very annoying. And worse yet is a company that doesn't fix them. Anyway, I've complained about my Furuno issues enough and have moved on with the new boat.

Quote:
+1 for hydronic heating. I have a 'summer loop' built-in so that I can run the diesel heater just for hot water if I'm not at the dock, or haven't used the main engines, which also gives hot water. The summer loop means that the heating doesn't run through the boat when it isn't needed.
Yes, it's a nice feature and we have set it up that way too. It's also one less reason to run the generator while at anchor.

Quote:
+1 for Spectra watermaker. They really are a good product, mine is the 400 gpd model which I figured would be enough.
I've got a 200 GPD unit currently and it works well. I especially like the auto flush feature, and unlike the Village Marine units, the auto flush keeps working through power blips like switching from generator to dock power, someone accidentally switching off your dock power for a moment, or losses of grid power. All of those cause the Village Marine to terminate it's auto flush and never restart.

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I too look forward to your continuing updates.
Cheers,
Thanks!
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Old 03-09-2014, 05:00 PM   #16
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I just tripped over your blog - thanks for sharing the nitty-gritty details! Looks wonderful and I'm sure all of your hands on attention will pay off.

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Old 03-09-2014, 05:20 PM   #17
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I just tripped over your blog - thanks for sharing the nitty-gritty details! Looks wonderful and I'm sure all of your hands on attention will pay off.

Dave
Glad you are enjoying it. For others, I just returned from a visit to the yard in China and posted another update on construction progress with a ton of pictures. The boat is getting very close to completion.
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Old 03-09-2014, 05:21 PM   #18
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Glad you are enjoying it. For others, I just returned from a visit to the yard in China and posted another update on construction progress with a ton of pictures. The boat is getting very close to completion.
Perfect! Going now!
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Old 03-09-2014, 10:50 PM   #19
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The boat is getting very close to completion.
She's an incredible boat - love it. Want it!
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Old 03-10-2014, 06:26 AM   #20
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She's an incredible boat - love it. Want it!
Thanks, but don't sell those defeaver's short. They are very nice boats.

Building is a VERY long process, and I wouldn't be doing it if there were any 60's on the brokerage market. One did come up 6 months or so ago and lasted about 5 minutes before it sold. Another is on the market now and is a beauty, but is also a 50hz boat originally build for the OZ/NZ market. But the bottom line is that brokerage is a MUCH faster path to get in a boat. But this worked out well and gave us another year in our Grand Banks to explore the ICW and other places where the N60 won't fit very easily with it's nearly 7' draft. The GB is on the market now and hopefully will sell before we get too far into this summer.

Looking at the whole time line, we signed the LOI to build in November 2012, and the contract in December. My best estimate is that we will take final delivery in August, so the total time is nearly 2 years (21 months).

The plus side of building is that you get a boat outfitted exactly the way you want it. Neither of the brokerage boats, for example, had full hydraulics, nor did either have diesel heat. And neither had/has electronics anywhere close to what I want. So there would have been a bunch of refitting involved.
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