A
Nordhavn 120
s construction proceeds on its
120-foot expedition yacht, Nordhavn is marking the culmination of its corporate life as a builder of “small boats,” while at the same time entering a new era of collaboration with outside talent. The 2008-09 edition of Circumnavigator described the Nordhavn 120 as a “subtle blending of the traditional Nordhavn commercial or industrial look with the more rakish elements of mega yachts.” Despite using the M-word in the context of a Nordhavn, the 120
is still small enough for some owners to handle with only a captain and engineer as paid crew and still small enough for a slip at many modern marinas. In a sense the 120 forms a bookend to the Nordhavn line, with the Nordhavn 40 at the other extreme. Go much bigger and docking options diminish while the crew grows. Go much bigger and “the toys” of yachting life assume greater importance because the mothership herself is just that—a ship. Beginning with the Nordhavn 72, PAE learned that its potential customers were
accustomed to using the services of interior designers and unlikely to be satisfied with any mortal boatbuilder’s notion of beauty and elegance when it comes to living spaces. Consider also that the Nordhavn 120 sells for $19 to $20 million, more than three times the price of Nordhavn’s next largest model, the Nordhavn 86. With accommodations for the owners and up to eight guests, the Nordhavn 120’s staterooms and social spaces comprised a massive blank slate for owners with high standards and their designers, the latter a breed notorious
Superhavn Size not only matters, it’s everything as PAE enters a whole new world with the Nordhavn 120 By peter swanson Contributing Editor
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CIRCUMNAVIGATOR I 2010
www.circumnavigatormag.com
3D RENDERING: STEVE RYAN/PACIFIC ASIAN ENTERPRISES
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