When the owner of Sockeye Blue, a 2009 Nordhavn 75 Expedition Yachtfisher wanted a bigger sportfishing boat, he didn’t look around at other brands. He went straight to Nordhavn Chief of Design Jeff Leishman to see if he could build him a bigger version of his beloved yacht. “He loved his boat but after seven years of ownership, he felt like he needed a little more space,” Leishman said.
The interior living quarters suited him perfectly fine, but what he was looking for was a bigger outdoor space. In lieu of a traditional cockpit, the Nordhavn EYF incorporates a California deck. This is a deck that extends out into a secondary lower deck whose use is more utilitarian. On the 75 EYF, the upper deck has room for two side-by-side settees and tables. But the owner felt the space was too cramped when entertaining a number of guests. “Essentially he wanted us to bump out the back to increase the length and give him more space in the upper part of the California deck,” Leishman said. “Primarily it was to give more clearance between the doorway and the seating area, but he had other things he wanted to tweak.”
By increasing the square footage, the owner also looked to add a drinks fridge and find a suitable spot to install a bin for recyclables.
With the expansion of the aft deck resolved, the owner next looked to have the engine room bulkhead moved in order to have better access to the generators. Traditionally, Leishman does not entertain buyers’ requests to move bulkheads, but with the back of the boat already being added to, it made sense in this case.
“With this particular owner, he knew exactly what he wanted and what he was asking was reasonable,” Leishman said. “Lengthening existing models is something we do with great success so I felt good about accommodating his request.”
He also feels good about having another Expedition Yachtfisher on order. The model was announced in 2006 with purchases of the first two hulls quickly following suit. But the delivery of 7501 coincided with the financial collapse, which sidelined the momentum. In theory, the EYF should be the answer for fishermen who want to transition away from pounding, fuel-guzzling traditional sportfishing boats the way trawlers have become the natural progression for folks who have tired of the rigors of sailing. In fact, there have been a few hardcore sportfishermen who did trade their speedy sportfishers in for Nordhavns that were outfitted with special fishing cockpits. “They say the further out the fishing grounds are, the more productive they are,” Leishman says thoughtfully. “In the Expedition Yachtfisher you can get to literally the most remote fishing spot in the world and actually enjoy your ride back, getting there in complete comfort.”
This owner, a native of Queensland, Australia, is an avid game fisherman who has had sport fishers of all shapes and sizes over the years. With the ability to access fast satellite internet, Sockeye Blue has changed the way he is able to fish offshore by being able to spend weeks at a time in different hotspots. “He loves the lifestyle so much, and loves bringing guests along,” said Marley Cutbush, his Nordhavn sales rep based in Sydney. “The desire for a bigger boat was a matter of allowing for more people to enjoy the mezzanine deck in comfort and protection while fishing.”
Besides amping up the space for outdoor entertaining, there will be other benefits to the new 80-foot version of the EYF. For one, it will resemble the new modern design of current Nordhavns which includes the frameless pilothouse windows. Additionally, the extended waterline length will equate to improved performance and seakeeping abilities, plus the lengthened prop shaft, a Y strut (the same one featured on the N96s) will be added to ensure the prop is spinning in smooth water, thus increasing efficiency.
This will be the third Nordhavn for the owner who previously owned an N62 before his current N75. Cutbush says his client will use the new N80 similarly to the way he runs Sockeye Blue: by exploring the South Pacific chasing trophy fish. She will be based in Central Queensland coast and will take regular extended trips to the outer reefs and then head north to Cairns to chase Marlin each season. “With the new N80, he will mix more cruising and expeditions in with the sportfishing,” says Cutbush. “Fiji, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu are all on the list to both explore and chase fish, as well as cruising through southeast Asia.”
To learn more about the Expedition YachtFisher, click here. For more information on the 80-foot version, contact your Nordhavn sales representative or e-mail info@nordhavn.com.