What keeps Nordhavns oceans apart from the rest of the industry? Actually, it’s the owners who have set out to fulfill their dreams of adventure by taking their Nordhavns to far off places. Dozens of Nordhavns are currently cruising Europe, Asia and Australia – traveling these areas as though they were explorers hunting for the new world. And every day we learn about another new Nordy getting ready to seek out some remote island. This week we add three new cruisers into the globe-trotting fray.
Dick and Gail Barnes on board Ice Dancer, their Nordhavn 50, left Hawaii last weekend bound for French Polynesia. Just days before them, Mark Johnson, a Nordhavn 47 owner based in Las Vegas, departed Acapulco en route to the Marquesas Islands. And on April 14, Lawrence Rick will take his N40 from Puerto Vallarta also to the Marquesas.
As always, we are available by phone or e-mail for technical support to all our owners, and Ice Dancer as well as the Nordhavn 40, Done Dreamin’, will be contacting PAE’s Vice President, Jim Leishman, for some weather reports and advice on how to handle given conditions. But for the most part, these boaters are throwing their trust in their vessels and themselves to successfully complete their trips. “We’ve always said that we know the boats can handle these long-range cruises,” said Jim. “But it does take a certain kind of person who is both technically and emotionally capable. I applaud every single one of our owners who go out and achieve their dreams, no matter how big or small.”
The leg from Puerto Vallarta to the Marquesas will be a very ambitious one for the little Nordhavn 40. At 2,704 nm, it is the longest leg that one of our 40-footers has completed to date. Jim has recommended to Lawrence that Done Dreamin’ stay at around 5 to 5.5 knots running at about 1,200 rpm to safely get a good distance and build a big reserve before picking up speed. Lawrence says he hopes to write a complete summary of the trip, which will outline the boat’s performance and fuel burn as well as sightseeing highlights, upon completion.
Once in the Marqueses, the three boats will be able to rendezvous with each other. It will be the first stop for Ice Dancer which will go on to cruise a number of different islands in the South Pacific before returning to Hawaii. Dick Barnes is keeping a log of his trip and has agreed to share it with us. Tune in often to see how the Barnes’ fascinating voyage is going. Meanwhile, Lawrence Rick has set up a website to showcase his own South Pacific cruise. And to read more accounts of other Nordhavn owners’ captivating adventures, go to the Nordhavn Voyages section of this website.