Ahoy - Aspiring to be a Nordic Tug owner

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Breezin

Breezin

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2018
Messages
13
Location
United States
Vessel Name
Tortuga
Vessel Make
Nordic Tug 37
Ahoy,
After a lifetime (up to now) of sailing, I am ready to "graduate" to a trawler. My wife and I have been roaming the Chesapeake Bay under sail for 15 years and while we enjoy sailing, we enjoy exploring even more. Due to the vagaries of weather, we find ourselves motoring more and more to visit destinations. It's not that we're in a hurry - six knots is just fine.

We have made lists (even spreadsheets) of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and don't-wants. We know how and where we would use a new (to us) boat. In reading various posts on this forum, I found valuable advice that's helped us organize our search and we've found a few boats that "check all the boxes."

We're going to take a second look at a used Nordic Tug 37 that's listed in our area. Does anyone know of any issues unique to Nordic Tugs I should be alerted to?
 
Welcome Aboard!

We were looking at Nordic Tugs as well during our search.

Not sure if you have come across Helmsman Trawlers, but take a look at their 38 model.
 
AdmiralS: We have looked at the Helmsman Trawlers and love the 38E, but the new ones are out of our price range and its predecessors, the Mariner 37, are hard to find.
 
Breezin said:
AdmiralS: We have looked at the Helmsman Trawlers and love the 38E, but the new ones are out of our price range and its predecessors, the Mariner 37, are hard to find.
Click to expand...
Indeed, while a number of 38's have been built they don't pop up too often.

There have been a number that have popped up over the last few months and they are usually sold within the week. Always keep an eye on the Helmsman website that lists them, as well as Waterline boats which usually handles the brokerage of them.

We ended up getting our 43 new as only a handful have been built and didn't expect to see a used one on the market for some time. There is a 43 available now, as the owners life circumstances have changed. It has an interesting interior....
 
Welcome aboard and good luck with your search which ever boat you choose.
 
Breezin said:
Ahoy,
After a lifetime (up to now) of sailing, I am ready to "graduate" to a trawler. My wife and I have been roaming the Chesapeake Bay under sail for 15 years and while we enjoy sailing, we enjoy exploring even more. Due to the vagaries of weather, we find ourselves motoring more and more to visit destinations. It's not that we're in a hurry - six knots is just fine.

We have made lists (even spreadsheets) of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and don't-wants. We know how and where we would use a new (to us) boat. In reading various posts on this forum, I found valuable advice that's helped us organize our search and we've found a few boats that "check all the boxes."

We're going to take a second look at a used Nordic Tug 37 that's listed in our area. Does anyone know of any issues unique to Nordic Tugs I should be alerted to?
Click to expand...
We bought a 2002 NT 37 in 2016. Very sound and capable cruiser. Three summers doing BC and SE Alaska so far, for about 13,000 nm. Couldn't be happier.
 
We had a 2000 Nordic Tug 32 for six years and just moved up to a 2008 37 three months ago.We've had great experiences with older Nordics but I'm not sure the same quality is found in the new boats. The factory has been less responsive in recent years but they are still building new boats. Join the owners' group in your area. https://nentoa.com
 
I think they are great boats. We looked at several NT 37's in September, and the reason we selected the AT 34 is that we were able to squeeze the AT into our slip.
 
Waterford said:
We had a 2000 Nordic Tug 32 for six years and just moved up to a 2008 37 three months ago.We've had great experiences with older Nordics but I'm not sure the same quality is found in the new boats. The factory has been less responsive in recent years but they are still building new boats. Join the owners' group in your area. https://nentoa.com
Click to expand...


If this is true I'm glad we just bought an old one, a really old one.
 
Hello Breezin,

We bought our 2009 NT 37 in 2015. It is hull #5 and we are the third owner. The boat surveyed well when we bought it.

For most of the first 3 years of our ownership the boat saw minimal usage. We moved aboard full time on 11/28/17 and began using the boat in the sounds of NC. This fall we traveled south to Jacksonville and the boat performed flawlessly.

I do not have any maintenance records from the original owner but have records from the second. Those records show no unusual maintenance items, just what I would consider normal upkeep. The same holds true since we purchased the boat.

The boat layout/size works well for us, sure it could be bigger but then so would the travel & upkeep costs.

PM me if you have any specific questions and I will be happy to try and answer them.

Gene
 
Welcome to the Forum!

We spent a good portion of 2016-2017 looking at Nordic Tugs and American Tugs. Both are built in our area and both are wonderful boats. We are happy campers with the move.

Cheers,
 
Congratulations. Nordics were my second choice. ;)
 
Contract signed

We have a purchase contract on a 2007 Nordic Tug 37.

I did a ton of online research, and attended a couple of trawlerfests, but I felt like we hadn't really looked at enough boats yet. When we found this one, I wasn't expecting our search to be over (although it did meet all my criteria). In fact, my wife had already dismissed it, having decided the salon was too small after looking at pictures online. (I've always liked hearing her say we need a bigger boat.)

Once aboard, she changed her opinion. On the drive home, she was bursting with excitement about it. We went back for a second look a week later, but I knew the decision was already made.
 
Congratulations! Best of luck!
 
I bought my 2003 42 Nordic in Feb 2018. No huge issues so far, and I am very happy with the boat.
 
Waterford said:
We had a 2000 Nordic Tug 32 for six years and just moved up to a 2008 37 three months ago.We've had great experiences with older Nordics but I'm not sure the same quality is found in the new boats. The factory has been less responsive in recent years but they are still building new boats. Join the owners' group in your area. https://nentoa.com
Click to expand...

The factory delivered a new NT44 yesterday and they have no other orders in the queue. They have not had a single order through their new "factory direct" business model they adopted about a year ago. I wonder if Ranger Tugs is eating their lunch from the lower-end market while American Tug eats from the top. So, give them a call and order a new boat today! Surprise your spouse!:D
 
Congratulations Breezin, good luck with her.
 
I have a NT 39 that I built in 2015. I love it. They're built like a tank, well engineered and aside for the sight line looking aft from the helm I wouldn't change a thing. I fixed that by adding back-up cameras. If you like the looks and I do you won't be sorry if you buy one. They are terrific boats
 
Nordic Tug 37 (37-193 built in January 2008)

Hello Breezin:

Got just the boat for you, very low hours and mint/perfect condition. Our Nordic Tug 37 (37-193) is for sale and is located not that far from the Chesapeake Bay in Mystic, Connecticut. Happy to provide information to talk about our boat, provide details and refer you to our broker close by in Essex, Connecticut. Direct e-mail is: cdr@cdrose22.com Please let me know if you would like to talk with us. We have owned the boat since new. Chris
 
hey Breezin, I have had the hots for a Nordic Tug ever since I saw the first 26 footer in the early 1980s. When I decided to make the switch from sail to power- from a vintage Tartan 27, wife and I looked at a number of trawlers, mostly Taiwan tubs of one kind or another. I didn't like the teak decks, prone to leaks and saturation, and exterior teak, added maintenance. I never mentioned Nordic Tugs because I thought she might choke at the price- several digits more than we had been considering. We found one here on Lake Erie, a 32, and she fell in love. I didn't mention my long time love for the boat at first but finally fessed up. We bought it in 2016 and have had it out in everything that Lake Erie can throw at us and we're thrilled with the boat over and over. Planning to loop it in 2020.
 
Jhiller and Jonboy, you should add an avatar picture of your boats. I love seeing other Nordics, so I can see what kind of up grades I can do to ours. ;)
 
Breezin, good luck with the purchase contract. Hope all goes well. We have owned 2 NTs, 1st a 1996 26', and now a 2011 34'. A little over 2,000 engine hours and no major issues on the 34. Let me know which hull# you buy, as I keep track of the Nordic Tug Fleet at "nordictugowners.com"
 
Congrats Breezin!
Welcome to the family of Nordic Tug owners. We bought our (new to us) 2002 NT 37 in 2016. We have done extensive travelling on her especially last summer. We too sailed for several years prior to "making the switch". If your Tug has a Cummins engine (great engine by the way) check out sbmar.com for a wealth of free info. Make sure that the aftercooler has been serviced "properly" recently, or include a contingency for potentially having to replace it! Full info on this is on the above website.

The only "issue" I can think of is these hull designs (Nordics are not alone in this) can be prone to "bow slap" when at anchor or when facing into the waves at dock making for what can be described as a "loud" forward cabin. Some owners have spent several thousand $ "fixing" the bow to eliminate the noise, others have adopted putting out "slap preventors", and others say it is no problem for them.

Great boats, and properly maintained, should give years of very good service.
Enjoy,
Tom
 
Nordic Tugs

Hello Breezin,
I sailed my whole life until my shoulders and hips said no more. Last year I bought a 2001 Nordic 32. Last summer was great. My wife never enjoyed the boat more. It has performed exceptional. When it was surveyed the surveyor did remark that the newer Nordics aren't built as well as the older ones. For what it's worth. Last fall I visited the American Tug factory. I was impressed with these former Nordic guys. They took us on Hull #1 of the new Wayfarer 365. Lot of boat for $365K new. Good Luck with your search.

Bruno
NTK 32
 
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