It has been two years since Nordhavn announced that they were in the process of reprising the original Nordhavn 46 with an all new and completely up-to-date markl II design. The wait to see the first boat has been long. But it has been worth it.
In mid-October, hull number one was landed in Port Everglades, Florida and delivered north to the Nordhavn commissioning yard in North Palm Beach. Even though the boat was still wrapped in a protective plastic film, inside and out for transport, it was immediately apparent that the new boat is something special.
Nordhavn’s Southwest salesman, Jame Leishman was on site for the delivery, and commented that “it’s probably the best hull number one of any model we have ever built.”
Leishman, who has already sold three of the 46 II, was at the factory a month ago and saw the boat in the last build stages. But now seeing her in the water he said, ““You can see a nod to the original 46, but otherwise she’s a real modern boat with features like large windows, aft deck seating, and a massive dinghy deck,” he said. “She has the feel of a 50-foot-plus boat.”
Two days later, project manager Drew Leishman and commissioning manager Rob Cole took the new 46 II out for a test drive and Cole noted that “underway she’s got a nice smooth ride.” The boat is equipped with ultra responsive HyPro steering that the builder uses on their larger yachts and they noticed very little engine room noise and little vibration while underway given that they were pushing the boat’s twin engines.
The main take away when you step aboard the new 46 II Leishman and Colle noted is that it feels like a much bigger boat. Up top, the boat deck is huge and the flybridge offers excellent visibility all around when maneuvering in close quarters.
The cockpit has settees for lounging and when you step inside you’ll notice how spacious the salon is and how filled with light from the larger square windows. The master suite is huge, and the guest cabins have. Been given extra wide berths. The en-suite heads are large for a 46 footer and each has a full stand-up shower.
The new 46 II is destined to be the next great Nordhavn and, like the original 46 is a special ocean-crossing boat that can take her owners anywhere in the world.
“We have built about thirty different models, and we’ve drawn on all the greatest components to help create an incredible boat,” said Leishman. “You could say that the N46II is the sum of everything Nordhavn has learned.”
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