50 Nordhavn

Source: Power & Motoryacht Magazine

The Nordhavn 50 is a yacht designed for both coastal cruising and real ocean crossings. She delivers high-end comfort, sure stability and sophistication in a classic design.

Key Features

An integral swim platform makes dingy boarding a cinch and provides step-in access for divers. There is a storage console up forward with a sink, and lazzarette. A breakfast bar separates the salon from the galley, which is designed for live-aboard cruising. The galley comes complete with a Norcold refrigerator, three-burner electric stove, oven and microwave. The Nordhavn 50 is offered standard with two staterooms, but she can also be ordered with a three-stateroom layout, as in our test boat. We also discovered that the stairway leading down from the pilothouse is dangerously wide-open to anyone entering from the starboard sidedecks, but since our test Nordhavn says it remedied the problem.

The Norhavn 50 is a serious bluewater yacht designed for both coastal cruising and real ocean crossings. The hull design of this 50-footer has been thoroughly tank tested, and results show that her bulbous bow and full width stern create a perfect combination of efficiency through the water and reduced pitching in a sea way. Wide bulwarks outboard protect her rugged hull, and her 16-foot beam and high freeboard ensure a stable yet dry ride offshore. Underway the boat proved her stable design thanks to her wide beam and 5’1” keel.

With a single 250-hp Lugger diesel, we recorded a comfortable top-speed of 9.4 knots. Burning just 9.4 gallons per hour at wide open throttle (1 n.m./gallon), the 50 can travel nearly 1,200 nautical miles. But back her down to 7 knots and she can cross the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. Because she’s a displacement hull there is no “best cruise” rpm setting. Basically you determine the rpm based on the range and speed you need to make.

Though she’s not going anywhere fast, the Norhavn 50 can take you anywhere far, AND in the comfort and traditional style of a proper yacht.

Nordhavn 50 Test Result Highlights

• Top speed for the Nordhavn 50 is 10.8 mph (17.4 kph), burning 9.4 gallons per hour (gph) or 35.58 liters per hour (lph).

• Best cruise for the Nordhavn 50 is 10.0 mph (16.1 kph), and the boat gets 1.28 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.54 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 1523 miles (2451.03 kilometers).
• Tested power is 1 x 250-hp Lugger L-6108A diesel inboard.

Nordhavn 50

Boat Specifications: 50 Nordhavn