There have been dozens of stories told about impromptu Nordhavn gatherings that result from a number of boats that just happen to be hanging out in the most exotic locales at the same time. Earlier this year we learned of a Nordhavn owner social-hour that took place at a Bahamian bar when nine Nordhavns found they’d all dropped hook in proximity of the Exumas Yacht Club. There have been meet-ups in Alaska and La Cruz, Mexico, and even the South Pacific, and each time the gathering is punctuated by the bond that takes place between the people and their boats and the excitement over their adventure and surroundings. But sometimes surroundings don’t matter. Even at the docks of a sales office during a chilly, early spring weekend in the UK, a Nordhavn rendezvous can break out on the fly, and it will be as great a bonding session – filled with joy and laughter, friendship and stories about their boats – as any of the other Nordhavn gatherings, no matter what glamorous corner of the globe they may (or may not) happened to have taken place.
To be fair, the weather wasn’t that horrible last weekend in Swanwick, home of Nordhavn Europe, which had been hosting two Nordhavns: N47 Rockland and N55 Lady Grey. On board Rockland were owners Richard and June Green, as well as Andrew and Linda Care, who keep their N43 Zephyros in nearby Weymouth. After Lady Grey pulled into the marina, owners Alex & Gisèle Hendriks were quickly greeted by Rockland’s passengers, who then began scheming about a breakfast get-together the following morning…but not before they called the owners of N43 Restless, Vince and Clare Connolly, who were berthed in Southampton, a car ride away, to join them.
There already was a strong bond among these four couples, each of them responsible in their own way for one another’s ownership journey (the Hendriks had consulted with the Greens prior to buying their N55, and then paid it forward by advising the Connollys during their boat hunt; and of course, the Connollys and Cares have been N43 sounding boards to each other), so the conversations flowed easily.
After breakfast in the marina, the eightsome made their way back to Lady Grey for coffee, more stories, and a great photo, and possibly to chat about cruising plans. This summer the four Nordhavns will continue to motor around the UK south coast and perhaps the Channel Islands. When they left each other’s company that afternoon, it wasn’t goodbye. Said Alex, “No doubt we’ll meet up again sooner or later.”
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When Alex posted the photo of their crew to the Nordhavn Owners Group (NOG) forum, he posed the question: What is the collective term for a gathering of owners from four boats? We know from Nordhavn vernacular that a NOGGLE is a group of owners from three or more Nordhavns. But what, specifically, is a group of owners from four different boats called? I’m not going to say that Alex is, quite possibly, opening a can of worms with his question, but he did receive a response from NOG senior moderator and Nordhavn 43 owner, David Evans, who offered up the term “covey” as in, a flock of birds not generally capable of long-distance flight. Not bad, David! Anyone else think they have something better they’d like to suggest?