Today I carried out a technical survey for a potential Brazilian buyer on a Nordhavn 52, a 16-metre-plus trawler known for its robustness and long-range cruising capability.
With its fibreglass hull, draft of 1.80 m and fuel tanks of around 6,500 litres, this model offers an enormous range – up to 3,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of around 8 knots. In practice, you can go from the Canary Islands to the Dominican Republic or French Guiana.
Equipped with a John Deere engine of about 266 hp and an additional wing engine unit on a separate axle, it provides crucial redundancy for ocean navigation. In the sea trial we had about 1.5 metres of wave and the boat did not lose speed.
The interior layout includes two guest cabins, two bathrooms, a full domestic galley and a spacious pilothouse with a 360° view, typical of boats in this range.
The organisation of the space, the quality of the construction, the spaciousness of the flybridge and the presence of systems such as both thrusters, ABT hydraulic stabilisers and Northern Lights generator make her ideal for those who want safe, autonomous cruising without having to take on permanent crew.