At Nordhavn we are very lucky to have a product that provides a means for people to fulfill ambitions and “sleepwalk through their dreams”. Nomadic by nature, the Nordhavn you see anchoring at sunset in your favorite cove is often gone with dawn the following morning. If only you had been able to get aboard…
At this year’s Miami Boat Show we will be featuring the Nordhavn 55 Always Friday. Come on down, meet the owners, Buddy and Kathy Bethea, and take a look at a boat that has just spent the last nine months at sea traveling almost 13,000 miles from southern California to Alaska, then southward to Mexico and Central America, through the Panama Canal to the San Blas Islands, Grand Cayman and now into south Florida on the way home to Virginia.
With the advances in technology making it possible to take a photo, write a few words and upload to a blog on the internet that’s accessible to anyone in the world, it’s amazing how many “arm chair” admirals are able to vicariously enjoy the adventures of others all the while learning how to prepare for their own great escapes.
Buddy and Kathy Bethea have become one of our most popular bloggers. They took delivery of their N55, hull 21, in Dana Point, CA and after a training shakedown cruise to Catalina and a number of hours in the engine room, I certified them as “good to go” and away they went.
There are nearly 500 subscribers to their running commentary and thousands more from around the world who check out the updates on a regular basis. What makes this site so appealing is Buddy’s great writing and photos. He makes you feel like you are right on board ready to stand the next watch. The normal things that happen in the day-to-day routine become comical when his soft southern drawl gets translated through keystrokes. Here is a successful physician with an aeronautical military background who loves to fish and loves to meet people. Buddy is no poser; he’s a charming gentleman who greets you with a firm handshake and can’t stop smiling. You can read it in his eyes – he’s always got something exciting to relate to anyone remotely interested in listening! And Kathy is the courageous supporting wife who loves staying right in the thick of things almost as much as she enjoys shopping when Always Friday comes in to port. This fun couple is having the time of their lives meeting people and seeing places and is now inviting you into their boat’s living room while in Miami.
The thing you’ll recognize immediately when climbing on board Always Friday is that this is a boat which has been dutifully used, with thousands of miles under keel and almost 2,000 hours on her engine.
In contrast to the usual unused and perfect show boat, ALWAYS FRIDAY will give you a glimpse of a Nordhavn 55 that has proven itself to be the perfect boat for a couple seeking to cruise in safety, style and comfort to any deep water point on the globe!
For more than a glimpse into their adventure, visit http://alwaysfriday55.com/ It’s truly a great read and has generated almost a million page views since its inception last spring. Then come to the show, February 14-18, and meet the couple – and the boat – in person. (In-water displays do not require a ticket and Nordhavn does not require appointments. But if you would like a personal tour of Always Friday or would like details about how she was ordered, please send me an email or look me up at the show.)
For more great blogs by other adventurous owners, be sure to check out the Owners Websites page on the Nordhavn Community section of this website.