Nordhavns have had their fair share of famous owners over the years. Jimmy Buffet, Gene Hackman, Bjork, and John McVie from Fleetwood Mac have all owned Nordhavns and each has publicly referenced the impact their yacht has had on their life. Whether a source of musical inspiration, of inner peace, of personal achievement, or purely one of joy and relaxation that being out at sea provides, it’s apparent that Nordhavns have made a major impact in the course of these celebrities’ lives.
This month another Nordhavn finds its name in the public eye as part of a spotlight in the Society section of the current Vanity Fair magazine. A profile on Ned Lambton, the seventh Earl of Durham, dissects the colorful lives of him and his family, well-known in the annals of British political history – as much for their day-to-day antics as they are for any great bureaucratic influences they may have had. But change was afoot for Lambton, and just as it was with the other famous names mentioned above, his Nordhavn played a role in what turned out to be a life-transforming moment.
Those more up on their Nordhavn lore and less so on English nobility might still find Ned Lambton’s moniker familiar to them probably because his name can be found throughout nordhavn.com. Lambton purchased a Nordhavn 62 Lone Wolf in 2009 and then the following spring, readied to cross the Pacific Ocean as part of the Pacific Puddle Jump. Preparations for the voyage – and subsequently, the voyage itself – were well-documented in a three-part series (Part One, Part Two, Part Three). After a couple of fits and starts, the crew of Lone Wolf set off from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and 13 ½ days later arrived in The Marquesas. From there, Lambton and various shipmates took the boat throughout the South Pacific islands and wound up at their final destination of New Zealand. After nearly seven months of non-stop cruising, Lambton had achieved his goal of experiencing fantastic adventures at sea. He became engaged to his girlfriend and shifted his focus from cruising to his new wife.
The ensuing sale of Lone Wolf was also an interesting story and proved to well-illustrate the cooperation and abilities of the Nordhavn sales teams. Despite the brokers being in the U.S., the seller in the UK, and the boat in Australia, a tidy and satisfying sale of Lone Wolf was completed in just six months time. Lambton was bittersweet about having to sell his beloved Nordhavn, but eternally grateful for all that it had provided him.
In essence, this story could have been written about any Nordhavn owner. Name recognition or not, there’s a connection, respect and love for their boat which all Nordhavn owners have in common. Plus the fact that no matter who you are, when you’re on a Nordhavn, your life is fabulous.