What do you think about this draft?

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That's a great, roomy boat with the best engine room in anything under 60 ft., but with a 2'10" draft and nothing for a keel, it's not the greatest in chop over 3 ft.. It is built like a tank and boasts great rolling stability, but tends to crab a lot in side winds. One of our Krogen 39 owners just bought an N-47 cuz of the live-aboard space, but has abandoned any ideas of going where the Krogen 39 did. The big advantage of the boat is that even in it's smaller N-37 version, with nearly a 16 ft. beam, it's really enormous inside. It has a walk-down boson's locker for storage amidships that must be 5 X 15 at least. The engine room is stand-up with a work bench and space to walk around the twin 56HP Yanmars (78HP Twins on the N-47, I think). I've heard some complaints about the engine room door needing some more sound insulation. Boat systems are well thought out with wire junctions, panels and fluid manifolds easily reached. I don't think the interior is very attractive, but the layout is good. The boat would probably survive most conditions you'd run across as long as you don't mind being uncomfortable when it gets rough. I've been aboard all of the Mirage Trawlers, but the N-series, with its lower profile and less windage, would be my choice out of the line. The GH series has the same engine room at half the height thanks to the more condo-like interior space. Don't forget that they are full displacement boats with trawler speeds. My two cents.
 
I have noticed that they seem to be quite active at anchor, with all that freeboard (windage) they move around (swing) quite a bit.
Just my 2 cents...
 
Personally I think they look like great boats for what they are, which is a fantasticly roomy liveaboard.

They are not a passagemaker. If you want to cross the atlantic they are not the boat to have.

Not wanting to start a war here but the simple fact is that they have way too much weight above the water line and way too little weight below the water line to have the stability for open ocean cruising where you cannot avoid bad weather. I'm not a naval architect and am no expert here but thats my understanding of traditional boat design.

If you want to coastal cruise, and watch your weather when making open ocean legs they seem to be a wonderful boat.

Remember that coastal cruising would allow you to cruise anywhere in the world along a coast line. Thats a big area.
 
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ARoss said:
If I had that kind of $$ and was looking for a passagemaker of the same size, I'd check this one out:

2003 Nordhavn 47 Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com
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The Nordhavn is a MUCH smaller boat inside, living accommodations wise. Ye olde "compromise" in action...

We have been in company with one of these in fairly nasty conditions, steep, closely spaced quartering 4-6 footers and from looking through the binoculars and talking to them on the radio, it seemed they were doing just fine. Can't say the same for the non-sails-up sail boats and non-stabilized "trawlers" that day. The GH did not have any form of additional stabilization, such as paravanes or hydraulics.

Personally, I don't see it as an ocean crosser either, but for doing the US coast, adjacent islands, Caribbean there is a lot to like about these boats, comfort and operating/maintenance ergonomics wise. Have to add that when we eagerly went on one at a boat show out of curiosity after admiring the above mentioned craft (and the draft!), my wife was disappointed in the fit and finish of the interior. Of course, she'd been living and cruising on a Hatteras for a few years.. ;o).

PS: OP: still trolling? Didn't you say you were buying a 55 foot European wired trawler that you were concerned if your cell phone charger would work in and didn't know how to title it for that matter? What's up with that?
 
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ksanders said:
Not wanting to start a war here but the simple fact is that they have way too much weight above the water line and way too little weight below the water line to have the stability for open ocean cruising where you cannot avoid bad weather. I'm not a naval architect and am no expert here but thats my understanding of traditional boat design.
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That was sorta the point I was getting at also. :blush:
 
ksanders said:
Personally I think they look like great boats for what they are, which is a fantasticly roomy liveaboard.

They are not a passagemaker. If you want to cross the atlantic they are not the boat to have.

Not wanting to start a war here but the simple fact is that they have way too much weight above the water line and way too little weight below the water line to have the stability for open ocean cruising where you cannot avoid bad weather. I'm not a naval architect and am no expert here but thats my understanding of traditional boat design.

If you want to coastal cruise, and watch your weather when making open ocean legs they seem to be a wonderful boat.

Remember that coastal cruising would allow you to cruise anywhere in the world along a coast line. Thats a big area.
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Yeah, I'm the furthest person here with any knowledge at all, but what your saying makes sense. That draft seemed very shallow compared to other boats I have seen that I know are good sea crossers.

It is a big coastline. Is it possible to get to Europe via coastline from the US through Canada, Greenland, Iceland and over to Norway or is that too rough of a sea for a coastal boat?
 
One of these sank a couple of years ago under modest conditions. I forget the details but they are definitely more suited to inland / river boating and absolutely inappropriate for serious conditions. Good house boats!! Check out my Selene 47 for sale at http://www.selene47aurigaforsale.blogspot.com/

Nearly as rugged as a Nordhavn 47 but more reasonable price and located near you in Massachusetts!!!
 
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They are nice boats...but they are designed for calm waters....inland and near coastal.

Our boat is 44' (hull)...with a full keel, twin diesels....but frankly I really don't think its built for crossing oceans...unless the seas are fairly calm....
 
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caltexflanc said:
The Nordhavn is a MUCH smaller boat inside, living accommodations wise. Ye olde "compromise" in action...

We have been in company with one of these in fairly nasty conditions, steep, closely spaced quartering 4-6 footers and from looking through the binoculars and talking to them on the radio, it seemed they were doing just fine. Can't say the same for the non-sails-up sail boats and non-stabilized "trawlers" that day. The GH did not have any form of additional stabilization, such as paravanes or hydraulics.

Personally, I don't see it as an ocean crosser either, but for doing the US coast, adjacent islands, Caribbean there is a lot to like about these boats, comfort and operating/maintenance ergonomics wise. Have to add that when we eagerly went on one at a boat show out of curiosity after admiring the above mentioned craft (and the draft!), my wife was disappointed in the fit and finish of the interior. Of course, she'd been living and cruising on a Hatteras for a few years.. ;o).

PS: OP: still trolling? Didn't you say you were buying a 55 foot European wired trawler that you were concerned if your cell phone charger would work in and didn't know how to title it for that matter? What's up with that?
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It's on my radar, but I still have time to change my mind. Exploring other options closer to home.
 
Chrisjs said:
One of these sank a couple of years ago under modest conditions. I forget the details but they are definitely more suited to inland / river boating and absolutely inappropriate for serious conditions. Good house boats!! Check out my Selene 47 for sale at Selene 47 "Auriga" for sale

Nearly as rugged as a Nordhavn 47 but more reasonable price and located near you in Massachusetts!!!
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Looks like a very nice boat Chris. Problem is, with 5 kids, I would need a bit more space.
 
If I was looking in that price range...and looking for a boat that was more attuned to sea crossings....I would look at one like this:

View Boat Photos - YachtWorld.com

:)
 
GalaxyGirl said:
Yeah, I'm the furthest person here with any knowledge at all, but what your saying makes sense. That draft seemed very shallow compared to other boats I have seen that I know are good sea crossers.

It is a big coastline. Is it possible to get to Europe via coastline from the US through Canada, Greenland, Iceland and over to Norway or is that too rough of a sea for a coastal boat?
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If your goal is to go from the US to europe get a passagemaker. The Greatharbors are not the boat for that.

If you were going to cruise the loop, or the bahamas, or along any coastline then pretty much any coastal cruiser is up for the job. Just choose one you like.

People tend to think that ocean crossing capabillity makes for a better boat. Thats true, if you want to cross oceans, but its not true if you want to coastal cruise.

Coastal cruising is about comfort. Choos a boat that is comfortable if coastal cruising is what you want to do.

Passagemaking is about seaworthyness. Crossing oceans, or being in places that you cannot duck into a protected place requires a boat that is built to take punishment.

A passagemaker can Coastal Cruise, but is generally smaller inside for a given length than a Coastal Cruiser. Then there is the draft issue.

A Coastal Cruiser cannot cross oceans, but is generally larger inside than a passagemaker. Generally they have less draft, making more places accessable.

I've watched your posts. In my opinion you need to bracket what you actually want, and what you actually need a boat to do. Then pick a boat that does those things.
 
Chrisjs said:
One of these sank a couple of years ago under modest conditions. I forget the details but they are definitely more suited to inland / river boating and absolutely inappropriate for serious conditions.
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Are you thinking of the one referenced here:

A lesson learned about shitty boats [Archive] - The WoodenBoat Forum

Not a GH, but, I've been on both GHs and the Benford Coasters and I have to agree with the gut feel that's been expressed here - I wouldn't want to be caught in any sort of weather on one of them.

But, yeah, enormous room inside these boats. They'd make great dock queen liveaboards.
 
Gents,

i have looked this over and have a few comments.

Up front I have been personal friends with Ken Fickett, builder of GH) and his wife Becky for just about 30 years. That said I have no financial interest in his company or any of the boats he has for sale. Ken has some specific ideas as to how something is to be done on a boat and there is no changing that. His ideas come from his youth being around boats and what he has seen work and fail. But he isn't just the old way is the best way. He does think in modern Technology terms as well. One of his great loves was experimental aircraft of which Mirage had a home built kit that never came to market due to circumstances better left by Ken to discuss. So he is capable of thinking outside the box. But not on weather you can have Propane on his boats or not. There is no discussion there period.

As far as some of the statements made here, one should take them with a grain of salt.

The statement "One of these sank a couple of years ago under modest conditions.". What does that mean? Was it rammed by a barge or did it run into a log the size of a 727, what happened?

My boat presently sits less than five miles from Hatteras' only plant for the last ten or so years and less than 1000 feet from the dock where until a few years ago every Hatteras between 70 and 85 feet was outfitted with electronics, sea trialed and delivered to the new owners and their Captains. It was also where warranty problems came back to be repaired. So I can assure you that Hat has had it's problems as well as GH on fit and finish. Lack of teak in Kens interior is his personal preference but I can tell you his sail boats in the 80's were built pretty much the same way without the extra teak all over the place.

If you really want to know how much weight is up high, don't guess, ask Ken. He is a member here and he lurks but doesn't want to get into these discussions if he doesn't have to. But I'm sure he won't avoid the question if someone that was interested in buying a boat had a real question about his product.

As far as sailing at anchor goes, well every Hunter sail boat does it, my 40 Legend not only sailed at anchor but had "fanny slap" as well right under the real center line Queen bed. Some hulls do it more then others. But if that is all you give up for the live aboard room the a GH offers then you may have to live with it.

Ksanders sums it up well. But the GH can do the islands and even more if you plan your trips as you should anyway.

I can tell you this, I was just aboard Spoonbill with my wife and our dog less than a month ago. This GH 47 weighs in at about 66k and you do not want to hit you head on any of the bulkheads. You will bleed, there is no flex anyplace.

My point here is that Ken is available if need be to talk about his boats, try calling Selene, Nordhavn or Hatteras for that matter. Talk to Ken and you will get his point of view for sure. But he will explain were it is coming from and why he isn't changing it then you can agree or not that is your choice.
 
GalaxyGirl said:
Great harbour GH47. Very shallow draft, the company says it's a world traveler. What do you guys think of ocean crossings with this draft?
Anyone out there own one of these?


http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...access=Public&listing_id=75886&url=&imc=pg-fs
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You would not get me one for cruising up and down the coast. Maybe the Atlantic coast, but not the Pacific coast. I went on one several years ago, make a great live a board, dock queen, for protected waters. They do not have the freeboard and being heavy a following sea tends to swamp them. I think that is what happened to the one that sank in 3 to 5 ft chop in protect water a couple of years ago.

With 5 children, I don’t understand why you as so bent, I mean it in a nice way, :flowers:on crossing an ocean? You should plan on going to a Trawler Fest and take a couple of the classes. Then you will have a better understanding of what you are looking for?. Also take a walk though some yards so you get an idea what boats looks like below the water line. A commercial yard would be better as not many pressure boats are what you are looking for. I make a point of driving through the Everett marina yard to look at the hull of the boats of interest. Not many plesure boats interst me. Have you thought/looked at motor sailors as they tend to accomodate a crew.

Keep looking, when you find it, we will let you know? :thumb:




 
Good post Vinny. I find it kind of amusing how people want to comment on the boat's seaworthiness based on looking at pictures, conventional wisdom and second or third hand hearsay. All I can tell ya is I traveled near one for an entire day in conditions that were giving all kinds of other boats including "trawlers" and sail boats fits. The GH was doing just dandy.

OT: Why many of those sail boats weren't sailing and instead floundering around almost to the point of foundering still makes me shake my head but that seems to be SOP as witnessed many times on open water.. the guys sailing to one degree or another were having a pretty fun if somewhat sporty trip that particular day.
 
Phil, I have done a fair amount of sea time on the entire lower 48 Pacific Coast and I don't see that the GH would be any more challenged than other coastal cruisers, given going out in average or slightly sub-average conditions. Apparently you haven't done much Atlantic Ocean time ? Or have you taken your boat out the Straits yet and hung a left or right for a few hundred miles?

Your comment about it not having enough freeboard leads me to think you have a different boat in mind than the one that is being discussed here. Why don't you give us some sort of link or more detail about the one that you think sunk? You aren't referring by chance to the Florida Bay Coaster vessel that sunk in the Chesapeake are you? That wasn't a GH.
 
caltexflanc said:
Good post Vinny. I find it kind of amusing how people want to comment on the boat's seaworthiness based on looking at pictures, conventional wisdom and second or third hand hearsay. All I can tell ya is I traveled near one for an entire day in conditions that were giving all kinds of other boats including "trawlers" and sail boats fits. The GH was doing just dandy.

OT: Why many of those sail boats weren't sailing and instead floundering around almost to the point of foundering still makes me shake my head but that seems to be SOP as witnessed many times on open water.. the guys sailing to one degree or another were having a pretty fun if somewhat sporty trip that particular day.
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So true on a sail boat if you have just 25% of the head sail out it works like a "Storm Jib" or 'Mule". But then again most folks with roller furling, of which I would not do without, don't know about either of the two sails I mentioned.

I did say this before but Kens son and daughter have taken the GH37 and most of the other GH boats to and from the Islands several times for Ken by them selves. I believe they were in their young 20's if that the first time his son did it. I don't think Ken, no, Becky would have allowed that to happen if the boats were not really somewhat seaworthy. Even the seaworthy one fail. Does the name Edmund Fitzgerald mean anything to anyone.

Like I said Ken has some convection's but he has them for his own reasons. We don't have to agree with them. But I can tell you he and I were both in the engine room of Spoonbill standing up at the same time and there was room for you and a few others as well. There is a work bench with a vise, a large sea chest where all of the through hulls come and go and many other items that make sense. One is the Bilge pumps, Shower Sump pumps are all of the same type including the one to pump out the holding tank. They are all diaphragm Gushers, all the same size so one repair kit covers four or five pumps on the boat. Not five different non rebuildable ones as my boat has.
 
caltexflanc said:
Your comment about it not having enough freeboard leads me to think you have a different boat in mind than the one that is being discussed here. QUOTE]

One of the biggest raps on the GH is they have really high free board that one needs to become accustomed to the look so to speak.
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caltexflanc said:
I find it kind of amusing how people want to comment on the boat's seaworthiness based on looking at pictures, conventional wisdom and second or third hand hearsay.
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Your defense of GH boats is noted and, I'm sure, much appreciated. The perception, however, is that they look top heavy! Whether they are or not is not the issue. The issue is the "perception."
 

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Read the architech's article. It's what's below the waterline that counts. Funny if some said this was a catamaran or trimaran, that "perception" might be different, let alone a conventional hulled, round bottom, stabilizers-required boat like this...

Welcome to Nordhavn.com - Power Thats Oceans Apart

That's not top heavy? Because they have to stick a few tons of lead 6 feet under to keep it upright?
 
In the interest of full disclosure I need to correct a statement I made earlier. The vessel that sank in the Chesapeake in 2008 was in fact a Florida Bay steel trawler similar in appearance to the GH trawlers.
 
Phil Fill said:
You would not get me one for cruising up and down the coast.
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I would have no problem cruising a Great Harbor on the pacific coast, or the open ocean portions of the Gulf of Alaska.

The trick that people don't seem to understand is you have to pick your weather days. You might choose more days to spend in port than say a Nordhavn or other rough water friendly boat, but that doesn't mean it cannot be done, and very comfortably at that.

Remember that coastal cruising isn't about being any weather capable. Its about short jaunts and enjoying your time in port
 
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Is it me or is there no wheel at the helm. I see nice seating and electronics but no way to steer.

Dave
 
You are talking about coastal cruising on "good" days not ocean crossing when time traveled almost guarantees that something smelly will hit the fan. IMO, even taking these vessels to the Bahamas assumes you cross in fair weather and are not anchored in a real blow or in a "rage" when wind can suddenly blow at 40+ kts with associated sea conditions.
 
Well the GH is sort of a House boat, sort of a boat, sort of a trawler, a good livaboard, a bit commercial looking ...... hard to even say what it is. But I don't think one needs to be an engineer or a NA to see or tell that the GH isn't a blue water boat.

There is a reason why boats look like boats. To be safe on or around waves or especially big waves boats need to assume shapes that are even more boat like than boats ......... Unless they are big .. Or real big. Size counts. How do the groceries get to Alaska? On barges. And they cross Queen Charlotte Strait and Dixon Entrance all winter long. Never seen one anchor because of bad weather but I do think I've heard of it happening. A Krogen 42 is a very small boat compared to a GH 47 but the Krogen is very much a blue water boat and the GH is not. But I don't see how 6' seas could give it any trouble just because of the GHs size.

In summary I would love to have one in the SW US and I'd feel quite comfortable on the Inside Passage to Alaska but I'd not care to run up and down the west coast from LA to Seattle. I like the boats, their engineering features and even kinda like the look but for blue water cruising or Passagemaking ....... No.
 
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