Nordhavn 68

Message	Author	Post Date
I'm happy you "broke the ice" on saying that Sans Souci was bought by Bjork. I've known it for a couple weeks, but didn't know if it was a secret or not. Rumor has it that Bjork is serious about boating, and ocean crossing. I hope so. I'd hate to see Sans Souci not treated properly. Actually, there's another interesting part to her heritage (Sans Souci's).... The hard top on the wheelhouse deck, and the bustle, were designed personally by Jimmy Buffet, and built for his boat. Apparently, he lost interest in the 62, and sold his 62 after having the parts custom built. I bought them off his captain, and put them on Sans Souci. As to the newspaper used in Taiwan to cover the walls of our boat: I wondered if anyone would notice the racy pictures. I noticed this when I was in Taiwan. I thought it was hiliarious! I'm not sure what cultural statement it makes. -Ken W PS Currently, I'm in Ireland, with no internet connection. I'm posting this from a hotel lobby....	Williams, Ken	2006-09-22 11:38:13
Dear Ken It is good to see how well the construction work seems to progress. One can only hope they won't forget to take down all the old newspapers, especially the Page 3 girls. Having just returned from the Southampton Boat Show here in the UK, where I was privileged to go on board a brand new 40 II, I can understand now why Nordhavn have such a loyal and enthusiastic customer base. It really feels like a fantastic go-anywhere vessel, even at that size. There might be serious rivals out there, such as Trader or Fleming (on the European side). But somehow nothing comes quite close. With this rapid progress, do you know when your boat will 'hit' the water? By the way, it was interesting to hear that Sans Souci has aristocratic connections. Philip Roach, Nordhavn's European representative, told me that it was originally built (or at least conceived) for the late Prince Rainier of Monaco. Apparently, that is not where the VIP strand ends. It has just been bought by the Icelandic singer Bjork. She couldn't have made a better choice for the rough North Atlantic, I guess. Peter	Mueller, Peter	2006-09-22 07:00:19
Ken, Thanks taking the time to reply. You definitely answered my questions. Dean Henagan	Henagan, Dean	2006-07-31 09:40:31
Quote: ...I was wondering if you could describe some of the improvements on the newer models compared to the 62' you owned. Thanks in advance, Dean Henagan... I had one of the first N62s, ordered in 1993. Mine was #9. The one I saw in Taiwan was #34. Both boats come from the same mold -- so the hull is the same. Differences I noted: My boat shipped initially without a 'stern bustle' (the swim platform behind the boat). I added one and now they are standard on the boat. This gives you a place to put a stern thruster, which I believe is also standard. The newer boats have an electric system which is set up for international cruising. Essentially, it gives you a way to run most the boat off the inverters. By adding a 50 cycle battery charger, you can run in the US or Europe. The electrical panel on the old boats had analog guages. Now they are digital. I'm sure there are more differences, but I didn't note them. Mechanically speaking, I'm sure there are 100s of little improvements made over the years, but not so many that the boat didn't feel the same. Everything looked familiar - just improved. My comment that I liked the boat mostly flowed from the interior layout. #34 was fully loaded. Sonar. High-end cabinetry, even a wood door to the engine room. As a further indication that no expense had been spared, there was even under water lighting. The interior layout was the best I had seen on the 62. One design flaw, or asset (depending on your perspective) of the 62 is the effect on the interior caused by the long bow. The forward cabins require access, which means losing space to a hallway. This shrinks the master stateroom, unless you put it in the nose, which on the 62 is a bad idea (in rough seas). Our 62 (#9) had four staterooms. Each was too small. Subsequent 62s have reduced the number of staterooms, but I had never seen a design I liked until this one. All of the staterooms felt comfortable. Probably the #1 complaint about the 62 is the lack of a 'stand up' engine room. This was a problem, and is something that can't be fixed on the 62. That said, it wasn't a huge issue, just a minor annoyance. The tradeoff is the height of the boat, and the amount of windage. The 62 feels more seaworthy than some of the newer boats which are much taller. I don't know that this is true, but intuitively, when you see the new boats, and compare it to the 62, the 62 feels to me like the boat I'd feel the safest in. There's a lot to be said for keeping the vast majority of the weight close to, or below, the water line. With a single engine, and a wing engine, the 62 engine room is not over-crowded, and I had no problem getting around. Overall, I'd describe it as 13 years of subtle improvement, combined with an owner who invested time and money into the interior to make it a really nice boat. One very interesting thing: I think there were those who thought that perhaps the newer boats would kill the 62. I'd be surprised if this occurs. The 62 is a great boat, and seems to be getting better with time. -Ken W	Williams, Ken	2006-07-28 14:18:25
Ken, I have been following the progress of your new boat ever since you have been posting information about it. I followed the NAR while it was happening, enjoyed the DVD and have recently enjoyed your book. I look forward to your updates and can only imagine how exciting it must be to see this project coming together. The pictures you took recently are wonderful, and I do appreciate you sharing them. My future plans include a 43' Nordhavn, albeit it will be a few years from now, but for some reason my favorite Nordhavn has always been the 62. I was wondering if you could describe some of the improvements on the newer models compared to the 62' you owned. Thanks in advance, Dean Henagan	Henagan, Dean	2006-07-28 11:57:27
Hmmm, interesting comment about your comparison of the different sized boats, especially the 68 vs. 76. That goes to show how images and descriptions in a catalogue can differ from the real thing. Or I should rather say the perception can differ significantly. I don't know whether I will ever own a boat let alone a Nordhavn (although I cannot imagine what else could come close) but having only the descriptions at the Nordhavn website and your own here (i.e. no personal experience), I'd say my choice would be between the 68, 72, and 76 - always with the aft wheel house configuration. I can't wait to see a Nordhavn 'in the flesh' in September at the Southampton Boat Show, albeit 'only' a 40/II. With regards to your book I enjoy it tremendously. It is truly unique. Peter	Mueller, Peter	2006-07-27 05:47:17
Thank you! I'm literally just off the plane from Taiwan. An awesome trip. I was there 13 years ago when we picked up Sans Souci (the first), and haven't been back since. Nordhavn's boats are built by Ta Shing, in a ship yard in Tainan. I can't say enough positive things about the staff at Ta Shing. Dedicated people who have been building boats for at least 25 years. It was a fun trip in that I was able to tour a 62, 64, my 68 and a 76. All impressed me. I was particularly interested in seeing the 62, to see how Nordhavn had improved it in the 13 years since we bought Sans Souci. Very impressive. Had I seen this particular 62 back when we chose our boat, I might have saved myself a whole lot of money. It was fun for me to compare our 68 to the 76. We seriously considered stepping up to the 76, but decided it was too large for us. The 76 I looked at had roughly the same layout and finish as our boat, so couldn't resist comparing the two boats and asking myself if I would decide differently if I had the choice to make today. We made the right decision. The 76 still felt too large for Roberta and I. There are other couples who could perhaps handle it, but we know our limits. The 76 is only four feet longer, two feet wider, and has virtually identical systems, so I can't exactly defend my position. But, standing on the 76, I knew that it wasn't a boat I'd feel comfortable bringing into port. And besides - every extra inch is another inch to clean. With just Roberta and I, it wouldn't have worked. The 76 was incredible though. Thanks for the comments, and enjoy the book! -Ken W	Williams, Ken	2006-07-26 19:07:58
Dear Ken This is just a thank you for sharing those new images. What a magnificent sight. I wonder whether you feel all excited standing in front of it or whether the atmosphere of the workshop makes it a rather businesslike affair. Do you already feel it is YOUR boat? I am also still reading your book - bit by bit whenever I can grab a minute. I have to admit at first I was sceptical about something that supposedly consisted of a string of e-mails. But now I think this actually adds to the 'current' feel of the narrative. It is almost like being there although it all happened two years ago. The book is certainly a more realistic account of the rally than the CD-ROM and also complements nicely all the other articles I have read about the NAR. That just leaves me with wishing you a great time in Taiwan and the best of luck with the further build progress of Sans Souci. Peter	Mueller, Peter	2006-07-26 05:54:28