I think anyone considering a Nordhavn should read threads like yours. PAE did make mistakes with Cantoni but they won the suit and that tells you something about his case. He had built Nordhavn's before. One of the frequent references in his contract was "Like Westport." If I walked into Westport and said I wanted them to build like Nordhavn, they're throw me out and I mean that literally. The more Cantoni rants, the more I want to come to Nordhavn's side and ignore anything wrong they did.
Each builder has their way of working. I'd be totally a wreck by the delays you've encountered, but I absolutely know that is to be expected on a Nordhavn. I'd have to let someone else handle it for me. Nordhavn and Westport are both technically semi-custom as the hulls are standard models. However, in real spirit, Westport is a Production Yacht and Nordhavn more a custom Trawler. You select every piece of equipment on a Nordhavn. You move things around. You design along the way, not all in advance.
I offer these observations not as criticism of Nordhavn, but facts of a build. Incidentally, I know someone taking delivery of a Hatteras in December, 15 months late. I consider Hatteras a great company but dealing with their scheduling would really annoy me.
With Nordhavn you won't end up with a production boat. It will look like others but it will be very different inside. This boat will be your boat, your design, your preferences, your boat. Building another way you would be robbed of a lot of what you enjoy, your personal involvement in design, and your involvement in commissioning. You get real pleasure out of building. I build to get an end product. I'm getting a boat built right now but I have people there who work for me, rather than myself. We selected all arrangements and all interior details up front and that was our participation.
I'm reminded of N4061 building his Helmsman. Omg, if I was the builder, he would have driven me crazy with all his changes. However, it all made sense as he'd previously built Nordhavn's and was doing it similarly.
To everyone, know your builder and accept their methods of doing business, both strengths and weaknesses. They aren't going to change just for you. The vast majority of people who build Nordhavn's are very happy with them. They're pretty much an open book. They meet requirements like being a stable company and one with proven quantity. If they're late you shouldn't be surprised or angry. Just work to get them as soon as you can.
It reminds me a bit of people who get married and their spouse is exactly as they were when dating and they don't like it. You fell in love with them, married them for who they were, and divorce them for remaining who they are.
Know your builder and know yourself. I think you'll end up with an incredible boat and be very happy.
