New, looking at Camano 31vs Nordic Tug 32

Brand new to forum; hello from Lynden WA near Bellingham.

Empty nesters; sold our 22' Glastron 10 years ago but want to eventually explore the inside passage with my Admiral. Eventually would love an expensive 37-40 ft boat but 100K is close to our limit right now.

Right now we are focusing on two different boats that are available: a Camano 31 (2007) and a Nordic Tug 32 (1988; repowered in 98). Both travel at the speeds we would like, both have the options we'd like except lack of bow thrusters on the Nordic. The Nordic is nearly twice the weight!

If anyone has thoughts on these two models we'd love to hear from you!

Looking forward to contributing and learning......

Personally, I prefer the Camano. The only thing is the vee berth is smaller. IMO, Nortic Tugs are very expensive for what you get. Unless it's your last dream boat, why spend all that money? I would rather have a 2007 vs. a 1988. Especially, repowered.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new Camano, by Helmsman. But, $400K? They moved the galley up and opened up the state room with a walk around queen, Great job. I actually looked at a Camano and thought about doing that reno to the older model. I thought about it for about 15 minutes.
They are both nice boats. Check out Mainships. Lots of boat for the money.
Good luck.
You asked for opinions, I have plenty of opinions. I'm sure others will chime in.

It is all about preferences.

In the PNW where you boat, you might find the pilothouse of the Nordic Tug more to your liking. The Camano isn't really set up for operating from the lower helm- mainly due to lack of a dedicated helm seat. Some have added one, but that detracts from room in the saloon. Probably 95+% of Camano owners run the boat from the fly bridge and if that is what you want to do, then go for the Camano.

Having said that, we chartered a Camano 31 in the San Juan Islands for a week some years ago. The weather was nice and I never missed not having a lower helm.

The Nordic may be heavier, but in that area, particularly up the inside passage in more open water the additional weight should contribute to a smoother ride.

It is all about what you want, isn't it.

David

djmarchand said:

It is all about preferences.

It is all about what you want, isn't it.

David

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You said it! My heart wants the Nordic but my mentors caution me about its age; besides that it sounds like banks may not finance such a vessel.

Haven't thought about running from the flybridge most of the time; thank you for your insights

Very different boats.
As you say the NT is much heavier.
If you wanted to run 10-12 knots much of the time the Camano is the boat.
But as a trawler at 7-8 knots the NT is far better.

Our first trawler was only 1/4 the weight of our next. Huge difference. Usta call “wake” when a 35-40’ boat went by. Now I hardly ever say anything. I change course a bit to keep from rolling but that’s it.
I like the NT for it’s wheelhouse and it’s great visability. But more importantly I like the NT 32 for it’s hull shape. It’s a true semi-displacement boat. Happy and efficient from 7.5 to 9.5 knots. Traveling slowly the water passes easily and very gracefully.
But I’m biased as the NT is my basic favroite trawler.

The real problem I see here is that you probably really don’t know what you want. Just because you have little experience. Go out on some boats if you can. Very soon you may want to get other boats “on the hook” and the differences will be more apparent. The more the better. The boat you lusted over last week may be a “no way” boat this week. When you get a list of boats more similar than these two you probably will be making progress.

As to age get a good survey. If the boat measures up walk in smiling with confidence. If not there’s lots of boats. And the search will be fun .. if you have time.

Love the Nordic Tug and it was a consideration for us, as well, when we were looking but they are, as you note, pricey.

The fly bridge on the Camano is fantastic in good weather - even in winter when appropriately dressed but NOT in a heavy or even moderate sea as the roll gets disconcerting. A Bimini is pretty much a must in hot sunny weather. We have had six persons up top - 4 adults and two teens ~ 1000lbs with no issues in good summer weather.

Helming from below is fine in cold or rough weather. We prefer to stand if it is truly rough as the visibility is better and in the PNW there is so much debris (logs and dead heads) that you need full attention.

It’s been a while since I researched Nordics but there is a great series of You tube infomercials on the Camano which might be of interest, if you have not seen them yet. They include build quality, hull design and handling in an entertaining format.

Economically, we cruise at 7 knots generally - unless we need more power for either comfort or we are in a hurry. So far our average fuel consumption over close to 200 hours since November is 2 US GPH in a variety of weather.

Admittedly biased, btw and, again, love the Nordic tug from everything I’ve seen.

Cheers,

Chris

I don't own either but confess a fondness for the NT. In the PNW I really like a boat that can be comfortably driven from inside. I have a fly-bridge but it doesn't get used very often.


Unfortunately, I also have to agree that the NTs are expensive. However, they are expensive because they have retained a high % of value on the used market. That is a good thing.

The NT may be cheaper, if you look at life cycle cost.

We Have 3 NT 32's in our marina. One '89 in excellent condition just purchased for the mid $80's. Very nice boats. Also 2 trolls here....Rather plain inside in comparison. Personally, I would not buy a bpat without a flybridge, but your needs and envoirnment likely figure into that decision..

We've talked with a broker to arrange to check out the Camano 31 this weekend. It checks off lots of boxes that we are looking forward for: roomy, a little more speed than say a NT32, efficient, and lots of home comforts. I did not mention that we'll probably be taking our "kids", 2 grown German Shepherds, who love to travel with us on many of our journeys.

A couple things the Admiral doesn't like regarding layout: there doesn't seem to be a convenient place for her should she simply want to sit near me (assuming I'm piloting). Also, we both should avoid sun and would be content to stay below most of the time, so I'm not sure how much we'd use the flybridge. And it sounds like most others use it a lot.

The Admiral is wanting to look at a 27' Ranger Tug, which is a bit of a divergence from the Camano and NT32. There's a partner's chair to use sitting near the pilot, and there is no flybridge....... but I fear we'll find it small, especially with the dogs. And, there are a lot of other unchecked boxes (AC, generator, TV, potentially larger bed and better galley to start with). Also wondering about relative depreciation with these boats

I am feeling like we need to take a breath, look at more options, and am feeling a little awkward meeting a broker in Seattle to look at a boat when we are still in information gathering mode.

More insights would be appreciated.

Thanks

Being as you are in Lynden, I would view a flybridge as a liability rather than an asset. When you mention that you should avoid the sun, that really reinforces it.

Definitely look for a boat that has a really good inside piloting helm that will allow both you and your wife to spend the time together.

Have you looked at the Eagle 32? Similar era to the Nordic Tug you cite, but closer to the Camano in price. Pilot house and fly bridge. Lots of upsides if you can make the layout work for you.

I second the Eagle.
I personally don’t like the engines found in them but the boat is wonderful.

I don't have much to add, just that I find it interesting that I settled on those 3 boats as my first 3 target boats as well....although in different order...I started with Ranger....Nordic...Camano. Good Luck !!

In case you find yourself on a similar path...you may find yourself looking at Mainship 31 Sedan Bridge ( no lower helm ), Bayliner 3388, and the Carver 326 Aft Cabin. The Carver is currently my favorite.

The second group is not as desireable, but leaves a considerably larger reserve fund for repairs, upgrades, unknowns; as they are about half the price of the first group.

We are meeting our broker to go look at a Camano 31 in Seattle. This will be the first boat we've actually looked at with any broker (buyer's or seller's). It appears to be a clean 2007 model, 2000 hrs on a D4, Good option list. Asking $124K. It has been in charter; not sure if that is a good thing or not. Not sure if it is appropriate to post yachtworld ad links here or not.

Anyone run into Blue Seas 31 boats?

OP: Yes, post the YW link. It's all good.

I think its hard to compare the NT 32 and the Camano 31.
The NT seems to be on a slightly higher pedestal as far as quality, comfort and build. However, I dont think it's a huge difference because the Camanos were well built also.

But IMHO I'm not a fan of the NT 32 from an aesthetic point of view. I think the Camano wins hands down in that category. Just my opinion! Not trying to start a war. Lol.

South of Heaven said:

OP: Yes, post the YW link. It's all good.

I think the Camano wins hands down in that category. Just my opinion! Not trying to start a war. Lol.

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South of Heaven I'd post the link but I don't want to jinx anything. Besides if anyone cared it wouldn't be hard to figure out which one it is.

My wife and I spent a couple hours looking over the boat. The only thing I found wrong was one loose screw on the fitting that receives the aft door when you clip it in the open position. Wasn't crazy about the hours but didn't kill the deal. Fully planned to look at several other boats today including a Cutwater but decided instead to submit an offer on the Camano. Wish us luck with the Surveys!

Thank you everyone; will keep you posted

Good luck on the offer being accepted and then a good survey!

Wow! That was fast. Good luck, she's a beauty.

Good Luck

I guess this may be the first time we can say - we hope you end up in the dog house.

I wish my wife and I could make up our minds that fast, but we are still looking for our looper boat.

I’ve owned and cruised both for several months at a time up the PNW
Both are good boats.
Currently own the Camano.
Have fun!

I’m a little late to this post but why should that stop me ��

I looked at the three boats you mentioned in my search starting with the Eagle then the Camano and finally the NT. To be honest I wanted the NT from the beginning but didn’t want to pay for it. I started looking at Eagles but couldn’t find a great one on the east coast. I was also Leary of teak decks, lots of exterior teak and 25-30 year old black iron fuel tanks. Not saying they aren’t great trawlers but too many potential problems/maintenance issues that I didn’t want to get into. Next was the Camano and I looked at a lot of them on the east coast between Florida and New England. Nice boats and I saw some great ones. More money than eagles but not totally unreasonable for what you were getting. I came close to making an offer on an exceptional one in New England but in the end couldn’t get past the lack of Pilot house doors. I single hand and like to anchor out. Access to the fore deck is essential to me so I passed on the Camano. A great boat that wouldn’t work for. That left NT and I found a great one. Now I’m happy but broke ��

Final thought; buy what works for you.
Mike Thorpe
NT#219
Brigadoon

The Nordic Tugs have great interiors, but no bridge and in the PNW I would look for a boat with a covered after deck. You just get so much more usable space and storage in all weather.

djones44 said:

The Nordic Tugs have great interiors, but no bridge and in the PNW I would look for a boat with a covered after deck. You just get so much more usable space and storage in all weather.

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I really like the NT designs, but one thing that AT did better was a covered aft cockpit. Very helpful in the PNW.

Good luck with the search and hope the Camano works out. If you wind up back in the market, here are our thoughts.

We had settled on a Camano and traveled the US to look at several, eventually making an offer that ultimately fell through. They are really great boats. The owners of the boat we put the offer on were looking to trade up to an NT 32/34 for the extra space for guests;h owever, they decided to wait and pulled the Camano off the market.

We had also seriously considered an NT, but at the time there were not any on the market in our price range, until a 2002 came up at a very reasonable price. The rest is history.

Having spent a lot of time looking at both, I think the quality is very much on par. The biggest difference for us is the space on the NT. As you mentioned, it is much heavier, due in large part to the size. It also has greater tankage. The Camano will be faster, but not by that much. We hit 15.5 knots on the sea trial in our NT, but we usually run closer to 8. The NT also has a Cummins, which I personally prefer over the Volvos that are in most of the Camanos. The dual pilot house doors are also a great advantage when docking.

We thought we wanted a flybridge to be outside (we were coming from a sailboat), but we don't miss it at all. With all the doors/windows/hatches open, there is plenty of air, and it is easy to close up in bad weather (no canvas).

The only thing that would give me pause on the other NT is that it would have teak doors. We love the look of teak, but burned out with maintenance on the sailboat and have decided that we much prefer teak on the inside. As for financing, many banks draw the line at 20 years old, but not all of them.

Again, best of luck. I don't think you can go wrong with either choice!

It's looking like we are back in the market. 5 days after our offer, we are $4k apart, with us doing the majority of budging. In the meantime, our broker arranged for us to view a 1988 NT32 which had just sold. Honestly we prefer the layout of the NT over the Camano, and now we are thinking maybe just keep looking for a NT 32 to come up, and pass on the Camano. Tough call; the Camano has a D4 225hp with electric controls; pretty sweet. I think we'd be happy with either boat, honestly. Thank you everyone for all of your insights. I'll keep you posted.

Mpstan: IMO it just depends which boat you like better because $4k isn't a huge amount. Especially if you consider the cost of the Camano survey and the cost of the next NT you find, now you're down to $3k or so.

I also think that the newer Volvo 225 is a HUGE selling point. It's awesome to have the newer power....With an older NT you more than likely won't find that.

But at the end of the day regardless of a newer motor or the $4k, it comes down to what layout you like better. Good luck! I don't blame you one bit for shopping around...... Caveat emptor.

Dogs consideration

Hi mpstan:

Just a thought related to your boat search. Looking at your specific requirement of having your two large dogs aboard, I would like to add something you may or may not have considered.

We have two 55-lb beautiful mutts, and although I am very embarrassed to publicly admit this, we are beginning to regret that we did not purchase a different vessel with wide protected side decks that are easily walkable and safe for the pooches. The Grand Banks boats come to mind, and there are several other brands with that style of wide side decks.

Our cockpit is very small, the foredeck is not accessible to our dogs, and we have to train them to utilize the astroturf on our tiny cockpit deck. If we had a bow area easily accessed by them, I think both would be happier up there doing their business. One is an older dog, so she needs to "go" about four to five times a day.

And incidentally, it is simply not an option to leave either of them behind when we are cruising. If you are similar to us, with an unbreakable bond with your dogs, you understand what I mean.

Side decks. Why didn't we think of that before we bought our boat?

I have attached an image of what I am talking about, below, from a Grand Banks 32, although I am with you in despising the teak. I have occasionally seen a used boat with non-skid instead of teak side decks on Yachtworld, so they are findable.

Pea
with hubby Dan and pooches Lucy & Birdie

Very interesting discussion guys. Found the input and opinions great.
I spent a lovely week on an older NT 26 (29' long? go figure) I got totally sold on the NT concept.
Can't see the point of a flybridge at true trawler speed and no desire to be in the sun or cold in a plastic bag. What am I missing that makes a flybridge desirable?
I loved sitting 'below' at anchor like in a sailboat with huge windows to look out.
I loved the access of double side doors on the pilot house. Totally lacking on Camero and many other boats. Running out the back or down from a flybridge ? How does that work to pick up mooring, dockline etc?
I had no problem with the pilot house visibility. i drive vans all the time so am used to having to know how wide/long my vehicle/boat is with out seeing. (not the same I know).
The NT 32/34 with a separate shower stall is attractive upgrade from the NT26.
Nobody mentioned the American trawlers. Not as good looking to my mind but no wood and better guest accommodations, big money too and newer.
The oversized engines bothers me, I have no desire to travel at the fuel burn required for over 8 knts , sailing yacht mentality, we got .41gal/hr on the NT26 , anything over 1/hr would Be my limit and the 220hp Cummings engines do that at 1500......
Cheers Warren.

I personally like the slanted pilot house windows and the looks of American tug, but the prices are a little to high for us.
We are still looking for a NT32/34