Nordic Tug Flybridge stability

[Captain BW]

We recently looked at a Nordic 37 Tug flybridge and went through the offer process which has fallen through unfortunately. One of the things we noticed while looking at the boat was that it seemed to roll side to side fairly easily. After having done a lot of research on Nordics and finding them to be of high quality, we were never able to determine if the flybridge model roll is a common issue, and now that we are continuing our search I am interested in what this forum community has to say about the stability.

Hoping that some flybridge model owners can shed light on it.

Thank you!!

 

[DavidM]

I don’t think that there is anything unique or wrong with the NT’s stability on the flybridge. It has a semi displacement hull with no hull ballast, the same as lots of others.

David

 

[rslifkin]

How easily you can generate a small angle roll on a boat (in other words, how tender it feels) doesn't necessarily relate to its ultimate stability, although it may relate to comfort.

 

[Greg QS]

If your not used to a bridge boat , that may be the reason. More Hight = more roll. The higher you are the more you feel it.

 

[ancora]

Had a good buddy that had a 42' NT and never used the flybridge for that reason...too much roll.

 

[firehoser75]

I can't speak to the actual differences in real stability between the NT 37 models (Pilothouse vs Flybridge), but the higher up you are (away from the surface of the water), any roll will be more noticeable. I would also suspect that having a higher centre of gravity would also affect roll?

When boat shopping, we noticed several other brands/models of boats "rock" (some significantly) when boarding at the dock, but this did not happen with our Pilothouse NT 37. It was very stable in that regard.

However, like many semi-displacement hulls without active (or paravane) stabilization, the boat does tend to roll (more than is comfortable) in a beam sea, and less so in a following sea. Course and/or speed adjustments resolved that issue to very acceptable levels (and we did some "open ocean" (meaning unprotected to the open Pacific Ocean but still coastal in nature) passages in confidence and reasonable comfort.
The flybridge model would also present more windage, potentially making docking in winds more challenging. Personally, we did not want a flybridge model.
We loved our Nordic Tug, and highly recommend them for Coastal cruising, with the 37 (and newer) models being a great couples boat with occasional guests.
Good luck.

 

[catalinajack]

Get a stabilzed DeFever of any length and roll will be much, much less. An unstabilized DeFever will behave like that Nordic. Some boats roll more than others.

 

[Nomad Willy]

If your not used to a bridge boat , that may be the reason. More Hight = more roll. The higher you are the more you feel it.

And a wide hard chined boat will probably have this feature. FD and you’ve got more roll yet. …. but it’s slow and easy to live with.

 

[Mako]

Can’t beat the laws of nature either… mass.

Heavier will give a better motion. You can try to fight physics with gyro stabilization and flume tanks and floppers and of course huge infusions of cash, but you may wish to consider seriously massive vessels instead of a 22000lb boat.

 

[TJM]

I think the comfort level is affected the most. I remember our first beam sea with a starboard wind. OMG I thought we were gonna roll, I was so angry at the designers, lol.
Then I educated myself and understood the limits of the boat. We know avoid these conditions, maybe tacking a bit and drive from down below if unavoidable.
But yes, seeing furniture slide across the floor or cabinets opening with plates smashing is NOT fun. You get smarter and wiser.

 

[Mako]

I remember when we were running down hill in 25-30 footers, in a 50 ton cruiser, watching my cousin sleeping on the sofa in the saloon, sliding 12 feet from one side to the other. It was crazy and comical actually.

 

[Slo-Mocean]

About 20 years ago 6 of us took my buddies recently inherited from his dad 43 Gulfstar flybridge trawler down to the Tortugas from Fort Myers.

The weather kicked up a bit about halfway into the trip and we we're running down with solid sixes on the quarter , you want to talk about scary. That thing would roll rail to rail a few times with just 2 of us on the bridge .

Buddy kept it a few years more but after that trip he put 1500lbs of concrete down in the hollow area left in the keel that helped a bunch but it still rolled easily.

 

[Nepidae]

We have a 43 Albin sundeck trawler.

I have 6- L16 (~130#ea) in the bilge, right on the keel. We carry 500gal of fuel (~8#/gal) outboard of the engines and 300gal of water (~8#/gal) under the master berth in the stern.

We do all of our driving from the bridge (yes we have a lower helm) and I can sympathize with the roll. Have had a couple of wanker wakers roll us a bit but she always seems to come back.

As was said, you avoid the weather and worst-case, tack on the waves. A little longer run but will smooth out the trip.

It is the design of the semi-displacement hull. While we have a keel, a protrusion below the rounded hull, it isn't as much as some and depending on the sea-state most any boat will roll. While in the Navy on an aircraft carrier, about as big as they came back then, there were a couple of times that boat would roll, both in the Med and the Atlantic.

IF you like the Nordic Tug and it meets all of your requirements, needs and desires then you will learn when to move and how to move. It is part of the learning curve you will have with any boat.

IF the deal fell through, don't worry, the right boat will find you, just keep looking.

 

[eheffa]

We recently looked at a Nordic 37 Tug flybridge and went through the offer process which has fallen through unfortunately. One of the things we noticed while looking at the boat was that it seemed to roll side to side fairly easily. After having done a lot of research on Nordics and finding them to be of high quality, we were never able to determine if the flybridge model roll is a common issue, and now that we are continuing our search I am interested in what this forum community has to say about the stability.

Hoping that some flybridge model owners can shed light on it.

Thank you!!

My wife & I have a 2006 non-flybridge Nordic Tug 37. We are out all year long in a real mix of weather & sea states. We live in Victoria & travel up & down the West Coast of BC, Washington & Alaska

There are occasions on lovely calm summer weather when I think it would be great to be up top in a flybridge enjoying the sun & breezes; but there are many more times when we are in larger ocean swells or when the wind is blowing hard & I am very grateful for the lower center of gravity & lesser windage of our pilothouse model.

Apart from the occasional beam sea roll easily mitigated by a 10 degree course change, we feel that the boat is quite stable & not subject to excessive rolling.

We have noted much better stability of the boat with bringing the dinghy (a ~ 10 ft Achilles RIB with outboard) down from the boat deck to an aft mounted davit. I suspect that a flybridge, sitting even higher with potentially even more weight aloft, would contribute to a significantly increased height to the center of gravity and an increased tendency to roll.

Everything is a compromise, but in snotty sea conditions, I am grateful to not have the flybridge.

 

[Captain BW]

Thanks for all of the input. We are coming from a 42' Island Packet sailboat, which was very tender side to side unless you put up some sail. We cruised 7 years and had many rough passages so I am very familiar with the physics involved. We have purchased 5 boats in our lifetime so far and it is always a daunting task picking the next boat and I appreciate all of your help!

 

[eheffa]

Thanks for all of the input. We are coming from a 42' Island Packet sailboat, which was very tender side to side unless you put up some sail. We cruised 7 years and had many rough passages so I am very familiar with the physics involved. We have purchased 5 boats in our lifetime so far and it is always a daunting task picking the next boat and I appreciate all of your help!

I was thinking of your comments of a 'tender vessel' yesterday as I was removing and reinstalling some solar panels on the pilothouse roof. As I (a not small person) was stepping on and off the boat multiple times through the day, it was noteworthy that there was very little movement at all. It's always impressed me that when at anchor, my wife and I can move about the boat with virtually no resultant movement or roll to the boat.

Apart from a 90 degree beam sea, I would not consider the non-flybridge NT 37 to be 'tender' in any way.

 

[Captain BW]

I was thinking of your comments of a 'tender vessel' yesterday as I was removing and reinstalling some solar panels on the pilothouse roof. As I (a not small person) was stepping on and off the boat multiple times through the day, it was noteworthy that there was very little movement at all. It's always impressed me that when at anchor, my wife and I can move about the boat with virtually no resultant movement or roll to the boat.

Apart from a 90 degree beam sea, I would not consider the non-flybridge NT 37 to be 'tender' in any way.

Good to hear. Your reply made me think I should probably clarify my "tender" comment on the Island Packet as I was referring to side to side roll in beam seas, not just a general tenderness side to side.

 

[Mambo42]

Get a stabilzed DeFever of any length and roll will be much, much less. An unstabilized DeFever will behave like that Nordic. Some boats roll more than others.

I can attest to that. Our Defever 49 did roll quite a lot (both at sea and in the marina or at anchor), very uncomfortable, so we decided to get stabilizers and now she is lying steady in the water, also on anchor.

 

[rwidman]

If your not used to a bridge boat , that may be the reason. More Hight = more roll. The higher you are the more you feel it.

This is the correct answer. If you are in beam seas, you might want to use the lower helm. In normal conditions, the flybridge is fine and a great place to be to see the scenery or see to dock.