Dana Point, CA – (April 30, 2008) Lined with countless million-dollar homes and yachts, it takes something special to impress the well-heeled residents of Newport Beach, California. However, when the brand-new Nordhavn 86 megayacht pulled up to the yacht builder’s new sales office on Lido Peninsula, the pampered populace of Newport let out a collective sigh of awe and envy. Never before had they seen the likes of such an impressive yacht.
“We have always been proud of the fit and finish of all our Nordhavns, but the 86 takes us to a whole new level,” says Dan Streech, president of Pacific Asian Enterprises, which builds the Nordhavn line of motoryachts.
To meet the state-of-the-art construction needs of this magnificent vessel, a brand new facility has been built. “Our brand new 21-acre South Coast shipyard has been purpose-built just for our Nordhavns,” says Jim Leishman, PAE vice president. “At close to 400,000 pounds displacement, just moving something this size demands doing things in a big way.”
It goes without saying that the new Nordhavn 86 is a go-anywhere yacht. Leave the East Coast of the U.S., pass the Azores if you wish, push on through to Gibraltar into the Mediterranean and travel up the coast of Spain to the Balearics. Enjoy the sunshine for a few days or weeks before heading on to Italy. “If you watch your fuel management, you could arrive using less than the total fuel capacity of 7,000 gallons,” says Streech. “Very few megayachts offer that kind of efficiency. A design that allows her to produce a smaller carbon footprint than just about any other yacht in her size range is a plus to our owners.”
With eight Nordhavn 86s sold before this first one has been delivered proves the virtues of this newest flagship have not been lost on the yachting community.
Well thought out machinery details
Main propulsion consists of twin MTU Series 60 engines rated at 600 hp each spinning 48-inch propellers through 3.43-to-1 reduction gears. This twin configuration includes integral skegs and two large attached rudders for maximum directional control and propellers that are protected within their own apertures. The advanced high-pressure common-rail electronically-injected engines are fitted with wet exhaust and commercial-rated transmissions with large reduction gears to offer efficiency and reliability never before possible.
An extensive list of standard machinery details includes a central hydraulics system with 20-square-foot stabilizers, 50-hp bow and stern thrusters, hydraulic bilge pumping and anchor wash downs, Kobelt power steering and dual Onan generators (40kW and 27.5kW). Also included is a universal AC electrical system for world-wide use, a 3,500-pound Marquipt davit, a chilled water air-conditioning system, a 2,000 gallons-per-day watermaker, an automatic engine room and lazarette fire suppression system with ventilation dampeners, an on-deck Jacuzzi and much more. There’s little to add to the Nordhavn 86 except electronics and tenders.
Interior precision
Once aboard, the perfect surface finish inside and out causes one to stop and marvel at the workmanship. Step inside, explore the arrangement of living areas and you will acknowledge a feel and comfort of a beautifully designed yacht.
Dee Robinson worked with the owners of Hull No. 1 to create their own masterpiece. The woodwork on the 86 features details just not seen on most megayachts built today no matter who the builder is. Matched grain hardwoods like Cherry and Mahogany Crotch were selected to bring the beauty in nature into the living spaces. Design and texture of stone and fabrics blend to make this Nordhavn a palace on the water.
The flybridge, which towers four stories up, is fitted with two Stidd helm chairs, (three come standard), room for complete electronics and a port side settee with a hi-low table. Passengers will enjoy the sink, fridge, BBQ and wet bar with two bar stools as well as a four-person Jacuzzi – all of which come standard.
The pilothouse has two Stidd helm seats (Hull No. 1 has the optional leaning post). To port is the captain’s cabin with private head and shower in black granite – opposite to starboard is a passageway with a wet bar and a fridge. Aft is a sky lounge with seating and power-lift TV. Beyond that is the aft pilothouse deck with a spiral staircase that leads down to the main deck.
Access to the main salon from the cockpit is through the large sliding sea door on centerline or through the starboard entry foyer. The foyer swings around to the galley equipped with a duel fuel Wolf stove and oven, a GE Monogram trash compactor, a Bosch dishwasher and a Sub-Zero fridge and freezer faced in Cherry to match the cabinets. Polished black granite counters, back splash walls and deck give the galley a gleaming look. Amidships is the dining room (seats eight) with a view aft to the main salon, which provides comfortable seating for 10. A 42-inch plasma screen TV rises from the counter-high cabinet between these areas. Forward to starboard is the glass and wood spiral staircase that leads up to the helm deck. The full main deck floor is done in cherry and ebony to create a traditional look of opulence at sea.
Forward on the main deck is the master suite with his and hers bathrooms, hanging lockers and a writing desk to port.
The crew quarters is located lower deck aft to starboard and features over-under berths in addition to a shower and head. To port is a laundry room with a Maytag Neptune washer/dryer as well as an additional Maytag Neptune dryer. Forward through a water tight Pacific Coast Marine sound door is the massive engine room, which provides excellent access to service all systems. As expected, the machinery spaces include everything needed for crossing the ocean in comfort, including a Village Marine Tec RO System watermaker, two 47-gallon water heaters, and a Sea Fire FM200 automatic fire suppression system.
The twin engines are mounted side-by-side with five-side access for easy service. On centerline forward of the twin engines is the fuel supply reservoir tank complete with Nordhavn’s fuel monitoring system, which also includes a fully protected sight glass. To starboard mounted on the bulkhead are manifolds for fuel returning from the engines, transferring fuel and changing the lube oil in the main engines and the generators. The port and starboard fuel tanks (7,000 gals. in four tanks) are also equipped with site glasses. Other systems include an American Bow Thruster hydraulic system to power the stabilizers, thrusters and other services as well as a Cruisair Tempered water system for climate control throughout the vessel. A stainless steel sink and work bench are also provided to make repairs and maintenance less of a chore. The engine room overhead and forward bulkhead are treated with a 2-inch layer of Soundown lead foam and a 2-inch layer of 3M Thinsulate. The inboard tank sides, aft bulkhead, underside of the deck, forward side of the engine room bulkhead and ventilation ducts are given the same treatment and covered with white aluminum panels by Soundown.
The guest staterooms are forward with one to port, one to starboard and a third on centerline. Each cabin has its own in-suite luxury bathroom with shower, and the port stateroom head even has a bathtub.
Designed and built to the latest international standards, each new Nordhavn 86 can be built to ABS certification with +A1 Yachting Service rating for the hull and AMS rating for machinery and installation as an option.
Hull number one, Cary Ali, was just delivered to her owner. She’s currently enjoying a shakedown cruise and will have running photos shot in the upcoming weeks.