Three Different N37s

[Island Bound]

We attended the Great Harbour Trawler Association (GHTA) annual meeting in New Bern, NC this past week. There were eight boats in attendance this year, six of them N37 models. I photographed the departure of MAGGIE this morning and realized afterwards that not only did I capture three different N37 versions, but also a bit of production history for the most popular Great Harbour Trawler model produced.

MAGGIE is Hull #1 in the N37 series. She is the original Semper Fi showcased in the June 2002 PassageMaker magazine article. She has cruised to Cuba and Bermuda while a demo boat for Mirage Mfg.

Our boat Semper Fi was Semper Fi II in the Mirage lineup. She is Hull #6 in the series and was used as a dealer demo and company charter boat. She is also the second Great Harbor Trawler to have a factory fly bridge installed. Our fly bridge is the final configuration for the fly bridges installed on all subsequent N37, N47 and GH47 models. Hull #4 of the N37 series was the first Great Harbour Trawler to have the optional fly bridge installed and it was configured a bit differently than follow-on versions.

JADIP (Just Another Day In Paradise) was the second to last N37 built, Hull #21. She was ordered without a fly bridge and her original owner had an aftermarket fly bridge installed after the boat was delivered.

 

[MurrayM]

Very versatile design!

Any hairy chested intentions to meander on down to the Amazon River, then go up river a ways as the original was designed to do?

 

[boathealer]

Great event!
It was great seeing everyone!!

 

[FlyWright]

IB, got pics of the variants?

 

[Island Bound]

IB, got pics of the variants?

Hi FlyWright,

These photos show in further detail the three variants of N37 models. The first photo shows all three models off shore enroute to Morehead City, NC. Tanuki (Hull #14) has the standard factory fly bridge with a radar arch that our boat does not have. The radar arch became a standard feature on all fly bridge equipped N37s built after ours.

The close-up shot of Semper Fi and JADIP gives a good idea of the relative size of the factory fly bridge, versus JADIP's custom manufactured fly bridge. The big difference is seating capacity and ladder access from the foredeck vice the cockpit. I have included four shots of Semper Fi's fly bridge taken last summer on Kentucky Lake.

 

[Spottsville]

We attended the Great Harbour Trawler Association (GHTA) annual meeting in New Bern, NC this past week. There were eight boats in attendance this year, six of them N37 models. I photographed the departure of MAGGIE this morning and realized afterwards that not only did I capture three different N37 versions, but also a bit of production history for the most popular Great Harbour Trawler model produced.

MAGGIE is Hull #1 in the N37 series. She is the original Semper Fi showcased in the June 2002 PassageMaker magazine article. She has cruised to Cuba and Bermuda while a demo boat for Mirage Mfg.

Our boat Semper Fi was Semper Fi II in the Mirage lineup. She is Hull #6 in the series and was used as a dealer demo and company charter boat. She is also the second Great Harbor Trawler to have a factory fly bridge installed. Our fly bridge is the final configuration for the fly bridges installed on all subsequent N37, N47 and GH47 models. Hull #4 of the N37 series was the first Great Harbour Trawler to have the optional fly bridge installed and it was configured a bit differently than follow-on versions.

JADIP (Just Another Day In Paradise) was the second to last N37 built, Hull #21. She was ordered without a fly bridge and her original owner had an aftermarket fly bridge installed after the boat was delivered.

Great Post! Love the pictures and the Boats!

 

[Donsan]

Great Post! Love the pictures and the Boats!

......So envious!

 

[boathealer]

I took these at the event in New Bern:

https://youtu.be/hHHkxWdXeXo

https://youtu.be/ZxIstpX1lCw

 

[Donsan]

Island Bound - your pics are far superior to the ones posted in the photo album of the event on the GHTA web site. Perhaps you should volunteer to be the photographer!

 

[Spottsville]

I took these at the event in New Bern:

https://youtu.be/hHHkxWdXeXo

https://youtu.be/ZxIstpX1lCw

Love it!

 

[HenryD]

Dosan,
The GHTA website has many of IB's photos. We will take all that we can get.
It was a great meeting. We had 3 of the 4 Great Harbour models on the dock.

 

[Island Bound]

I took these at the event in New Bern:

https://youtu.be/hHHkxWdXeXo

https://youtu.be/ZxIstpX1lCw

Hard to believe that such great aerial views can come from a platform as small as your drone. You have given me something to think about down the road. I don't always have a bridge (redneck drone*) available to take elevated photos.

*Phrase credit to Cap'n Jerry on Tanuki

 

[Island Bound]

Island Bound - your pics are far superior to the ones posted in the photo album of the event on the GHTA web site. Perhaps you should volunteer to be the photographer!

Thanks for the kind words Don. As Henry said, many of my photos have been used on both the old and the new GHTA website. I have also contributed shots for the GHTA calendars and taken photos for member's boat cards or other personal use. I hope to have a new album posted on the GHTA site later today. In the meantime, here is a group photo on the face dock of three of our attendees for this year's rendezvous.

 

[South of Heaven]

Island Bound: Beautiful pics! Looks like a great event. I have a stupid question: Is it an optical illusion or is the freeboard in the stern very low? In some of those pics it's very noticeable.

 

[boathealer]

Hard to believe that such great aerial views can come from a platform as small as your drone. You have given me something to think about down the road. I don't always have a bridge (redneck drone*) available to take elevated photos.

*Phrase credit to Cap'n Jerry on Tanuki

I'm still learning. Really good quality for the money in an unbelievably portable size. Rock-solid stable in "tripod" mode, even with winds. Search/watch Youtube videos using "DJI Spark" for lots of info/capabilities.

I'm most anxious to try out the "follow me" modes, profile- and circle-, while underway!

 

[Island Bound]

Island Bound: Beautiful pics! Looks like a great event. I have a stupid question: Is it an optical illusion or is the freeboard in the stern very low? In some of those pics it's very noticeable.

You may be looking at the swim platform in some of the photos. It squats down underway and the trailing edge is sometimes slightly awash. Our boat has approximately 45" of freeboard where the swim platform is mated to the hull on each side.

 

[Island Bound]

Last night was our last large group docktails event as two more boats left this morning to continue north on the Great Loop. This year was our fourth GHTA annual meeting and the first one we have attended with Semper Fi. The past eleven days (official GHTA functions were held on three of those days) have been fun and informative with docktails aboard a Great Harbour almost every night. The GHTA community is truly like an extended family, with great boats and wonderful people.

JADIP slipped her lines first on this overcast morning and was photo bombed by a Mallard duck as she crossed under the Alfred A. Cunningham Bridge. Tanuki followed a short time later and was soon out of sight.

 

[boathealer]

Last night was our last large group docktails event as two more boats left this morning to continue north on the Great Loop. This year was our fourth GHTA annual meeting and the first one we have attended with Semper Fi. The past eleven days (official GHTA functions were held on three of those days) have been fun and informative with docktails aboard a Great Harbour almost every night. The GHTA community is truly like an extended family, with great boats and wonderful people.

JADIP slipped her lines first on this overcast morning and was photo bombed by a Mallard duck as she crossed under the Alfred A. Cunningham Bridge. Tanuki followed a short time later and was soon out of sight.

Well done!

 

[healhustler]

So great to hear the enthusiasm from the owners of these fine vessels. I confess to spending quite a bit a time modifying and accessorizing GH models on Photoshop, thinking that I could come up with a better looking this or that. Seeing the two vastly different styles of flybridge demonstrates the flexability of the vessel form. One looks like Ken Fickett said “build me a heavy fricken duty flybridge worthy of the boat”, and the other says “give me something that doesn’t have to scream out FLYBRIDGE”. Both look good to me, which again, says something about the flexibility of that form. The GH’s are practical, stout, and unapologetic “in your face” designs. Seeing them in person and next to any other vessel of similar length is the only way you can know how big and brutish they are.

 

[Pack Mule]

Here is Insandity leaving Sunset Harbor Hill marina about 20 miles downriver from us on the Tennessee hauling a couple barrels of whiskey. Love these boats.Yes Larry I’d say they’ve pretty flexible in design and versatility. Hauling barrels of whiskey is just one more thing they can do with style.

 

[Donsan]

Our boat has approximately 45" of freeboard where the swim platform is mated to the hull on each side.

Not sure I understand his question but believe he is asking how high the cockpit deck is from the waterline. This is an issue in the TT35.

 

[Island Bound]

So great to hear the enthusiasm from the owners of these fine vessels. I confess to spending quite a bit a time modifying and accessorizing GH models on Photoshop, thinking that I could come up with a better looking this or that. Seeing the two vastly different styles of flybridge demonstrates the flexability of the vessel form. One looks like Ken Fickett said “build me a heavy fricken duty flybridge worthy of the boat”, and the other says “give me something that doesn’t have to scream out FLYBRIDGE”. Both look good to me, which again, says something about the flexibility of that form. The GH’s are practical, stout, and unapologetic “in your face” designs. Seeing them in person and next to any other vessel of similar length is the only way you can know how big and brutish they are.

Hi Larry,

I took these photos especially for you while we were at Laishley Marina in Punta Gorda. It is not everyday you have a GH37 parked next to a KK Manatee.

 

[Island Bound]

Here is Insandity leaving Sunset Harbor Hill marina about 20 miles downriver from us on the Tennessee hauling a couple barrels of whiskey. Love these boats.Yes Larry I’d say they’ve pretty flexible in design and versatility. Hauling barrels of whiskey is just one more thing they can do with style.

Insandity in her slip at New Bern with whiskey barrels still secured on her topsides. The crew will be departing at the end of the week to continue the trek to New York City and delivery of the barrels.

 

[Island Bound]

Not sure I understand his question but believe he is asking how high the cockpit deck is from the waterline. This is an issue in the TT35.

I double checked my freeboard measurements and it is about 42", which leaves the cockpit deck 30" inches above the waterline. The only water that splashes in the cockpit comes from my garden hose while scrubbing the deck.

 

[healhustler]

Hi Larry,

I took these photos especially for you while we were at Laishley Marina in Punta Gorda. It is not everyday you have a GH37 parked next to a KK Manatee.

Hey, thanks for that. Doesn’t do it justice though, especially since if you were able to open up the stern of that GH-37 in the picture, you could still drive the Manatee right in there and never touch anything. Heck, I’ve been looking for a spare GH-37 or N-37 hull to grab for my own personal dry-dock!

 

[markpierce]

Hi Larry,

I took these photos especially for you while we were at Laishley Marina in Punta Gorda. It is not everyday you have a GH37 parked next to a KK Manatee.

Why does "militaristic" comes to mind?