Thoughts..Suggestions?

[alansails]

Nordic tug 34 or American tug 34?
looking at both for the Great Lakes.
now currently sailers going to the dark side! W have taken trawler classes aboard a nordic tug.
Not doing the great loop, am 74 YOA and athletic as is wife who is 71
Many Thanks

 

[O C Diver]

I don't think there's enough of a difference in quality and performance that you should pick one over the other. I would spend more time focusing on the interior, storage, and creature comforts.

Lay on the bed. Check closet and drawer storage. Compare galleys and associated storage. Compare helms and access to the exterior for handling lines. Compare dinghy storage. Compare ground tackle access. Compare the head and shower space. Compare water storage and holding tank capacity.

While you can compare engines and electronics, boats of that age may have switched electronics making it a more individual comparison. As boats get older, how previous owners used and maintained the drive trains may be more important than the manufacturer.

This probably wasn't what you wanted to know, but may be more important to cruising on the boat.

Ted

 

[delirious duo]

which one has lower engine hours? one of the two boats has to have been taken care of better I would pick that one. IMO they look the same boat lol over priced. The prototype of the Nordic’s was a cool boat saw it once the “Chloe” cool boat. Welcome to the dark side the winning team!

 

[alansails]

We appreciate all help! VERY familiar with sailboats-30 years- went to Bay Breeze trawler school and they have Nordic Tugs and American Tugs. Love the design and stability along with being well built. Hunting now on the Great Lakes for a freshwater water boat in the 34 ' range. They also hold resale.
We did AGLCA trawler fest in FLA and went aboard trawlers. Have friends that have a Cherubini and like that, also an Ocean Alexander.
Still circle back to mid 2000s layout of American Tug,
Another question , Do most owners hold tugs fora few years than sell?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Hippocampus]

Not a broker so don’t know. Do know from talking with fellow Nordic Tug owners NTs are usually not first boats. NTs are usually held until owners leave boating altogether in my small possibly unrepresentative sampling. I looked at ATs and NTs. Both are great boats. I preferred the NTs thinking it’s modestly less beam so modestly more efficient and possibly more seaworthy. This is an opinion and would have been happy with either.

 

[alansails]

Thanks

I will keep all in the loop, I appreciate your advice as to either would have been great depending on the boat. Iam waiting for one we like and matches our criteria to come up for sale. Not afraid to put sweat or $ equity in it. Just want it to be a good boat, at my age do not need a fixer upper.
we would like to put it on Grand Traverse bay for a year. Than back to lake erie and beyond?
we will see , its all an adventure!

 

[CharlieO.]

I will keep all in the loop, I appreciate your advice as to either would have been great depending on the boat. Iam waiting for one we like and matches our criteria to come up for sale. Not afraid to put sweat or $ equity in it. Just want it to be a good boat, at my age do not need a fixer upper.
we would like to put it on Grand Traverse bay for a year. Than back to lake erie and beyond?
we will see , its all an adventure!

There is Nordic Tug at our marina on Lake Champlain, the size you are looking for.

 

[Moonfish]

Pick the one with the best color.

Seriously, I'll echo what many have already said, you should be just fine with either brand. Depends more on present condition and equipment (and past maintenance habits) than anything else. I know owners of both and they are all generally very happy with their boats.

 

[sunchaser]

Double check AT 34 vs NT 34 weights and measures. I’m not sure boats are equal in this regard.

 

[DDW]

The NT34 is a smaller boat than the AT34. Narrower, shorter, lighter. The NT34 used to be called a 32, the AT34 is now called a 36. The AT34 is a little closer to the NT37 (now called a 39), although again, the NT37 is bigger than the AT34. They don't really match in sizes. I own an AT34, looked at NT34 before that, if I switch it might be to an NT37. I've talked to many owners of all of these boats, including some that have switched. Differences in economy aren't huge, with the nod going slightly to the NT as they are narrower.

One thing that annoyed me on the NT34 is the hatch over the rear saloon door, required because of the steps up to the cockpit. You have to open the hatch to open the door, and I go in and out that door all the time. On the AT34 and NT37, it's just a door.

 

[Nick F]

Humble suggestion: choose a thread title that is more specific !!

 

[Durant F]

DDW, I go in/out my NT 32/34 aft door without opening the top hatch. Gotta “mind your head” but not lift the hatch.

 

[Comodave]

Humble suggestion: choose a thread title that is more specific !!

Agree. The title is what will draw people in to read the thread. But, having said that, the OP is new here so give him time and he will certainly learn. Glad to have new people here though since that is what keeps the forum alive.

 

[Mark A Smith]

We went from an NT32 to an AT 34. I preferred the larger engine room, my wife loves the bigger bathroom. I also got tired of banging my head when going from the cockpit to the saloon. The AT is more difficult to get off and on the boat unless the dinghy is stored on the upper deck.

 

[delirious duo]

Here’s a similar boat less price tag similar layout I would rather have the sable IMO

https://www.boatdealers.ca/boats-for-sale/bracebridge-on/power/keen-sable-boats/model-31-sable

 

[Nepidae]

Nordic or American tug recommendations

First, never owned either so I can't offer any real input.

I'd suggest as others, to go walk both and see which 'feels' right.

Second, a trawler type boat is NOT the boat you want for the GLakes.

Our experiences on Lake WashingMachine (Michigan) during our Loop was a lesson that taught that at least on that Lake the best boat is either a go fast planning hull or a sailing hull.

IF you plan on staying on the Lakes, then you need to, in my opinion, pick a different boat. We had such bad experiences coming down WashingMachine that I wouldn't take our boat back on that lake for anything.

Good luck.

 

[PierreR]

IF you plan on staying on the Lakes, then you need to, in my opinion, pick a different boat. We had such bad experiences coming down WashingMachine that I wouldn't take our boat back on that lake for anything.

Good luck.

You get such a different perspective when you grow up on Lake Michigan. For the first 35 years of my life, Lake Michigan was what I considered normal everyday boating. I had probably 30k miles of boating experience before I boated anywhere else. Plenty of time on full displacement fish tugs. I have never owned a planning hull larger than 18'.
Lake Erie is worse than Lake Michigan. I attribute that characteristic to the complete lack of knowledge of what a slow pass "even is" around here.

When it gets sloppy here, you can find a much better ride near theoretical hull speed or/and changing the heading direction slightly when off wind. Dead on the nose is a better ride slowing down.

I was around 45+ when I first took a week trip on the Western Erie Canal. I thought I had died and gone to heaven but the Great Lakes are still normal boating to me. When I was younger, I seldom held for weather.

All that said, like everywhere else, planning hulls are the norm in your back yard. Here in Sandusky, there are 154 boats in the heated storage building that I am in. There are zero sailboats, about a 12-15 semi displacement hulls, tow power cats and one full displacement mono-hull with stabilizers. I would say that is pretty typical of any power boat marina everywhere.

 

[keith c]

Or you could buy 2 2004-2008 Mainshp 34s . Use one for parts, have a larger salon and flybridge and spend less money.