PNW boat search and Nordic Tugs

[Roger275]

Hello,

My wife and I are flying from Texas gulf coast to Seattle week of Aug 21 to find us a boat. It’s supposed to be 105 here today. We cruised between Tacoma and Desolation sound on a 280 Sundancer in 2014 and 2015 (we did Great Loop on it too) and are ready to get back. The plan is to buy a nice boat (2 heads and staterooms) keep it at a nice marina, and escape the heat at least 2-3 months each year.

My main question today is if anyone has a NT between Seattle and Anacortes we can visit. I think its the 44 we are considering but NT says they dont have anything available without a ferry ride. We are trying to avoid this since it takes half a day or more.

We are visiting Helmsman Trawlers, Ranger Tugs, American Tugs, Apolonian Yachts for new order options; and also a couple used boats. We’d love to include Nordic Tugs. One reason is they are quoting less than one year lead time.

If anyone has any useful advice about where to see an NT, or comments including first hand knowledge of any of these boats, we’d love to hear it. Shelter Bay marina in La Conner has a slip available so would also like to hear about this marina. Thank you.

Roger

 

[Peter B]

Welcome to TF. You should receive a lot of advice on here. As always, take some of it with a grain of salt - it may not all be gold - but most will be.

 

[jimdavi]

I’d also look at North Pacific. They may have a couple for sale up there.

 

[Roger275]

I’d also look at North Pacific. They may have a couple for sale up there.

Thanks. I just sent their sales department a message asking if they have any available to tour around Seattle.

 

[Hippocampus]

Would do what you must to see a NT. Initially was very concerned going from a high end , balls to wall, blue water sailboat. A semi custom with everything done to my spec. After looking we ended up with a NT and have been delighted with the quality of the workmanship. She has strong bones. To me it all the details you don’t see during a walk through or at a boat show that differentiates the decent boats from the really good ones. We looked at NPs, ATs and FD(NH and KK) in detail. We spent a decade as just about full time time live aboards actively cruising the semi custom so had a decent concept of what living on a boat means.
It’s the after purchase support from the builder and co-owners that’s also important. Like the NH crowd the NT owners and the builder have been most helpful.

 

[ktdtx]

I made many trips from Texas to Washington 7 or 8 years ago. Usually based myself in Anacortes and also attended the Seattle Boat Show in Jan/Feb. TrawlerFest was going on then and there were events where there were in the water boat shows.


Only advice--don't be in a hurry. We rented a car and looked at boats from the Seattle area to Port Orchard, Anacortes, Bellingham to Sydney and Nanaimo. Enjoy the process. It takes time to find the right boat.


If you are looking for a new boat I don't know of a way to avoid the
order/construction delay.