Looks, speed, a proportionally correct length to height ratio, and they don't make 'em anymore.
Nordhavn N57
After all these years, the 57 is still our favorite Nordhavn (Hell, our favorite boat period. ∞). It's a small boat compared to today's Nordhavns and certainly not as roomy down below, however, it provides us with more than ample space to comfortably live aboard and it's stand-up engine room makes maintenance easy, almost enjoyable.
Yes, the 57s are getting a little long in the tooth, but in our opinion, it's modern design has persevered and, if not already, it's build is well on it's way to becoming iconic. Think the 57 T-Bird of Trawlers — timeless.
Of course, Istaboa, being built back in 2002, shows a few nicks and dings, and we're constantly rubbing those out, but a little patina adds a lot of character. We like to think of her as salty, the Japanese call it Wabi-Sabi
Nothing lasts, nothing is perfect. Accepting this opens the door to the realistic appreciation of a deeper beauty.Nevertheless, she still turns heads and is respected and admired by those who know boats.
Her looks, speed (9kn Avg), lower profile (23' antennas down), and her relatively shallow draft (5.5') — these characteristics alone makes Istaboa far better than the sum of her parts and made N57-26 the perfect boat for us.
And — they don't make 'em like this anymore
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Back in the late 90s, Melonie and I only dreamed about living the lifestyle that we've enjoyed for the last 15 years, but we were always confident that one day we'd be trading rivers and hills for islands and oceans. Preparing for that future and daydreaming about the boat that would deliver it, we studied every yachting magazine and scoured all the South Florida boat shows for years. We admired most of the well made boats; but invariably, one in particular would cause us to pause, discuss, and imagine. The Nordhavn N57.
Then around the turn of the century, at the Miami show, we finally got to see one floating. We were sold. The 57 was the boat we were looking for, however, at the time, it was well above our pay grade... nonetheless, it left a mark.
Shortly after the Miami show we bought a Searay, then in quick succession moving up to larger, more sophisticated boats. We enjoyed them all, nevertheless, always floating around in the back of my mind was the N57 —the proverbial dream boat (Years pass and dreams do come true.)
Nordhavn 57 - Background
Cut from Nordhavn's Website:
Thanks to extraordinary attention to hull design and a commitment to extensive tank testing, the Nordhavn 57 has exceeded P.A.E.'s expectations for speed and efficiency. A close look at its wide range of cruising speeds, coupled with its efficient fuel burning rate, will clearly demonstrate that this boat is the embodiment of today's modern, long distance cruiser.
Per Dan Streech Owner/President, P.A.E.
It seems like these things can only happen once. The VW Beetle, the 1957 Thunderbird and the Jaguar XKE. Yes, the N57s are wonderful boats which have stood the test of time and are more popular today than when they were in production. Like a work of art that increases in value after the artist dies, the N57 rose in stature after the molds were destroyed many years ago. We sometimes lament that decision to destroy the molds, but remember, if those boats were built today, their cost per pound would be exactly the same as current models. This would put the price of a new N57 over $2,000,000.
We Wanted A 57
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