50 versus 57

[dominic]

I’m considering moving from my 50 foot sailboat to a trawler. Can experienced trawler boaters please help me out?

I like the lower sitting 50 and 57 Nordhavns. Both are also in size range I’m considering.

Can you please share your experiences with both? And I like the stand up engine room of the 57. What is the engine room like on a 50? How do they compare?

Also what prices are we looking at for both of these?

 

[twistedtree]

I’m considering moving from my 50 foot sailboat to a trawler. Can experienced trawler boaters please help me out?

I like the lower sitting 50 and 57 Nordhavns. Both are also in size range I’m considering.

Can you please share your experiences with both? And I like the stand up engine room of the 57. What is the engine room like on a 50? How do they compare?

Also what prices are we looking at for both of these?

Both have a great reputation, and are the fastest boats in the Nordhavn fleet. The only downside I think compared to other models is that they are a bit older, so a bit more dated. But no more than any other similar vintage boat. And I think the ER space has become progressively better with newer models. But if you can get around in the ER, that's what really matters. Retriever on this site has a 50 and I'm sure will chime in.

 

[mvweebles]

Nordhavn 57 is close to my favorite cruising boat for a couple, at least in in the price range. It's a fast boat and will easily do 220nm days. Engine Room is exceptional. Somewhere I have a picture of laundry drying in one. It's not a large boat - would avoid ones with dual side decks as the saloon is too narrow.

Guessing the N50 is a smaller version, but I have no experience. Few N50s built compared to N57s.

Peter

 

[Pete Meisinger]

As you have probably determined, a 50 foo trawler has close to twice the living space of a 50 foot sailboat.Especially if you consider the flybridge.

pete

 

[hollywood8118]

As I have mentioned here many times before, The N57 is a fantastic boat. Fast, fuel efficient, laid out well, great engine room, built like a tank, lower lines than the "tall nordhavn's. Still my favorite sub 60' offshore capable boat. Spent time aboard one from California to the Caribbean. If I ever step in a bigger pile of cash it will be on my short list of boats.
Hollywood

 

[CamoPirate]

I have thousands of miles on just about every model Nordhavn including the 50-57. the 57 being my Favorite Nordy ever, although i’d be hard pressed to choose between a 62 and 57.

Engine room wise, I personally perfer the 57 just because most systems components are easly accesable where as the 50 uses a shell liner that many hoses and other bits run behind. This give the 50 a much clearer and tidy appearance but I prefer the better access and will take the more “cluttered” look

That said, both are worthy of your consideration.

 

[Fletcher500]

Camo, I assume you are a delivery captain? Keep posting, we like to hear from people like you who are on various boats and constant adventures. Pictures as well.

There are some sharp Nordhavn owners on this site and MVWeebles used to deliver them in his younger days.

 

[CamoPirate]

No not captain, first mate working for 2 well know captains out of san deigo that do a lot of Nordhavn deliveries, I meet them during my quest to buy my own boat.

I retired young and as such had/have the time and funds to afford “working” for little pay. 4 years and 50,000nm later I have been on most Nordhavn models and have been all over the world. Currently on N76 delivery from Florida to Australia.

 

[Nordlund Xpress]

Nordhavn 50 versus 57 question

James Knight, owner of Yacht Tech in Florida, has some good videos and commentary especially on the 57, which appears to be his favorite. Personally, I've always liked the 57.

 

[Retriever]

I have a 50 and love the boat, but if money were no object (or my wife shared my desire for ocean crossing) I'd trade for a 57.

Some of the big advantages of the 57 compared to the 50:

-Much more fuel which allows for faster ocean crossing
-Stand up engine room with workbench
-Second genset (or room to put one)
-Better guest accommodations...a bunk room AND a queen VIP room.
-Galley with household appliances. Some later 50s have this too.

Both the 50 and 57 are fast (for Nordhavns) and efficient, but smaller inside than the newer generation boats.

 

[bkcorwin]

Sam whats the burn rate and speed you can generally coastal cruise at vs the same for maximizing range? Curious where the 50 sits as I feel like I see less published info about them.

I have a 50 and love the boat, but if money were no object (or my wife shared my desire for ocean crossing) I'd trade for a 57.

Some of the big advantages of the 57 compared to the 50:

-Much more fuel which allows for faster ocean crossing
-Stand up engine room with workbench
-Second genset (or room to put one)
-Better guest accommodations...a bunk room AND a queen VIP room.
-Galley with household appliances. Some later 50s have this too.

Both the 50 and 57 are fast (for Nordhavns) and efficient, but smaller inside than the newer generation boats.

 

[Retriever]

Sam whats the burn rate and speed you can generally coastal cruise at vs the same for maximizing range? Curious where the 50 sits as I feel like I see less published info about them.

I don't have any accurate fuel flow device, but plan based on 4gph/8 knots/1500rpm for coastal cruising. This was pretty accurate when in the PNW and conditions were calm.

When we headed south we went faster, partially because the boat is more comfortable on the ocean at higher speed and partially because my wife doesn't like spending extra time offshore. We typically ran 1700-1800rpm and averaged 8.6 or 8.7 knots, which I think was more like 5.5-6gph. We did Friday Harbor to San Diego on one tank in the mid 8 knot range and still had 400 gallons in reserve.

If I were crossing the Pacific, I'd start at 6.5-7 knots and speed up gradually as I got comfortable with range.