By Jeff Merrill
A few weeks ago a group of five Nordhavns held a rendezvous in Pittwater, just north of Sydney, Australia. We have reported similar fleet gatherings in Rhode Island, Washington and California – all in the U.S., but to my knowledge this is the first such “formal” event held below the equator.
The sales of Nordhavns worldwide have been extremely strong in recent years, especially with PAE/Nordhavn setting up offices in England and Australia. The market down Under has been attracted to the long range capabilities and luxurious accommodations for years and there are now nearly a dozen local owners in Australia and New Zealand.
Attending this year ’s Australian rendezvous were:
Moana Kuewa, (Nordhavn 55) Christine Bauman and Jeff Cheske
Elfrida Beetle (Nordhavn 47) Paul and Christie Taylor
Barquita (Nordhavn 43) Graham and Margarita Weir
Opal Lady (Nordhavn 43) Alan and Karen Davidson
Suprr (Nordhavn 46) Bob and Margaret Edwards
Graham Weir and Karen Davidson were the ones who realized that there would be several Nordhavns in Pittwater so they organized a weekend event for all of the boats to join up. PAE sent along something to sip and toast with and the rest is history.
The two Nordhavn 43s were new boat orders generated by the Australian sales office thanks to the hard work by my sales colleagues Peter Devers and David Flynn. The Nordhavn 46 Suprr was purchased as a used boat in Europe a few years back and has come home to Australia crossing the Atlantic and then the Pacific after cutting through the Panama Canal and now has plans to circle Australia. Elfrida Beetle started out as a new build shipped to Australia originally known as Star Sapphire before the Taylors bought her. Christine Bauman took delivery of her Nordhavn 55 Moana Kuewa (which means “Ocean Wanderer” in Hawaiian) in Dana Point, CA and went through the Panama Canal to Florida before crossing to Europe as a part of the Med Bound 2007 Rally. I had lost track of her travels, but Moana Kuewa has clearly lived up to her name and been out exploring while putting on quite some miles to find her self in Australia.
Congratulations to these five Nordhavns for celebrating a weekend together (our mates down under love any excuse to throw a party) and a special thanks to Bob and Margaret Edwards for forwarding the photos. Let’s hope this is a first annual and I’d like to use this as a reminder that the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show in Brisbane, Australia is going to be held May 20 – 23. We will have a Nordhavn 43 and 47 on display – if you buy one of these two at the show you are not only officially invited, you will be well practiced by the time next years Australian rendezvous takes place. Details on the boat show can be found by going to this link: www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au/
Photo from Bob and Margaret Edwards