What is the affinity between fast cars and slow boats?  At first glance (actually at all glances), it seems like an odd combination, but we have seen it so many times over the last 35 years that we can’t deny a statistical connection.  Perhaps the commonality is a love for fine machines or the challenge and satisfaction of operating a well engineered machine to its maximum potential.  With a race car it is all about speed and lap times. With a Nordhavn, it is all about efficiency, comfort and safety. In both genres, the skills and proficiencies of the operator can affect the results and there is a powerful satisfaction in a job well done. Or, in a broader sense, maybe both genres share a certain kind of intellect- a tinkering, inventive, restless, self reliant, risk tolerant brain.

A brief partial list of Nordhavn fans and owners who have a racing connection include:

• Our own Gerry Edwards who worked for Dan Gurney’s Champ Car team and Toyota Racing before joining PAE/Nordhavn.
• Kurt Antonius (owner of N43 #3) who is Head of Racing Public Relations for American Honda USA.
• An N64 owner (who shall remain nameless because I don’t have time to track him down in the South Pacific to clear the exposure) who was a top Canadian drag racer before buying his boat.
• Christian Fittipaldi (F1, Indy car and NASCAR driver) who participated in the NAR.
• Scott and Mary Flanders (owners of the N46 Egret) who both raced and participated in vintage racing, IMSA, Daytona 24 hours and Sebring 12 hours in their former lives.
• Roger Allard (owner of N55 #25 New Paige) who owns two vintage Indy cars and has raced them.
• Vic Murray (owner of N60 #47 MaryTime) who in a former life raced in SCCA and owned and restored exotic cars.
• Bruce Kessler who competed in F1 in his former life.
• Sprague Theobald (owner of  the N57 Bagan of North West Passage fame) who competed in the Mazda series.
• Harris Kerr (Buyer of N40 #66) who was the attorney for iconic racer and brilliant engineer Jim Hall whose cars twice won the Indy 500.
• Our own “Lugger Bob” who spent “too much money” in his younger years drag racing and SCCA racing.
• James Hamilton (owner of N52 #63) who was a mechanic for Eurocar, who serviced supercars and raced in Formula Atlantic.
• Several F1 and NASCAR superstars who have spent time aboard Nordhavns.
• Several Nordhavn owners also own or collect super cars or classic cars.

The list could go on much further, but this posting is to honor and thank Mr. Joe Cain (owner of N47 #1) who is a shareholder of Panther Racing which fields the #4 Indy car with driver Dan Wheldon. Besides helping me get a ride in the two seat Indy car during the Long Beach Grand Prix, Joe has arranged for the name “Nordhavn” to displayed on the #4 car during the upcoming Indy 500. We hope that all Nordhavn fans will be cheering this car to victory!

Enjoy the race!

Dan