Other: Lord Nelson Tug at Auction

[healhustler]

Looking through National Liquidators Auction inventory, this Lord Nelson 37 Victory Tug turned up in Washington. Suggested bid is 99k (yeah, right) but who know what it will go for. Here’s the link:

National Liquidators - 1988 Lord Nelson Victory Tug, 37 ft. - National Liquidators

 

[sean9c]

It used to be in the same marina that I'm in, owned by an interesting young guy. He moved on and it's been listed with a local yacht brokerage for a year or so. I wonder how it ended up with a liquidator?
In the picture the boat next to it is the first Devlin Sockeye, very cool boat, has been for sale for years.

 

[High Wire]

It needs some love on the exterior. Not too bad except for the teak deck looks poor.

 

[Pack Mule]

That's a nice one. I would love to start gettin after that teak .Hope somebody gets her before too long .

 

[Gmarr]

It says Bank Repo on the listing if I recall from another thread

 

[Nomad Willy]

I just went aboard her yesterday. Beautiful wood inside. 4cyl Cummins. Think it was a BW gear. Yup the decks looked wet and soggy.

My friend Mel was looking at a Nova and we got side tracked looking at the LN. think it had “Chshy Float” engine mounts (super soft) and I suspect someone was trying to snuff out the vibration these 4 cyl Cummins engines are known for.

I’d love to have the boat but other than 7’ I don’t know what I’d gain over my Willard. As I recall all the wood was quite dark and all varnished. Deck, overhead .. everything. One can actually see over the swoopy high bow though.

 

[Pack Mule]

I just went aboard her yesterday. Beautiful wood inside. 4cyl Cummins. Think it was a BW gear. Yup the decks looked wet and soggy.

My friend Mel was looking at a Nova and we got side tracked looking at the LN. think it had “Chshy Float” engine mounts (super soft) and I suspect someone was trying to snuff out the vibration these 4 cyl Cummins engines are known for.

I’d love to have the boat but other than 7’ I don’t know what I’d gain over my Willard. As I recall all the wood was quite dark and all varnished. Deck, overhead .. everything. One can actually see over the swoopy high bow though.

Hey Eric does it look like me ?

 

[markpierce]

Wood belongs indoors.

 

[Pack Mule]

Wood belongs indoors.

Give it a break . Wood is everywhere indoors and out and it will never rust . Sorry but I have to defend it , wood is how I make my living .

 

[jjorgenson3]

Wood is the best ?

 

[MurrayM]

In the picture the boat next to it is the first Devlin Sockeye, very cool boat, has been for sale for years.

We could give that boat the life it deserves, but the price was (is?) mighty high.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Yea Murray I drooled all over myself walking by..
Yup $419,000 is a shocker. But considering how the boat is built ??? This is not a plastic boat.

 

[sean9c]

I think the price is about $400k, it needs paint and I'm sure some other things so you'd probably put another $100k in it. Probably less than 50% of what it cost new. I think the thing that's made it a hard sell is that it's a one stateroom boat.

We could give that boat the life it deserves, but the price was (is?) mighty high.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Sean9c,
Just a very few people would buy that boat. So few that it usually takes a long time to find one that’s a right buyer.

I remember when I had a Jaguar roadster. So many people said to let them know when I sold it. Well when the day came none could be found.

 

[healhustler]

I’d love to have the boat but other than 7’ I don’t know what I’d gain over my Willard. As I recall all the wood was quite dark and all varnished. Deck, overhead .. everything. One can actually see over the swoopy high bow though.

I know I don't have to drag you out on a limb on this one, Eric. The Lord Nelson is about as sumptuous a sub-40 as I have ever seen. This one was on the hard next to me while in Indiantown, FL yard for about 6 months. The owner was slowly but steadily restoring her. The lines, style, gross usage of wood everywhere made it one of those boats that one with unlimited funds would keep it in an equally sumptuous boat house somewhere.

 

[Pack Mule]

I know I don't have to drag you out on a limb on this one, Eric. The Lord Nelson is about as sumptuous a sub-40 as I have ever seen. This one was on the hard next to me while in Indiantown, FL yard for about 6 months. The owner was slowly but steadily restoring her. The lines, style, gross usage of wood everywhere made it one of those boats that one with unlimited funds would keep it in an equally sumptuous boat house somewhere.

Larry I think that one may be the only Lord Nelson with a Lehman.

 

[healhustler]

Larry I think that one may be the only Lord Nelson with a Lehman.

Don’t recall what the owner said it had for power, but these boats are something I could see both you and Eric happy at the helm, perhaps a cool misty day with a coffee in hand.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Probably w the 4cyl FL.
Yes Larry you’re so right.
But I’m actually very happy w my Willard.
I sure enjoyed spenting 15min aboard.
Still I haven’t seen or heard of a LN w and engine that I could have chosen myself.

 

[AusCan]

Wood belongs indoors.

Mark, If you don't want to bid on the Lord Nelson, this one may be more to your liking.

https://yachthub.com/list/boats-for...rse-coot-35-motor-yacht-online-auction/209983

 

[Pack Mule]

Don’t recall what the owner said it had for power, but these boats are something I could see both you and Eric happy at the helm, perhaps a cool misty day with a coffee in hand.

The hauling cost would put it out of my reach. It's another right boat in the wrong location. Besides that I still have William.
Eric there is one for sale with the Yanmar 4jh4-hte ,I think it's 110 hp . What about that engine?
The Lord Nelson Owners Association has a good website (LNVT), it list all the hulls with current owners, boats that are for sale and plenty of pictures .

 

[boathealer]

Read in several different places that they are VERY rolly.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Marty indeed,
The JH 55hp is a bullet proof engine. IMO
The two engines I wanted most for Willy was the 54hp Isuzu and the 55hp JH Yanmar.
Both clearly too much power. Another at the top of my list was a 47hp Mitsubishi. The Mitsu was a 2500rpm engine and at Klassen that’s the engine the guys there clearly wanted me to choose. Prolly wouda too but it had a low mounted starter. But in the end the 37hp Mitsu turned out to be perfect. There was a 33hp Mitsu also that was the same engine as the 37hp but w a shorter stroke. That would have been about the perfect amount of power. I just would have cruised 150 to 200rpm higher and had a top end .2 knots (or whatever) less. Since I never run over 500rpm down w the 37hp (6.15 knots). But I’m totally happy being a small bit overpowered.

So yes I’m quite sure the 55hp Yanmar would be excellent in the LN.

 

[Nomad Willy]

boathealer,
Well if you can’t stand the roll go buy a barge.
But seriously I’m sure you’re right. My Willard rolls plenty and the LN hull has all the marbles that indicate it will roll more.
Re this particular boat has all gloss varnished floors inside. Get them wet and I wouldn’t want to be aboard underway.

 

[Woodland Hills]

I am just picturing marbles rolling back and forth on a glossy varnished floor.........

 

[IronZebra]

There is a 2012 thread that is very disparaging of the LNVT. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s14/lord-nelson-victory-tugs-8289.html

I like the looks but the stuff in that thread would make an individual very wary of having one.

Some stuff from the 2012 thread:
"I would not consider to be coastal cruisers because as Eric says, they are shallow and rather round bottom and have a reputation for rolling."
"There seems to be a bit of a cult built up around these boats ...., this cult has arbitrarily inflated the price,"
"All I remember is the roll was very uncomfortable in very light wind and waves."
"I think the LNVT's are more of an enthusiast boat. Like a collector's item... There are better boats that will accomplish what you... (want(coastal and Bahamas cruiser"
"Truthfully I don't see how anybody could highly recommend them and I don't see any reason NOT to recommend them either."
"I guess "homely" looking is one way to describe them! I like the gunwale lines and the round stern, sheer bow look...to each his own!"
" I am concerned about the quality of construction and the reputation of rolling in a beam sea ... Don't want my wife puking all over my boat."
"They seem way overpriced to me , but if there is enough hype to keep the market for them going , a ZERO round trip might be possible."
"The fore deck is a little too steep for my comfort."
"But the Victory boats were obviously made to be cute (more than anything else)"
" I suspect the VT is very rolly though. May be the reason there are some always for sale."
"I seem to recall that there's some kind of dynamic issue w them like a handling problem, bad windage imbalance, weak rudder or??? Can't remember though."

Any new input 5 years latter??

 

[sunchaser]

IZ

Any FD vessel is rolly when at rest. Once moving stabiizers largely cure issues. Some FD vessel have 0 speed stabilizer systems. This helps a lot. As far as the LN being a coastal cruiser, yup and so are most of the vessels owned by TF members.

Cute - yup they are. It seems all the "Tugs" are cute which is why they sell, But to compare a poorly kept LN with a 30 year well kept newer vessel of any type is a bit unfair.

Hard to rat on a hot air balloon, so until a vessel of appears on your doorstep beat away.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Yes I didn’t like the steep foredeck either.
There could be a windage problem at times. The bow sticks way up and there’s not much below the WL. So at times or even anytime there’s wind the bow could be blown downwind unlike the stern. Like a canoe w one person at the stern. An Axe Bow could fix that but not an easy fix. And if I could wave a magic wand I’d cut the bow way down like at least 35 and maybe 40%. That would fix the steep foredeck issue too. Much simpler (and cheaper) would be a big bow thruster. I’d still like to have one if the engine & drive train ran smooth.

 

[sean9c]

Never a fan of the look. Too much of a caricature of a tug. Lots of clunky teak details.

 

[Nomad Willy]

sean,
I thought that too. Silly like blown up toy.
But it grew on me.

 

[SoWhat]

Read in several different places that they are VERY rolly.

Hull has a very round shape so I wouldn't be surprised. Still a nice looking boat. Wonder if it's a no reserve auction.