The reality is that one does not have to buy a Nordhavn to do the trip that
Scott is doing. Yes, there is a really fantastic business model and
advertising scheme going here! (Got to have the next size boat, or too big a
boat--nonsense--this is all hype) However, on our last trip down the Coast
from Alaska we cruised alongside a stock Defever 40 LRC which eventually went
down around the East Coast of South America and back to the West Coast of
USA. We also cruised along side a stock Defever 44, which the folks had
surveyed, sea trialed, and put their gear aboard and just took the boat down
thru the Canal and to the East Coast. I have seen a Grand Banks 36 cruising
Mexico. A friend who has a 60 year old 45 foot Plywood boat built by his
father (and recently converted from I/O gas engines to Yanmar Diesels) will be
doing this trip in the next year.
We also saw a 50 foot home made steel boat, with a 20 hp Chinese diesel (OK
what was a poor choice)--which made the trip etc.
If you have to cross an ocean, then the range is necessary--and the Diesel
Ducks, or the Idlewilds of the world have this. The Choy Lee LRC, the
Hatteras LRC and a host of other boats have all made this trip. There was a
55 foot 10 foot beam home built with a Perkins 4 107 which made the trip
across the Atlantic a few years ago with no problems. One of the list members
took a stock Marine Trader across the Atlantic...
It is disingenuous to say that you must have a Nordhavn to cruise. That is
just not the truth. There are also host of very good motor sailors available
at a very reasonable price which will do the trip--or around the world, in
comfort--and in some cases more comfort and certainly more economically than
the Nordhavn.
I have addressed Scott personally about his comments about Cats and
Motorsailers. Suffice to say, that I have sailed/powered several hundred
thousand miles and now own a power cat--so I am learning about that breed.
So come on guys, lets encourage all folks who are interested in passagemaking,
and not make this the "Nordhavn club".
Bob Austin.
The reality is that one does not have to buy a Nordhavn to do the trip that
Scott is doing. Yes, there is a really fantastic business model and
advertising scheme going here! (Got to have the next size boat, or too big a
boat--nonsense--this is all hype) However, on our last trip down the Coast
from Alaska we cruised alongside a stock Defever 40 LRC which eventually went
down around the East Coast of South America and back to the West Coast of
USA. We also cruised along side a stock Defever 44, which the folks had
surveyed, sea trialed, and put their gear aboard and just took the boat down
thru the Canal and to the East Coast. I have seen a Grand Banks 36 cruising
Mexico. A friend who has a 60 year old 45 foot Plywood boat built by his
father (and recently converted from I/O gas engines to Yanmar Diesels) will be
doing this trip in the next year.
We also saw a 50 foot home made steel boat, with a 20 hp Chinese diesel (OK
what was a poor choice)--which made the trip etc.
If you have to cross an ocean, then the range is necessary--and the Diesel
Ducks, or the Idlewilds of the world have this. The Choy Lee LRC, the
Hatteras LRC and a host of other boats have all made this trip. There was a
55 foot 10 foot beam home built with a Perkins 4 107 which made the trip
across the Atlantic a few years ago with no problems. One of the list members
took a stock Marine Trader across the Atlantic...
It is disingenuous to say that you must have a Nordhavn to cruise. That is
just not the truth. There are also host of very good motor sailors available
at a very reasonable price which will do the trip--or around the world, in
comfort--and in some cases more comfort and certainly more economically than
the Nordhavn.
I have addressed Scott personally about his comments about Cats and
Motorsailers. Suffice to say, that I have sailed/powered several hundred
thousand miles and now own a power cat--so I am learning about that breed.
So come on guys, lets encourage all folks who are interested in passagemaking,
and not make this the "Nordhavn club".
Bob Austin.
