Choosing between two Nordic Tugs

[kbrendon]

Hi everyone, this is my first post.

I’m looking for some advice on two specific Nordic Tug 32s for PNW weekend use.

The Candidates:
Option A: 2004 NT32
• Engine Hours: 6,200
• History: Private ownership, very strong maintenance logs.
• Condition: Mostly original interior and electronics. Recent 2024 survey was very clean (hull and engine).
• My take: Its a newer hull year but higher engine hours. It has no transom door for entry which is a big problem for my wife and dog. It has no autopilot but supposedly only needs electronics for this. It is well maintained but nothing major has been updated over 22 years.
This Boat is in the water and the bilge was bone dry.

Option B: 1999 NT32
• Hours: 4,200
• History: Former charter boat (well-maintained).
• Recent Upgrades (2018–2025): New Transmission (2022), Turbo (2022), Injectors (2023), SMX CCV pre-filter, Windlass, Tecma Head (2025), and new Amtico flooring/upholstery. New bottom paint
• My take: It has been well maintained inside and out. A lot of items have been updated over the years. Unlike the 2004 NT 32 it has a transom door for entry. I have not received the maintenance logs yet but I am sure they will be thorough. The hull is 5 years older.
• Coming from a sailing background I have been negative on charter boats but the NT interiors are very rugged and we found no damage here. They spent a lot of money to make sure it was a well functioning charter boat. However, if we sell in 3 years it will be a 30 year old boat. Will this be a problem compared to a 25 year old boat?
This boat was on the hard and there was rain water in the bilge so there is a leak somewhere.

Both of these are similarly priced. There are not a lot of options for this class of trawlers currently. There are a lot of Ranger Tugs available but they don't seem to hold up as well.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

 

[SteveK]

Based on your description alone I lean to 1999. Perhaps if I saw both listings with more detail I could change mind. Both sound good.

 

[READY]

I owned an NT32 and they are great boats. I dont think there is a clear winner here. I would likely pick the 1999 with the transom door, lower hours and upgrades. For seakeeping I think the NTs are superior to the RTs. I also prefer the NT layout with pilothouse and port/stb doors.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. That old boats a 5 year difference wouldn’t make a lot of price difference, but what would is condition. Pick the one in better condition.

 

[RedRascal]

If you really need the transom door I believe one could be added to the 2004 boat. However that could easily end up being a $5k door. So aside from that I'd pick the one with the bigger ticket upgrades done like electronics and major service items on the engines and running gear. Stuff like turbos, after coolers, heat exchangers, the prop and shaft, transmission, motor mounts, alternators, water pumps, etc. Some of those items may only cost $500 but when you string a few of them together with labor you can start writing some healthy checks. If the goal is to do an extended cruise this summer then the boat that is "more ready to go" may be a factor. If you plan for some weekends and a 10 day vacation then you can probably manage with less. There are no guarantees in life for how many summers we have left to boat so if you want to do a bucket list cruise this summer I'd focus on the boat that could make that happen. In terms of cosmetic condition some of that can be turned around with a good cleaning or maybe new upholstery, carpet or canvas. Insurance is ever changing so it's hard to know about your 30 year old boat question. My boat is an 1983 and I have 3 mainstream insurance options which in my book is a bit skinny.

Before going Ranger I'd evaluate something like a well sorted Bayliner 32, Taiwanese trawler or Grand Banks 32 to see if what they have to offer would align with your needs. They are all older boats but sometimes you can find one in top condition. If newer is important then a Ranger can definitely fit that need and there are many on the market.

Good luck on your search!

 

[Frosty]

On the Nordic Tugs 32, the transom door isn't a fancy/thick swinging door like is typical. It's basically just a rectangular cutout in the transom with a molded "cap" over the cut and then a (Starboard plastic?) drop board that slides into a simple (also looks like Starboard plastic) track.

Possibly NT has the mold or piece that covers the cutout, but even if they don't it's not the most complicated thing. I'm not saying you could do it in an afternoon, but it's not nearly as involved as a "real" transom door. So if the boat without one is the better boat in general.... consider adding one?

On the slightly older 32's it looks like they just cut the regular stern rail and added eyes for a wire rope "gate." (The newer ones look to have a rail that curves down at the break).

Here is what I mean:

 

[mvweebles]

@Frosty - thanks for digging up pics of a NT transom gate. Very helpful.

I'm the rare bird who has actually had a hull gate added (transom door). Even though my hull is much thicker than a NT, I don't think adding one is trivial on the NT. It would mean the boat is laid up for several weeks. If the hinges are not available from NT, they'd be pretty dang expensive because they'd likely need to be fabricated - I wouldn't be surprised if the hinges alone would be $1k of more. Then there is the SS railing (if present it desired) which wouldn't be cheap - another $1k? And then there's paint/match etc. in the US)CAN, I'd budget at least $10k by the time. Maybe be pleasantly surprised but I doubt it.

I'd definitely chose the one with the transom door. Charter sailboats are apples/oranges because they are typically churned hard in the Caribbean where parts are sometimes difficult to source and constant short turnaround necessitates bare bones maintenance. Plus the boats are designed for charter work from the drafting board through production. Powerboat charters are more mom & pop operations - where owner uses their boat more and charter time is less. Might help to put your mind at ease if you can find out the charter history - company and duration in charter.

Peter

 

[twistedtree]

It's interesting to read the responses. I would actually lean towards the newer boat, with plans to add some sort of transom door. It sounds like without it, the boat isn't a realistic candidate.

The reason I would be leery of the 1999 is the water in the bilge. Unless the source can be located pre-purchase, I would be concerned that it would become a problem that leads to a lot of other problems. Leaking water means rot, mold, staining, and other damage. much of which can be hidden. This could easily become a more expensive, and much less predictable project than adding a transom door.

 

[mvweebles]

It's interesting to read the responses. I would actually lean towards the newer boat, with plans to add some sort of transom door. It sounds like without it, the boat isn't a realistic candidate.

The reason I would be leery of the 1999 is the water in the bilge. Unless the source can be located pre-purchase, I would be concerned that it would become a problem that leads to a lot of other problems. Leaking water means rot, mold, staining, and other damage. much of which can be hidden. This could easily become a more expensive, and much less predictable project than adding a transom door.

Interesting. And a good point about finding the leak. Worst case scenario is probably leak is around deck fills above diesel tanks. So having the leak determined is excellent advice. But I'd still lean towards the one with the hull gate, but TT gives good warning to not be cavalier about the leak.

Unfortunately, small leaks are harder to find than big leaks. I've had two freshwater leaks over the years. Both were very difficult to find but were easy fixes once located. One was a crack in the fiberglass channel of a freeing port that was a long distance from the bilge. That took a couple years of head scratching and trial & error to find/fix.

The second was related to the Butcher of Ensenada work I had done. The shore power inlet outlet on the side of Weebles was not caulked. It too was not obvious and took quite a bit of trial and error to remedy. Allowed a remarkable of water to enter.

@Comodave has given the best guidance for location a leak - put paper towels down in several erstwhile dry places and firehouse the boat. The wet spots are noticeable - especially if you use the blue commercial paper towels.

Peter

 

[Moonfish]

@Comodave has given the best guidance for location a leak - put paper towels down in several erstwhile dry places and firehouse the boat. The wet spots are noticeable - especially if you use the blue commercial paper towels.

Peter

Yes! The blue paper shop towels do this remarkably well.

 

[tiltrider1]

If you plan to sell after 5 years but before 10 years then buy the 2004. It is very difficult to get bank financing on boats over 30 years of age. Once your boat crosses 30 years of age there is a drop in availability customers.

 

[SteveK]

This boat was on the hard and there was rain water in the bilge so there is a leak somewhere.
Do find source of leak. On mine, rainwater enters from the deck hatches when the drains get plugged with flying debris. One day I plan to change the corrugated drain hoses.

 

[Unclebenny]

Purely based off description, I'd lean towards the 1999 - yes it's got a leak but you'll probably be able to find it when you're on it and it's pissing rain. Not sure about the US market, but the difference between a 25 and a 30 year boat that you're selling is minimal over here, people tend to look more at a full history and what has and hasn't been replaced or redone and the 1999 has more recent replacements.

Also the 2004 has the disadvantage that if you want new instruments you're probably looking at replacing the whole suite, which isn't going to be cheap for you, or if you get it, whoever the potential buyer is in 3 years.

I mean they both have their advantages and disadvantages, but tl:dr; go for the 1999.

 

[Unclebenny]

@Comodave has given the best guidance for location a leak - put paper towels down in several erstwhile dry places and firehouse the boat. The wet spots are noticeable - especially if you use the blue commercial paper towels

This, and you can also put some talcum powder down, it'll end up showing very clearly how the water runs where it does and that may give you additional clues where to look for the leak. I generally start with powder, and when I think "it must be around here somewhere" I do the paper towel thing to verify.

 

[Frosty]

@Frosty - thanks for digging up pics of a NT transom gate. Very helpful.

Even though my hull is much thicker than a NT, I don't think adding one is trivial on the NT. It would mean the boat is laid up for several weeks. If the hinges are not available from NT, they'd be pretty dang expensive because they'd likely need to be fabricated -

Just to be clear, there are no hinges on the NT32 transom door (at least in the era the OP is speaking of).

The transom is sliced away, a fairly basic cap is stuck on, and then a plastic drop board slides into tracks.

Again, not saying you are going to do it in fifteen minutes, but it's nothing like a "real" transom door.

Source: I checked into it when I was NT shopping (back in the innocent pre-Covid days of boat shopping).

******
On either boat, check carefully into the condition of the saloon roof core just aft of the pilothouse seam.

 

[mvweebles]

Just to be clear, there are no hinges on the NT32 transom door (at least in the era the OP is speaking of).

The transom is sliced away, a fairly basic cap is stuck on, and then a plastic drop board slides into tracks.

Again, not saying you are going to do it in fifteen minutes, but it's nothing like a "real" transom door.

Source: I checked into it when I was NT shopping (back in the innocent pre-Covid days of boat shopping).

******
On either boat, check carefully into the condition of the saloon roof core just aft of the pilothouse seam.

I didn't know that. That would indeed be an easy fix. Thanks

Peter

 

[jrd22]

I'm not an expert on the NT 32, bought ours last August but have spent a lot of time upgrading things and repairing others.
Tough choice between the two from what you've said. Addition of a transom door shouldn't be a huge project but like all boat projects it will probably end up more expensive and take longer than expected. In ours there are no wires or hoses that would normally go through that area of the transom so shouldn't be any major surprises.
Our boat (2003) has 3200 hrs on the Cummins and it runs great, uses no oil, etc. The previous two owners kept detailed logs and they both ran it at 1400 rpm, rarely higher. That is what we do too, and on our maiden voyage from Juneau to San Juan Islands (900+ NM) it used no oil and no problems. The reason I bring this up is that ours still has the original turbo, injectors, transmission, etc. I'd be concerned with the '99 being an ex-charter that the engine was run hard and that is why those components didn't last long (run it like a rental). The other upgrades to the '99 are definitely a plus and would save a lot of money/time (electronics alone $10-16K?).
I'd lean towards the '99 just because of the transom door and the upgrades, but would have the engine thoroughly inspected by a well know Cummins guru (leak down/compression, oil pressure when hot, etc).
One other thing- check the joint between the pilothouse and house for the leak, and the hose that connects the two water tanks that runs around the front of the engine (ours had a pinhole leak at a wire tie).

 

[heysteve]

Are the engines the same in both?

 

[twistedtree]

Re the water leak, finding and fixing the leak is Part A of the problem. Part B, and my bigger concern is that as a charter boat without consistent eyes on it noticing patterns over time, it may have been leaking for a long time, and potentially have hidden core and other damage as a result. I think that would make adding a transom door look easy.

 

[kbrendon]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies

The engines are both Cummins but 2004 is 270hp vs 220hp in 1999.

The transom door is just a drop board. Considering how expensive this area is if a quote for creating an entryway was only 10k I would be shocked that its so low. Our club had to repair a decent sized dent in the bow of a beneteau that hit the dock and it cost nearly 10k.

I would guess that all of the upgrades done to the 1999 NT would be in the 30-40k range. Maybe higher. Another NT on the market that had deferred maintenance is getting some new items like a turbo and the repair bill will be 10-20k. That's all the mechanic would tell me.

We are going to look at the 1999 NT for the second time this weekend and will pay attention to any cracks around the pilothouse. If we move forward we will definitely get a full engine and hull survey done, though no guarantees they will find every issue.

Thanks!

 

[Frosty]

Another thing that might matter to you, is that I believe by 2004 (unless maybe they did a custom build for someone) they had made the pilothouse/berth/saloon change.

Essentially, the 1999 will have a slightly smaller forecabin with a non-walk-around berth (either V or Pullman), assymetrical split pilothouse seating, and a larger (longer) saloon.

By 2004 they have essentially moved the pilothouse aft a couple feet, making the forecabin longer so there could be a walkaround berth, and the saloon is shorter to make up for it since it's still in the same hull length.

Personally, I don't like being stuffed under the bow on a walkaround berth, and I prefer a longer saloon. I also prefer the longer pilot bench you get with the assymetrical design (note, older boats with the opposite layout (galley forward) had only one pilothouse bench and it was full bed length).

So I would always go for the older design (not saying I would buy this particular 1999, as I don't like the idea of buying a charter boat; but then you can look at it and I can't). But apparently I'm in the minority as the new design was obviously popular. In any case, if this matters to you there is a difference.

By 2004 I would guess they all have the hull extension type swim platform. I would think a 1999 would have a typical bracket-mounted swim platform.

Side note: Given that you are in Washington, it's always possible that either boat has been back to NT for some customizations.

On either boat, check the pilothouse/saloon roof seam (and adjacent saloon roof core) carefully! I know, I said that before. I'll probably say it again if I make another post

 

[SIBERNUT]

Look at Marketplace for " boat part out". Might find one w a door & part of transom for CHEAP, cut out what will fit your shape hinges & all.

 

[WillieC2]

This, and you can also put some talcum powder down, it'll end up showing very clearly how the water runs where it does and that may give you additional clues where to look for the leak. I generally start with powder, and when I think "it must be around here somewhere" I do the paper towel thing to verify.

Can you still buy talcum powder in the US?

 

[Frosty]

Can you still buy talcum powder in the US?

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=talcum+powder

Edited to add that I noticed a lot of the results were just called "talc powder" vs. talcum powder (though there were some of each).

So I looked it up. Apparently talc powder is less refined whereas talcum powder is a bit more processed, could be perfumed, etc. for cosmetic use.

Talc Powder vs Talcum Powder: What’s the Difference?

When shopping for personal care products or industrial raw materials, you may come across the terms talc powder and talcum powder. Although they sound similar, they are not always the same. Understanding their differences can help you choose the right material for your specific needs — whether...

www.xufengtalc.com

 

[Unclebenny]

Can you still buy talcum powder in the US?

Dunno? Why wouldn't you be able to? Granted I buy baby powder over here but that's always been called talcum powder by everyone and their dog and potentially the kitchen sink

 

[North Baltic sea]

If the engine is a Cummins 6 B series, then +6000 hours would be okay for me, as it is likely that the owner has maintained it properly, since it has been driven briskly. If well maintained, the engine still has another +6000 hours of life left before overhaul. A test drive and oil samples will tell you a lot.

 

[salish]

Hi everyone, this is my first post.

I’m looking for some advice on two specific Nordic Tug 32s for PNW weekend use.

The Candidates:
Option A: 2004 NT32
• Engine Hours: 6,200
• History: Private ownership, very strong maintenance logs.
• Condition: Mostly original interior and electronics. Recent 2024 survey was very clean (hull and engine).
• My take: Its a newer hull year but higher engine hours. It has no transom door for entry which is a big problem for my wife and dog. It has no autopilot but supposedly only needs electronics for this. It is well maintained but nothing major has been updated over 22 years.
This Boat is in the water and the bilge was bone dry.

Option B: 1999 NT32
• Hours: 4,200
• History: Former charter boat (well-maintained).
• Recent Upgrades (2018–2025): New Transmission (2022), Turbo (2022), Injectors (2023), SMX CCV pre-filter, Windlass, Tecma Head (2025), and new Amtico flooring/upholstery. New bottom paint
• My take: It has been well maintained inside and out. A lot of items have been updated over the years. Unlike the 2004 NT 32 it has a transom door for entry. I have not received the maintenance logs yet but I am sure they will be thorough. The hull is 5 years older.
• Coming from a sailing background I have been negative on charter boats but the NT interiors are very rugged and we found no damage here. They spent a lot of money to make sure it was a well functioning charter boat. However, if we sell in 3 years it will be a 30 year old boat. Will this be a problem compared to a 25 year old boat?
This boat was on the hard and there was rain water in the bilge so there is a leak somewhere.

Both of these are similarly priced. There are not a lot of options for this class of trawlers currently. There are a lot of Ranger Tugs available but they don't seem to hold up as well.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Option B!

 

[Deano]

My last boat had condensate drains into the bilge.