Caterpillar engine in Nordhavn 56MS

This is a wonderful web site. I've enjoyed reading many of the posts and this is very well managed.

My wife and I are new to the boating community. We are really impressed with the trawlers. They seemed to be well designed, rugged, nice appointments, and very well outfitted for the live-a-board lifestyle.

I was looking at the Nordhavn 56 mortorsailer and was really impressed. However I'm not familiar with the Lugger Marine engine.

I'm retired from driving over the road 18 wheelers and the Caterpillar diesel I know very well and prefer. The Cats would seem to be a good fit here.

I've contacted Nordhavn, multiple web sites providing information on this model, but so far all I get is a want for a sales call - but not answer to my question.

Does anyone have any experience with the Nordhavn 56 motorsailer with a Cat instead of the Lugger?

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

Welcome to the forum! Did you have a specific Cat engine in mind? Most full displacement trawlers use very little HP compared to an over the road 18 wheeler. Doubt normal cruise exceeds 80 HP (4GPH +/-). While I haven't looked at Cat's line up in a while, thought there focus was 300+ HP.

Ted

john-o said:

This is a wonderful web site. I've enjoyed reading many of the posts and this is very well managed.

My wife and I are new to the boating community. We are really impressed with the trawlers. They seemed to be well designed, rugged, nice appointments, and very well outfitted for the live-a-board lifestyle.

I was looking at the Nordhavn 56 mortorsailer and was really impressed. However I'm not familiar with the Lugger Marine engine.

I'm retired from driving over the road 18 wheelers and the Caterpillar diesel I know very well and prefer. The Cats would seem to be a good fit here.

I've contacted Nordhavn, multiple web sites providing information on this model, but so far all I get is a want for a sales call - but not answer to my question.

Does anyone have any experience with the Nordhavn 56 motorsailer with a Cat instead of the Lugger?

Click to expand...

Think farm instead of trucks and then you have a very comparable engine as the Lugger is a marinized Deere so based off a very reliable engine. CAT just isn't in the business of engines that small for boats.

BandB said:

Lugger is a marinized Deere so based off a very reliable engine. CAT just isn't in the business of engines that small for boats.

Click to expand...

Believe this one is an Isuzu block and that might be used by John Deere. The Lugger marinizations are probably the best in the business.

Donsan said:

Believe this one is an Isuzu block and that might be used by John Deere. The Lugger marinizations are probably the best in the business.

Click to expand...

Our luggers are all in the form of generators.

Why not simply ask Nordy?

Says here they have whatever breed you want

Welcome to Nordhavn.com - Power Thats Oceans Apart

I don't know for certain, but would be surprised if any of the 56MS we built with anything other than Lugger or Deere. In that size, both are the same deere 6068 block, with different marinization. I think the lugger is about the best you can get for a continuous duty marine engine.

You are seeing a problem where none exists.

The Luggers are first choice of many in that size boat.

Nordhaven claims quality , so must install a good engine.

The Cat engines made famous in the old road tractors are not the ones you would get in their marine offerings now. The 3406 or C15 is no longer offered due to emission rules (grrrr). It evolved into the C18 which is a good engine, but marketed to the 1000hp go fast sporty crowd.

I don't think I would pine for any Cat engine in the sub 500hp class. Unless they have some offering I don't know about.

I'd go Deere, Lugger or Cummins. Cat is not interested in the lower hp market.

Unless things have changed in the last two years I don't think you can get a new Lugger. When the latest round of emission standards came out Lugger decided that they could not meet them at an appropriate cost. So stopped making their marinized engines.

This all as per Lugger Bob. Again this was about two years ago so things may have changed.

I have CAT 3208 TA in my 1989 42 ft Grand Banks and they do great, I can go slow (which I prefer) or go fast 21kts if I need to.

Obx said:

I have CAT 3208 TA in my 1989 42 ft Grand Banks and they do great, I can go slow (which I prefer) or go fast 21kts if I need to.

Click to expand...

The lugger is 165 hp. The smallest marine engine CAT offers is a 340 hp commercial engine. Not exactly a slide in replacement.

Obx said:

I have CAT 3208 TA in my 1989 42 ft Grand Banks and they do great, I can go slow (which I prefer) or go fast 21kts if I need to.

Click to expand...

The Nordhavn is a displacement hull boat. Doubling the HP will likely only add a knot to the top speed.

Ted

menzies said:

Unless things have changed in the last two years I don't think you can get a new Lugger. When the latest round of emission standards came out Lugger decided that they could not meet them at an appropriate cost. So stopped making their marinized engines.

This all as per Lugger Bob. Again this was about two years ago so things may have changed.

Click to expand...

This what I heard from two marine mechanics - one that lives by me and the other in Falmouth. I was attending a boat show in the Cape and brought this subject up while talking with someone else about the Cat's and this mechanic who runs a dock-n-repair shop, mentioned the same thing that menzies mentioned.

My main concern is service locations, parts availability, and so forth. My Mrs. loves to travel and plan to enjoy this 56MS for some serious coastal and blue water. I have no experience or knowledge of the Lugger or the Deer.

Now here's my feelings on this and other subjects - I'm an American Made, type, and I do my very best to support my neighbors. I didn't want to go the Nordhavn 56MS route, but my Mrs. feel in love with it. She's put up me being away from home for almost a month and half at a time, and took care of raising our son and keeping the home fires burning. OK - a Nordhavn it has to be. (I guess).

If I could find a similar motor sailer - American Made - I'd be all over it. However, the boat shows here in the Northeast have been rather sparse on that subject.

I want to apologize for being so patchwork on my subjects here, my Mrs. and I new at this, so my approach is kind of confusing to many.

I'll continue to read this web site over and over again, and I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for. After all, now that I'm home, I'll hear.... make yourself useful.... from time to time, so useful it is. Funny thing about being retired from the lifestyle that we've both been use to for the last 30 years .... we're actually looking for something that'll have use both, no more that 40 feet apart for months at a time, in blue water and then some. This ought to interesting.

If you do some research on displacement hull recreational trawlers, you will find John Deere 4045 and 6068 engines are widely used and respected. Kadey Krogan and Nordhavn have been using them for a number of years. I have the 4045 in my trawler. The basic engine has been aroud for a number of years, used extensively in farming and smaller earth moving equipment. Parts and service are widely available because of this.

Ted

You do realize that Nordhavns are made in China, don't you?

An American built motor-sailer would be a Shannon.

This is just a question since I really don't know the answer. Did Nordhavn build a 65 MS with a Cat 3208 non turbo? That's about 220hp if I recall and would last forever in that service. The footprint would be larger though.

Northern Spy said:

You do realize that Nordhavns are made in China, don't you?

An American built motor-sailer would be a Shannon.

Click to expand...

He made it clear he knew that but didn't know of a comparable boat built in the US.

As to Deere and Lugger, you couldn't find a more reputable and dependable engine nor one more widely serviced or with greater parts availability.

Interesting faq's relative to tier 3 and 4 as they apply to Northern Lights generators.

https://www.northern-lights.com/uncategorized/tier3/

menzies said:

Unless things have changed in the last two years I don't think you can get a new Lugger. When the latest round of emission standards came out Lugger decided that they could not meet them at an appropriate cost. So stopped making their marinized engines.

This all as per Lugger Bob. Again this was about two years ago so things may have changed.

Click to expand...

Not disagreeing, but if you go to the Nordhavn web site, they still list the 56MS as an active product and the specs say it comes with a Lugger 1066T. Perhaps this is just old marketing information as I doubt if they have built one in awhile. But it is certainly an interesting boat with 17,000 lbs of ballast and steadying sails. Cardude would love it!

Go with what you know. This thread is an example that if you ask 10 boat owners what is the best engine, you will get 12 different answers.

Nordhavn is one of a few trawler manufacturers that give you a choice of engine brand. As a retired trucker that knows Cats, then that is the best engine for you. As a retired farmer, I love my John Deere.

You might find this blog interesting Nordhavn – MV Dirona
They have over 9000 hours on a JD.

BandB said:

He made it clear he knew that but didn't know of a comparable boat built in the US.

As to Deere and Lugger, you couldn't find a more reputable and dependable engine nor one more widely serviced or with greater parts availability.

Click to expand...

Misread. My bad.

No argument on Deere or Lugger.

BandB said:

The lugger is 165 hp. The smallest marine engine CAT offers is a 340 hp commercial engine. Not exactly a slide in replacement.

Click to expand...

Other companies can and do marinise smaller cats just like they do with Nissan, kubota, cummins, Isuzu etc etc

Luggers are not a lugger engine.

Rossland said:

You might find this blog interesting Nordhavn – MV Dirona
They have over 9000 hours on a JD.

Click to expand...

9000 hours is bugger all on a half decent diesel engine.

They are BUILT in China, but owned by PAE over in Dana Point. An American company. So profits come here.

I have twin Lugger turbo charged 174hps.

5K on them and plan on them being around for a looooooog time!

Simi 60 said:

Other companies can and do marinise smaller cats just like they do with Nissan, kubota, cummins, Isuzu etc etc

Luggers are not a lugger engine.

Click to expand...

No Luggers are John Deere, at least those I've had. However, CAT still doesn't have an engine in that size range from themselves or anyone else and we weren't talking Nissan, Kubota, Cummins, or Isuzu. The OP was specifically wanting CAT. You certainly could put a CAT but to what benefit. I think the real problem was the OP wasn't knowledgeable or comfortable with Lugger/Deere.

BandB said:

However, CAT still doesn't have an engine in that size range from themselves or anyone else .

Click to expand...

Yes they do
As low as 13hp approx


Cat | Industrial Diesel Engines - Highly Regulated | Caterpillar

Simi 60 said:

Yes they do
As low as 13hp approx


Cat | Industrial Diesel Engines - Highly Regulated | Caterpillar

Click to expand...

Many of those engines are not made by Cat, but rebranded from other mfr's.

Little ones for sure are something like Shibaura. Others, not sure. I think the C15 and above are made by Cat.