robert conconi yacht

09-03-13

August 29 was a busy day with a predawn arrival in Vancouver. After three days of running down the Inside Passage from the Dixon Entrance – which we entered the morning of the 26th with developing gale conditions. We’d been blessed with high pressure and pleasant weather since leaving Dutch Harbor and Bob Jones (our forecaster) was warning of gale conditions in the Hecate Straights and storm conditions to our south including the Queen Charlotte Sound. The obvious choice was enter at Dixon Entrance and run inside the last 490 miles to Vancouver.

I had concerns about night running the Inside Passage with narrow channels, reduced visibility and an abundance of floating logs. It takes a lot of confidence in your watch captains to get any night rest but thanks to the competence of Jeff Leishman and Paul Grover we ran without incident – however by our arrival in Vancouver we were all pretty tired.

We had made one stop just north of the Seymour Narrows as necessitated by the requirement to enter the narrows at slack tide so we took advantage of the stop and some good weather to clean the top sides of our hull and give the decks a good wash down. It was great to make this stop and to show David, Denzel, Johnny and Joe the magnificence of the Inside Passage. I think more photos and video were taken in the last three days than throughout the whole trip. I found myself thinking constantly of cruising again in this area as I think no finer cruising ground exists anywhere.

As we entered Vancouver our odometer clicked over 6,500 nautical miles and we all congratulated ourselves on how smooth the trip had gone, how wonderfully had performed and that we were delivering her without a scratch. We were a tired but proud crew.

We completed our check in at customs and proceed to deliver to her boathouse at Port Moody.

My thanks go out to Bob and Diane Conconi for making this voyage and Aurora possible and to a great crew including Derek Christensen, Brett Leishman who left us in Adak, Alaska. Thanks too to Ron Porter for all his help throughout the voyage including putting together some wonderful meals after Derik’s departure in Adak.

Special thanks have to go to the unsung heroes that watched after our engineering needs and really did the heavy lifting on this trip – David, Johnny and Joe. Thanks too to Denzel for cleaning a thousand dishes with a constant smile and especially to videographer Doug Harlow for documenting the trip and presenting it on the internet for the world to see.

9-02-13

We have been home for more than two days now and have had a little bit of a chance to think back on our experiences aboard N120

One of the things I will remember most is all the good people we met and how willing everyone was to help out. Everywhere we went people asked the same question “You need fish?”

I was also so impressed on how the crew, engineers and captains performed. The engineers (David, Joe and Johnny) are some of the smartest guys I have ever met. You could ask them anything about the boat and they would have an answer for even the most complex engine room question right down to “How do I turn on my TV?”. Truly amazing guys.

Paul Grover and I connected right away. He is a fascinating guy. Starting quarterback for University of Oregon and played in the Rosebowl, commercial airline pilot and pilot in Vietnam. He has a million great stories. Never repeated one of them!

Made good friends with some of the younger guys on board. Derek the chef is an incredible talent. A real creative guy and just fun to be around. It was great reconnecting with Bret. We have taken a few trips together in the past and we always had a good time. Also, Denzel who was a positive figure to have around. Most 12 year olds would be super bored with a trip like this, but I never saw him complain once. Ron was also fun to have onboard. We had an especially good time in Hong Kong. Bob and Diane were also great. Not many owners would take a delivery trip like this.

Most of all, I was impressed with Jeff and Jim Leishman. Not only are they two of the owners of the company (and two long time friends of mine), but they took the time to make this trip not just for the adventure, but to get a better understanding of the boat and how to make the next one even better. They were also involved in every aspect of the journey from clearing up all the red tape in some of the ports right down to doing maintenance on the boat. They’re a true testament to the dedication of Nordhavn.

Then there is herself who performed flawlessly. Even in the roughest of seas, I always felt completely safe and comfortable. The audio and video system thats aboard wasn’t bad either!

Anyway, I’m happy arrived safely and that everyone is now home safe with their families.

This was truly a life changing experience…looking forward to the next one.

Doug

8-29-13

We arrived just outside of Vancouver harbor at around 5:00am. We are currently waiting just before the Lions Gate bridge for it to get a little lighter outside before we move ahead.

for live tracking

8-28-13

Anchored last night at Spout Islet on Hanson Island. It was a beautiful little cove with thick forest. We were able to do alittle stargazing last night which was nice. Haven’t had too many clear nights on this trip.

Also, I was able to shoot some exterior and running shots of the Aurora which I will be posting later.

Pulled up anchor this morning around 10:30am and headed out. Next stop Vancouver!

Today’s playlist:

8-27-13

Just about halfway down the inside passage to Vancouver. Rainy and foggy today, but nice smooth conditions.

Lots of little towns on the way. You could spend months exploring all of the different coves, towns and channels around here. Too bad we only have a couple more days.

Had a great dinner last night. Ron roasted up two chickens with veggies and potatoes. So much for slimming down for the folks back home.

Today’s playlist:

8-26-13

Coming into Dixon entrance this morning. Nice calm waters, beautiful mountains and warmer temperatures. Its good to see green again. Plus there are tons of whales around here. Most are further off, but if you just look around long enough you can see one.

Spirits are high onboard. Aurora is purring along nicely.

Today’s playlist:

8-25-13

Rough seas today. We had fair weather all the way through the Gulf of Alaska until now. We had 12-14ft swells and 40kts of wind. Made for a bumpy ride. Its kind of like it knew it was our last day out here and wanted to give us one last show.

Still managed to eat well though. Joe cooked up some more crab and black cod with rice.

Today’s playlist:

8-24-13

Another easy day at sea. Winds picked up to about 25 kts. in the afternoon, but other than that its been an easy ride.

We’ll be in the Dixon entrance to the inside passage early Monday morning, so we are looking forward to seeing land again. Should be a beautiful way to end the trip.

Today’s playlist:

8-23-13

Pretty smooth seas today. The weather through the Gulf of Alaska has so far been great (don’t want to curse us). Looking forward to reaching the Canadian Coast in about two and a half days. Went out for the daily engine “full power run” this afternoon. Never get tired of seeing that.

Joe, one of the engineers and now one of our cooks fixed up something I have never had before. Balsam Pears stuffed with Pork. He also made a side dish of Black Cod which was given to us by the Russian fisherman in Dutch Harbor. Amazing! Ron prepared fajita burritos for lunch. Where am I?

Today’s playlist:

8-22-13

We finally departed Dutch Harbor after some unexpected delays courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard. After our arrival on Sunday we were delivered an order to not leave port until we could deliver a COFR or Certificate of Financial Responsibility that is required for vessels of our gross tonnage. This certification insures that the vessel owner has the financial resources to clean up any pollution spillage from the vessel and the federal government takes it very seriously.

We arrived at the pilot transfer point off Dutch Harbor where we took aboard Alaska Pilot John Schibel who directed us to the commercial dock where we would take on five thousand additional gallons of fuel – all arranged by our agent Alaska Vessel Agent – Monika Bergert. Another benefit of our grand size is a harbor pilot is compulsorily at many locations. Once in Alaska and the services of a pilot are used there are applications that allow exemptions but for this entry it was about $2,200 inward pilot service and another $2,200 to get us out. John apologized for the cost but the port requires it and there’s no way around it the first time.

So our fueling went well and Monika provided us with a loaner car. The customs came aboard and cleared us all in without any drama and we anticipated departing the following morning – Monday until the Coast Guard Officer Robinson paid us a visit and politely advised us of the COFR requirement. So we spent an additional 24 hours in Dutch Harbor waiting for our insurance company to arrange the document – during which time we did a little provisioning, touring and thoroughly enjoyed this unique place and numerous nice and interesting people.

The COFR was finally delivered to Dutch Harbor Coast Guard mid day Tuesday and they expedited our clearance from the port and we pulled away from the dock with Pilot John aboard at 17:00 local time under beautiful blue sky and laid a course for the Akutan Pass – timing it so we could take advantage of a predicted four knot current on an ebbing tide. We had good sunlight until after 23:00 so we were treated a beautiful afternoon with brilliant green islands, snow capped mountains and an abundance of birdlife and bright sunshine that warmed the aft deck to tee-shirt temperatures. It’s amazing how rejuvenating bright sunshine and clear sky is after days of overcast and fog.

We’ve been running now for forty eight hours and are enjoying good traveling conditions with 15 knots of wind at our stern and light seas. The movement of the boat is hardly discernible and we glide along at 9 knots consuming only 24 gallons per hour from our two MTU engines. A quick calculation shows that we are consuming 240 horsepower per side of our 1,000 available or only about 24% of our power. Normally Aurora will cruise faster – probably at 10.5 to 11.5 knots or more but for us the trade off is economy verses time – this speed makes sense for us as we’re paying the fuel bills.

Bob Jones must have felt bad about the inclement weather in the Aleutians over the past weeks so he has ordered up some pretty good conditions for us all the way into the Dixon Entrance – between Ketchikan, Alaska and Prince Rupert, Canada. Depending on weather we will either turn more to the south and enter Queen Charlotte Sound or continue into the Dixon and run inside down to Vancouver Island.

I know that some may wonder why we would worry so much about such trivial things such as weather in a 414 Gross Ton vessel as stout as the Nordhavn. Well – it’s still a little boat on a big ocean at over 50 degrees of north latitude and the fisherman in Dutch Harbor told us to hug the beach (meaning Kodiak Island) and get across and inside as soon as you can. You know the Alaska Crabbers on TV with the big steel 200 foot boats. They respect the Gulf of Alaska too.

Oh by the way – it is Doug Harlow’s birthday today and we have cake and will allow him a small ration of grog (don’t worry -he won’t be allowed outside, near any machinery or in the wheelhouse and he will wear protective foot ware and be supervised) to celebrate the occasion.

Jim

8-21-13

Left Dutch Harbor around 5:00 pm and passed between Unalaska and Unimak Islands which put us into the Gulf of Alaska last night. The sun came out and it stayed light until about 10:00pm so we had some incredible views of the islands. We haven’t had much in the way of sun this whole trip so it was a nice surprise. I’ll have pictures posted later today.

Since we lost our beloved Chef Derek (He didn’t fall overboard, he got off in Adak), the cooking duties have been split up between Joe, one of our engineers, and crew member Ron. Joe has been making delicious Chinese style dishes and Ron has been cooking more western style dishes, so we have a great variety of food.

Also, as were literally pulling away from the dock at Dutch Harbor, our new friends Andie and Daynal drove up and gave us three nice sized red Salmon which they just caught an hour before. What a great send off!

Today’s playlist:

8-20-13

Been here at Dutch Harbor for the last two days. Waiting on some paperwork to clear. We should be undeway again this afternoon.

It’s been a great stay here. The harbor is super clean and super well organized. There are fish processing plants eveywhere. Its a pretty amazing place.

Once again we have met some incredible people. Sometimes people just show up at the dock and wait till one us comes out. Yesterday we had six fishermen from Russia show up at the dock. They couldn’t believe how beautiful the boat was, so Jeff gave them a tour. They turned out to be some of the funniest people I’ve ever met. They hung out for a few hours telling us fish stories.

We also had new friends named Jeff, Andy and Dalyn come over for a tour.

Also, later, a guy named Doug Seitz (Doug #2) came by for a crab dinner which Joe prepared.

What a day!

Today’s playlist:

8-18-13

Just pulled into Dutch Harbor about 30mins ago (9:00 am). What a beautiful place. Calm waters, no wind, snow covered peaks. Going ashore at 10:00 am as soon as we clear customs. Stay tuned for pictures.

8-17-13

We departed Adak yesterday at 09:00 after seeking refuge within the port of Sweeper Bay last Sunday. Approaching Adak seas were building through 15 feet and we had steady Northeasterly winds of over 50 knots so the choice to stop was an easy one.

Adak is a beautiful Island with steep grass covered terrain but virtually devoid of trees. Like Attu and Kiska, Adak was heavenly developed during WW2, with a large airport, shipping docks, warehouses and infrastructure for many thousands of personal and was actually lightly bombed by the Japanese early in the war. As the Cold War developed Adak became part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW line) system that monitored the sky’s for Russian bombers headed towards North America. Adak remained a busy place until the mid 90s and the end of the Cold War era and now only about 200 residents remain within this once thriving community of thousands of people.

Unfortunately we were unable to leave Aurora due to high winds and rough water on Sweeper Bay until Thursday. Our original plan was to arrive in Dutch Harbor by Tuesday the 13th where we would meet with the Conconi’s children and have them aboard for the last leg into Vancouver.

It was to be a tight schedule with school starting the 25th of August and with the weather delay in Adak plans had to change. Bob and Diane reluctantly decided to leave us to spend the planned summer time with children. Our own Mike Tellaria had completed his owners manual work on Aurora and Bret Leishman and chef Derek Christensen had to return to college and other responsibilities – so all departed on the Thursday night Alaska Airline flight to Anchorage. The Boeing 737 calls on Adak Sundays and Thursdays to haul out fresh Halibut, Cod and Idiot Fish along with incoming town supplies. The front of this freighter has some passenger seating.

Adak is an amazing place. It’s natural beauty is worth the visit but the history and the future is where my interest lies. There are modern neighborhoods, huge administration buildings, churches, hospitals, warehouses, police stations, prisons, hangers, even an abandon McDonalds restaurant – all with open doors, furniture, filing cabinets – people just left in 1995 when the government cut off the funding. Hundreds of millions, probably billions of dollars spent on infrastructure all now left to decay in the harsh arctic winds and weather of the Aleutians? maybe not….

The people we met in Adak are a special breed – all eager to help and share information – all very proud of their home. Adak Harbor-Master Elaine Smiloff couldn’t be kinder and welcomed us into the protection of Sweeper Bay offering us daily assistance by VHF. Our Satellite dishes were blocked by the mountains to our south and the AT&T cell service routinely goes down during storms so we were without communications most of our stay. Elaine provided weather updates and helped with our provisioning needs and flights for our departing crew.

Maybe there is a bright future for Adak and it is the people like Elaine and the Aleut Enterprise LLC and will keep this wonderful place viable. As as alternate to Dutch Harbor – Adak is a viable provisioning and fuel stop and any visitor is guaranteed a special experience. I hope I can return sometime soon…..

8-17-13

Today’s conditions: 18kts of wind, 6-8ft swells.

Coming up on Dutch Harbor. Should be there first thing in the morning if not sooner.

Thinking a lot today about our time on Adak Island and all the good people we met (only know there first names though). Eliane the Harbor Master was the person we got to know best. She was so helpful with everything. Even gave us a bunch of Caribou dogs which were probably the best hot dogs I ever had. Also, Sharon, Jacquelyn and Mike the resturant owner, cook, fisherman and car rental guy. Johnny the fisherman who gave us a plate of fresh halibut when we first arrived.

We are also missing Derek, Bret, Mike, Diane and Bob who got on a flight for home from Adak. We had a great time together!

There’s good people wherever you go.

Today’s playlist:

8-16-13

We are back and underway again to Dutch Harbor.

After hitting a severe storm with 55+kts of wind and 12-14ft swells on our way to Dutch Harbor we decided to take refuge at Adak Island. We spent almost four days anchored at Sweepers Cove on the island. Due to the shear cliffs, we were without internet most of the time so we were unable to make website updates. We now have full internet and will be adding to the N120 Delivery pages through out the day.

Also, I am currently uploading a video of some of the weather we ran into off of Adak.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Today’s playlist:

8-12-13

We are well into the Bering Sea now with the Aleutian Islands on our starboard. Yesterday we had smooth seas with almost no wind. Last night the winds kicked up to 30kts with 6-10ft swells which gave us a rough ride. Conditions have calmed down this morning.

It’s pretty cloudy and raining so there isn’t a clear view of land just yet. If things clear up today I’ll be able to shoot some photos and get them posted. Stay tuned!

Today’s playlist:

8-11-13

No matter how big the boat, fire aboard any boat is always a BIG deal. And the bigger the boat, the longer it can take to react to a fire. The challenge of providing fire protection for is no small matter, either (just take a look at the Fire Plan). Large, remote machinery spaces and the ability to run the boat with minimal crew require robust meansfor fire detection and suppressions.

For detection and alarm, relies on a zoned protection system with multiple smoke and heat detectors located in every compartment throughout the boat. Any problems will immediately be sounded on the master panel in the pilothouse and various repeater screens around the vessel. If action is necessary, a dedicated 120-gpm fire pump is always on standby andcan be brought online with the push of a button. The pump serves five fire hose stations, each with 60-feet of hose and a spray nozzle – every compartment on the boat is covered. There is also a dedicated auxiliary fire pump in the event the main pump is unavailable, and the engine room bilge pump can also quickly be aligned to pressurize the fire main from the sea water cooling system if the auxiliary fire pump is out of commission – redundancies aplenty.

Automatic fire suppression systems are also included for the engine room and lazarette – good to know because most fires aboard start in the engine room. The system is set to alarm at 140 degrees, and if the temperature reaches 195 degrees, a 30-second countdown is initiated. At the end of 30 seconds, the extinguisher bottle will automatically discharge to put out the fire. Manual releases are also provided for immediate discharge.
Of course, hand-held extinguishers are pretty much everywhere, giving the crew a real chance to quickly knock down a fire before it becomes a serious problem. But if one does get out of hand, is armed to teeth to and ready to react.

8-10-13

Woke up last night to 6-8 ft seas and 30 kn winds. The day was super calm with hardly any wind at all, so it was a bit of a surprise. We even filled the Jacuzzi in the afternoon!

Today is fairly smooth. We should be coming up on the Aleutian Islands by the end of the day which everyone is pretty excited about.

We also had a little party on the Sky Lounge deck yesterday which was a lot of fun. Arrrrrr!

Today’s playlist:

8-09-13

Just passing through 50 degrees north and this morning we spotted a pod of Killer Whales – a common sight in these high latitudes. Now, in little more than a day’s run we will approach the Western Aleutian Island of Attu where we will take up a final course to Dutch Harbor. Attu Island along with Kiska and Unalaska (where Dutch Harbor is) all played a significant role in WWll which I’ll explain in my next blog but for now an interesting subject comes to mind after noticing that the islands ahead are also known as the “Rat Islands”.

As most readers know we have a forum where readers can ask questions of the crew and we are suppose to respond with informative and enthusiastic responses. While most questions are reasonable and solicit an answer from us – some are questions that have been previously answered, are uncomfortable to answer or on rare occasion are just anonymous nuts saying weird things which we ignore. However – they are all read.

As we were leaving the Coast of Japan with the mysterious Kuril Islands to port – we received the email below;

Surely grande enough for ye grand pacific crossing I must believe, one of the few ocean voyages I have yet to make myself, but ay sure tempted and inspired since following your journey; my many thanks be it too, for the open opportunity to observe ye travels.

So forth, my question remains in regards to your most recent cordinates; I see you have safely and uneventfully passed through the Habomai tides. Be their any concerns or preparations of protection taken in the unfortunate case of a Habomai pirate threat? I’ve heard horrific tales of their type, nearly enough to keep meself out from the waters.

Thanks be it again,
may the waters be right an soulful.

~Nelson

So obviously this guy is a bit odd and we decide not to respond and to just ignore him. No reason to solicit any more correspondence from him – we’ll just let it go.

In the days following that email I had conversations with Jeff and Paul along with others aboard trying to establish if there might be a threat for Habomai Pirates. We all really hate pirates and I’ve worried about them while in the Straights of Mallaca, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and other areas – but I had never heard about the Habomais. I figured they might be some Mongolian tribe that operated off the coast of Siberia and the idea of being approached by them was not appealing. I’ll admit that over the past couple of days I have felt relieved knowing we would soon be in American Waters and free of that risk.

So, when I noticed the Western Aleutians including Attu and Kiska are also known as the Rat Islands it reminded me that last night a formerly esteemed member of our crew, (who specializes in cooking and has a huge mustache) at a moment of great remorse – admitted that he covertly and cruelly wrote that forum question that went unanswered but struck fear in the hearts of our crew.

Had it not been for his green bean and bacon casserole along with tender Filet Mignon served directly after his admission of guilt he might have been given leave on the storm swept Rat Islands that lie ahead.

8-09-13

Had a nice surprise on morning watch today. A pod of Orcas came up on our starboard and put on a little show. I managed to snap a few photos even though they were kind of far off. If you stare long enough out into the ocean, you can see all sorts of things going on.

Calm seas today. No wind, fog has lifted and we’re making good head way. Still can’t believe we’ll soon be in the Bering sea and then Dutch Harbor. Two places I never thought I would see. A few more spaces are now vacant on my “Things to do in life” list.

Today’s playlist: Gordon Lightfoot/Tom Waits

8-07-13

As we pass through 47 degrees north our temperatures continue to drop and we have had persistent fog for the past 48 hours. We’re three days from making our turn around Attu Island and taking up a more easterly course for Dutch Harbor where we expect to arrive late on the 14th. The Conconis son and daughter will be joining us for the final push into Vancouver.

Our weather forecast looks good through early next week but a low is expected to form north of Dutch Harbor that could liven up our arrival on Wednesday. We’ll continue to watch this weathers development but for now our routing – passing Attu to starboard remains unchanged.

Last night we set our tempered water HVAC onto its heating mode and as with the air conditioning in the tropics, the heating is keeping every corner of the vessel at the zone temperature selected and very comfortable. We will continue to heat using the electric heat pumps but once the vessel arrives in Vancouver the two Kabola diesel boilers will be commissioned and take the place of the heat pumps for high latitude heating.

So our ship continues on her course with a happy and well rested crew. We’ve all adjusted to the motion of the sea and our watches. The galley is active throughout the day and the food is really good. Water is heated and consumed without regard to conservation as it is replenished with new and sparkling clean fresh waster at up to 200 gallons per hour. Our laundry runs, videos are watched and we all enjoy unlimited Internet access that is available via wifi throughout the ship.

It’s an amazing experience……

Jim

8-6-13

is sectioned off by watertight bulkheads to create six separate areas that need bilge pump protection. The areas forward and aft of the engine room section are allprotected by individual 10.8-gpm diaphragm pumps, each with its own float switch and alarm. The engine room is protected by a self-priming high-capacity centrifigual pump rated at 50-gpm, which can also be used to de-water any of the other compartments via a manifold with electric valves and suction points in each compartment (and the fire pump can be aligned as a backup in case the main engine room bilge pump malfunctions). And, just in case all else fails, an engine room bilge connection is provided for the port main engine raw water cooling pump. The system is totally automated and includes indication for high water alarms, pump status and manifold valve position.

Like on many large boats, a bilge oily water separator is provided to clean up the bilge water in the engine room to prevent contaminated bilge water from being pumped overboard. It’s a rather sophisticated piece of machinery – just look at this entry from the owner’s manual for the unit:

“Due to the velocity variation in the flow stream, created by the modified sinusoidal flow path, small oil particles are coalesced hydrodynamically by particles colliding into bigger particles of oil, which then separate by gravity and arecaptured by the oleophilic plates. Then, the oil collected in the plates is allowed to “sweep” through the plates back towards the surface, where it is picked up and transferred to the oil collection dome.”
Brings to mind the ol’ Turbo Encabulator bit:

It’s good to know is protected with robust primary and backup bilge pump systems that are ready 24/7 to get any unwanted water out of the boat – and that she’ll never be guilty of discharging oily water into the harbor.

8-03-13

We’ve just passed through 40 degrees north and it won’t be long before our air conditioners begin heating. In the past ten days the 95 degree inferno of the tropics has given way to a brisk 63 degrees with lower humidity and clearer skies.

Just a few minutes ago we’ve altered our heading 20 degrees to the east and have taken up a course direct for Attu Island – the western most of the Aleutian chain. For the past 48 hours we have been pushing into 25 to 30 knot winds directly on our nose with swells and seas in excess of 10 feet. Not only has the ride been uncomfortable but a surface current of well over a knot has hindered our progress.

It now appears that the large low and associated gale that has been our weather focus is moving east and opening a path ahead with the promise of a high pressure ridge forming that will provide calmer seas and favorable currents over the next week. So far Omni and Bob Jones have been spot on with their advice and we’re grateful. While we do have good weather information along with forecasting available to us aboard – having an old friend watching over us and advising is very comforting.

Despite the rough seas and adverse currents life aboard Aurora is very pleasant. The motion of the ship has allowed use of the saloon dining table daily and movement about remains easy.

I’ve attached a current image depicting our route over the next 10 days as we climb over the Great Circle into the Bearing Sea.

Jim

8-3-13

Two galleys, three wet bars, 12 heads, three washing machines and numerous washdown spigots add up to a healthy demand for freshwater (not to mention the Jacuzzi on the flybridge!). There must be miles of freshwater piping and tubing throughout . And, with a full crew of14 people taking showers and using the sinks and toilets throughout the day, it’s easy to see how the daily demand for freshwater aboard looms large.

comes prepared with three freshwater tanks that offer a total capacity of almost 2,800 gallons. All the tanks can be connected together so they can be used as one, and the two main tanks each have a submersible Headhunter SubpaQ variable speed, constant pressure pump, which keeps the system pressure at a solid 60 psi. Like many Nordhavns,all the water leaving the tanks is run through a UV sterilizer to kill any viruses, bacteria or other biological contamination. Hot water is provided in two separate service loops by three 9kW water heaters – and circulation pumps are provided to make sure hot water is always immediately on tap (which also helps cut down on wasting water).

All the tanks can be filled by a single typical deck connection on the port and starboard sides, and there is also a long length of hose on a reel that pulls out from a service cap on the stern that can be pulled to the dock and connected to a spigot for filling. Onboard there are two 1,800 gallon-per-day watermakers, which are definitely getting a good workout on this trip. All the water leaving the watermakers is routed through a silver sterilizer that doses the water with silver ions, which eliminate bacteria and prevents re-growth over a long period of time – serving to keep the water clean even if left in the storage tanks for extended periods. Nobody is going to go thirsty on this trip!

8-02-13

Yesterday was a day to remember. Bret pulled in a big ‘ol Dorado early in the afternoon. It’s always amazing how uplifting it is when a fish is caught.

Last night was spent eating fresh Dorado tacos (masterfully prepared by Derek) and listening to Jimmy Buffett with old and new friends. Truly an amazing night.

8-01-13

We’ve had some unsettled weather the past couple of days with moderate wind and seas from the southwest and west but at the same time a current against us that at times has approached four knots. This is not only drawing our progress down but has caused an otherwise modest sea to be steep and at times uncomfortable.

I think we have been experiencing a counter current of the Kuroshio flow – a flow of water northbound up the coast of Japan – much like the Gulf Stream. A counter current in our general location is illustrated within our Sailing Directions Enroute. We’re hopeful to leave this adverse current behind soon as we progress northward.

Furthermore the gale that has been developing to the Northeast of us is dictating that we divert slightly to the west and hug the coast of Japan to stay inside of its disturbance. The recommendation is to travel a more northern route near the Southern Kuril Archipelago and pass the island of Attu to starboard – then direct towards Dutch Harbor. While this route seems out of the way it actually is not and more closely follows the great circle route out of Hong Kong. We had originally hoped to stay south of the Aleutians and take advantage of the east setting currents but now the weather planning suggests a more northerly route.
Jim

7-30-13

We’re coming up to the conclusion of our first week at sea since leaving Hong Kong and the crew has thoroughly adapted to our luxurious surroundings and their duties aboard. Our ship provides safety and comfort but she has her needs which we tend to throughout the day.

Johnny, Joe and David are three of the best engineers that could ever be hoped for aboard ship and tend to every detail. Generators are managed as electrical loads vary, water is made and fuel is transferred. Engines, shafts, exhausts, temperatures and fluid levels are monitored with loving care. These three professionals know this vessel inside and out and it’s great to have them aboard.

We’ve just climbed through 31 degrees north as we progress to the Northeast. As predicted by Bob Jones the wind has come around to the west and increased from 22 to 30 knots and seas have built to around 10 feet. It’s still very warm outside and we all look forward to the higher latitudes ahead.

In looking ahead our route will take us up to 53 degrees north to the western most Aleutian island of Attu where we will make a slight turn to the east and run along the north coasts of the islands within the Bearing Sea with a likely stop in Dutch Harbor.

After our close approach to Okinawa and the role it played during World War 2 – I’ll be interested too in Attu for the battles fought there and will read up on its history.

Jim

7-30-13

While owners of smaller Nordhavns can get away with not having dedicated used oil and new oil tanks for storing lube oil, the size and operational needs of require a robust capacity for dealing with used oil and having plenty of new oil on hand.
range will encourage weeks-long (or months-long) stints at sea without interruption – all the while with both main engines and at least one or two generatorsrunning 24/7. It won’t take long to pile on the engine hours, requiring frequent oil changes.
Oil changes are facilitated by using a pair of approximately 250-gallon tanks – one for dirty oil and one for clean oil. A manifold and pump are provided to drain the engine crankcases and transmission gearboxes and send the oil to the dirty oil tank, where it can be stored until it can be pumped ashore. The clean oil tank is connected to a separate, dedicated clean oil pump – so there is no chance for cross contamination between clean oil and dirty oil or accidentally pumping dirty oil into the clean oil tank or vice versa. The clean oil pump routes oil from the clean oil tank to a fill wand on a retractable hose reel – the wand is insertedinto the oil fills on the engines and transmissions for filling. Additionally, the oil fill wand includes a digital flow meter to accurately measure the oil being delivered. The clean oil pump can also be used to fill the clean oil tank from shore by taking suction from an oil drum.
The bilge water oily water separator and the fuel centrifuge are also provided with connectionsto the dirty oil tank to simplify disposal of waste oil and sludge. And a funnel connection is also provided for pouring used oil into the dirty oil tank by hand.
The setup ensures will always be able to stay on top of her oil-change maintenance schedule with minimal hassle – and without compromising her ability to take the long voyages she’s designed for.

7-29-13

With two big diesel engines, three generators, a chilled water plant with four compressors, hydraulics and two water makers, can gulp as much as 1,100 gpm of seawater for equipment cooling and making water.
In order to get such a big slug of water into the boat, relies on two 18-inch diameter sea chests located in the engine room. Each sea chest is attached to a common distribution trunk line that serves all the components that require sea water. Each sea chest is attached to a riser with a sea strainer assembly for filtering the incoming water. The strainers are located high enough to enable cleaning without having to shut the main sea chest valves – just loosen the dogs on the lid, remove the stainless strainer basket, clean it up, and put it back (although we learned that pulling the basket while in moderate seas can let a little water in the boat!).

Each sea chest also includes a connection to the compressed air system, which can be used to blow away any bags or other debris that might get sucked into the intake grate. Each seachest is protected from biological fouling by a Cathelco Anti-Fouling system that uses impressed electrical current to inhibit fouling of the intake piping.

7-28-13

carries approximately 17,450 gallons of fuel, which (depending on conditions) should be enough to get us to Vancouver without making a pit stop. To ensure the engines and generators are getting clean fuel, the Fuel System includes three points of filtration.

The first is a nifty fuel polishing setup that includes an Alfa-Laval centrifuge that runs 24/7. Most of the time the Alfa-Laval continuously polishes the supply fuel by simply re-circulating the fuel in the fuel supply tank, which will hold about 680 gallons. When the fuel supply tank gets down to about 300 gallons a 3-way valve automatically actuates to switch the suction of the Alfa-Laval to an online storage tank in order to refill the day tank. After about two hours the day tank will be back up to about 500 gallons, at which point the 3-way valve automatically actuates back to taking suction from the fuel supply tank to resume continuous re-circulation and polishing of the day tank fuel.

The second and third points of fuel filtration are dedicated Racor fuel filters in the individual supply lines for each engine, and then each engines’ own manufacturer-supplied fuel filtration. is obviously made for global travel, and it’s good to know her onboard fuel system will be able to clean up any less-than-ideal fuel while also providing a convenient level of automation to make things simple for the operator

7-27-13

We’re running up the East Coast of Okinawa today where almost 70 years ago – raged a battle of momentous proportions. The three month battle claimed the lives of some twelve thousand American soldiers with an additional thirty six thousand wounded. One hundred and seven thousand Japanese soldiers were killed and as many as one hundred and forty thousand local citizens lost their lives – many by their own hands during the American invasion. Unbelievable…..

More terrific weather and today – Mahi Mahi tacos for lunch! Yes we caught our first Dorrado yesterday. Small but perfect for lunch.

We’ve been running slow at 1,250 rpm with a computerized readout of 7 gallons per hour for each engine based on each MTU display. Our generator consumption has continued to be about 3 gallons per hour for a total consumption of about 17 to 19 gph. We’re carefully monitoring our daily consumption based on the amounts presented by our sophisticated Boning monitoring system and are trying to reconcile all the readings.

Our last 24 hour run clicked off 211 nautical miles – about 8.8 knots. Pretty amazing on 14 to 15 gph (if that’s really what’s being consumed by the MTU V8s). We have been running the engines daily at full continuous duty for a few minutes (MTUs recommendation)and while the 13.5 knots is pretty nice – we need to run slower to get the mileage needed for this mission.

The ship is alive with activity. Our laundry rooms are active, the galley is always in service and the wheelhouse is constantly manned by conversing watch-standers. It’s a real treat to travel in five star luxury and to experience such an amazing vessel.

Jim

7-26-13

We’ve cleared the north side of Taiwan this morning and passed the disputed islands of Senkaku-shoto that have made international headlines and heightened tensions between Japan and China as each claims ownership of the uninhabited and tiny volcanic outcroppings.

We continue to enjoy ideal conditions with light winds from the south southwest and seas of less than three feet. The sunsets have been beautiful and for the second night in a row we dined on the aft deck in comfortable and warm tropical conditions.

This is our third day at sea and everyone is adapting to our watch schedule and are eating and sleeping well. We’re entering into the passage mode that one just can’t experience on a shorter cruise. Books are coming out, we’re finding the perfect getaways inside and out to relax and enjoy the wonderful weather and this magnificent ship….

7-26-13

Winds: 255° at 8 kts.
Conditions: 1′ seas following – perfect boat ride – clear skies

Footnote for last nights watch 20:00-22:00:
Came up to the pilothouse 5 mins early to see what looked like a boat festivalgoing on in a marina. What it was, was a fleet of squid fishing boats with white floods on their nets as far as you could see. For the next one hour and thirty minutes we dodged through the whole fleet. I was surprised that all fishing boats did have an AIS transponder, even though it was radar and looking for dark holes in their fleet. At times we were close enough for their flood lights to illuminate our pilothouse.

7-25-13

We’re just getting started here and once we get better settled we’ll increase our reporting.

We’ve just completed our first 24 hours and it looks like we’ve managed about 200 miles. I have purposely started out a little slow – about 8 knots where we are getting about 1/2 mile per gallon. This does not include generator consumption which appears to be about 75 gallons per day. It’s interesting to compare our daily consumption of our ATW 40 which was all up about 50 gallons per day.

So at this stage I’m planning a consumption of about 459 gallons per day. The fuel aboard at departure appears to be about 16,500 gallons. We estimate we can run about 36 days at this speed of 192 miles per day – or 6,900 nautical miles which gives us and anticipate reserve of about 15%.

At this moment we are running faster – at about 9 knots and anticipate a helping current as we progress along our route. I am hoping to see us exceeding the performance numbers above which should allow us to increase our reserve and increase speed as the trip progresses.

We will watch things very carefully and if we become uncomfortable with our reserve we will lay a more northerly course for Dutch Harbor which is about 2,000 miles closer than Vancouver.

7-24-13

Traffic in Hong Kong Harbor was very manageable. As we entered the the open sea, traffic was amazing. The radar screen looked like freckles on a red face. Even the small fishing boats had AIS but not all of them. Some fishing boats displayed green lights after dark. The small fishing boats we encountered seemed to be a uniformed fleet. About 35′ in length with green hulls. They were spaced out about 1/4 to 1/2 miles apart. Had to deal with them till about 4:00am the first night. That first night had winds ofd 20kts on the nose which did cause some sloppy seas and some pitching. After 4:00am it dropped to less than 10kts. and the seas settled for a smooth ride.

In the second 24hrs, we had moderate traffic but almost all large commercial vessels. We also had our first dolphin visit with a view like I have never seen. It was from our Bubble Bow camera. You could see about four dolphins at a time riding our bow pressure.

7-21-13

Sunday aboard has been a quiet one after two busy days of preparation for our long voyage ahead.

Our arrival in Hong Kong was glorious with blue skies, puffy white clouds and lots of sunshine. The morning sun created terrific photo opportunities as we motored through the bustling Victoria Harbor and we arrived at the beautiful Gold Coast Marina before lunch time and were greated by our including Paul Grover, Doug Harlow, Mike Tellaria, Johhny Ku, Densil Jen, Ron Porter, Brett Leishman and last but not least our wonderful chef Derek Christensen.

Friday was spent alongside the fueling barge where we took on just under 16,000 gallons of diesel which went as smooth as can be. The beautiful bunkering system allows fuel to be received on either side of the vessel and is directed to each tank via a manifold which allows perfect control of the fuel distribution – even allowing fuel to flow into multiple tanks at a time to control trim. The fuel is pumped to one deck fill through a secure Camlock fitting which prevents any leakage and delivered at the full capacity of the barges pump, a rate in excess of 130 gallons per minute. The whole process only took about three hours and we were back at our side tie by five o’clock.

Yesterday was spent with our trip surveyor who reports to our insurance underwriter and most of the day was spent going over the vessel and our navigation procedures including all of our emergency plans. Unfortunately the final report will not arrive with the underwriters until our Monday night (Monday morning in the US) so we will plan our departure for Tuesday.

Jeff and his Son Brett along with Derik have discovered a surfing spot about an hour east of our location and gone off in search of some waves. Our engineering crew have spend the day changing oil and servicing our machinery and aside from a little more provisioning tomorrow were ready to cross the ocean.

Jim

7-17-13

We now have another named tropical storm – Cimaron only about 10 hours behind us as we approach Hong Kong.

We’ve had a very nice passage from Xiamen with building seas from the northeast – I assume ahead of the storms advance.

We expect to arrive at the outer sea buoy around 06:00 Thursday and be docked at the Gold Coast Marina by 08:00. I received confirmation today that we’ll be taking on 17,000 gallons of fuel Friday morning if the storm doesn’t interfere.

More tomorrow as we enter Hong Kong!

Jim

7-16-13

Well we’re finally underway – sort of.

This morning we woke to light rain and the news that another tropical depression is developing to our southeast. the movement is to the northwest and the early forecast show it arriving in Hong Kong by Friday. Hopefully it will not build into a typhoon but it is likely.

Equally concerning is a delay in the approval of our trip surveyor’s final approval – an insurance requirement. Today we completed our outward clearance and are sitting in the ship anchorage – unable to leave until out US based underwriter can read his email (Tuesday morning) with our surveyors approval – which we finally got tonight.

So – we can feel the oceans swell and are standing watch tonight and we’ve made about 10 miles progress from our factory anchorage but we’re still not quite underway.

If we can get out at dawn we should arrive in Hong Kong by mid day Thursday just ahead of the developing storm.

Jim

07-14-13

Sunday dawned with improving weather and diminished winds but the rain continued.

Typhoon Solik tore across Xiamen island last night but lacked the punch I had anticipated. By 9:00 last night the rain was very heavy and I estimated the winds in the 30 knot range so,after a wonderful seafood pasta dish I retired early, a bit disappointed over Solik’s modest display.

Trever Smith told me this morning that the real wind and rain came in about 11:00 and I was embarrassed that I didn’t even hear or feel it – a combination of sound sleeping and a marvelously stout and quiet ship.

The day progressed with our shrinking work list, pumping rain water from and adjusting the trim of our deck tenders (so they self drain) cleaning up after the storm and some last minute provisioning.

About 3:00 this after noon leaving for the local Walmart Jeff slipped on the rain soaked dock off the stern of and took a nasty gash to the back of his head which required a few stitches at the local hospital.

We were all astounded at the quick and thorough treatment provided which included a precautionary Cat Scan, suturing with local anesthetic, a tetanus shot, antibiotics and pain medication. From our arrival at the hospital until departure was 90 minutes and the entire bill was 630 R&B – about $100 US….

Jeff was back aboard by 5:30 and feeling fine.

We’re on schedule for departure Tuesday and all is well aboard .

Jim

07-12-13

Ahoy Mate- Wishing you a Happy Birthday on the high seas. We are looking forward to catching up when your back in SC.

Best

Paul

Hey Paul…thanks for the Happy Birthday. It was a great day. Sun came out, the ocean was nice and calm. Definitely won’t forget that one anytime soon.

Talk to you soon.

Doug

Hey Shawn…Good to hear from you. Thanks for the birthday wish.
That was a wild day (15ft seas). Everyone was prettty used to being onboard by then, so there weren’t any chunks flowing (not that I know of anyway). The only time I really felt seasick was the first two days out of Hong Kong.Look froward to seeing you when we get back.Doug

Hi Jim,

There was no planned replacement for the very talented Derek. It was evident that Joe, a Taiwanese engineer is a very good cook, so I offered to alternate with him for the preparation of the evening meals. My culinary skills are limited but I am happy to undertake the task knowing that the expectations are modest.

We did some provisioning in Dutch Harbor so we have an ample supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken and meat. So far the crew appears satisfied with the arrangement. Thanks for enquiring.

Ron

We really appreciate being able to follow the progress throughout the build and now the delivery.

Would Mr and/or Mrs Conconi be willing to post to the forum their impressions and feelings of the yacht, the build process and now the experience of crossing the Pacific to Vancouver?

Bob Conconi in Vancouver, BC, responds:

Doug,

You have to experience the majesty of Aurora, her stature and magnitude to get a starting point as to your feelings. She is impressive beyond my or Diane’s expectations. She exceeds every dream we have had over the last 4 years in the build process. It is often difficult to imagine the finished product as the construction progresses. We have followed Aurora since she was in a mould through to her launching into the water in Xiamen. Often there were over 100 workers on her in every room doing every imaginable finishing touch. Not a single part of the build has to be refined after delivery, the finish is superb in every way. I hope that answers your question sufficiently. A better reply would require a dialogue.

The experience of crossing the Pacific was both the logistics of clearing and exiting countries and customs and provisioning and then the planning of the actual route and cruise, the estimations of weather and current that will impact our decisions and then the final execution that is a consequence of the planning and the actual circumstances that we encountered.

We went from almost 90 degree water to 48 degree water, the air temperature went from almost 90 degrees to a low 45 degrees, We used air-conditioning and heating during the trip, The water conditions ranged from flat to extreme and Aurora took every situation perfectly, our seas were from the stern and aft quarter and then the bow and the starboard quarter, we surfed up and down waves and kept our course almost perfectly. I can’t say too much as to the quality of the ride or the comfort of the ride. We did sleep in the living room one evening as the motion of the bow was extreme during one occasion. The pilot house is extremely central in the movement of the vessel and gave the bridge crew a very comfortable ride. Between Hong Kong and Adak, Aurora ran 24/7 without any stopping at all, we made water and tested every mechanical operation of the vessel.

The only negative is neither Diane and I want to go around the world at 7 knots without more stops for enjoyment and experiencing the locals we visit. The transit of a yacht on a delivery cruise is not a good comparison to the experience a new owner can anticipate.

We are happy with all the electronic and navigation decisions we made in advance and almost all systems performed perfectly as promised. Our list of deficiencies to be completed on arrival is extremely short, I understand that the fixes and the individuals to perform the fixes are all prepared to complete the deficiencies in the first 2 weeks of September.

I am extremely proud of the accomplishment of PAE and South Coast in the construction of such a grand and perfect vessel.

I hope this answers you question in sufficient detail.

Bob

Hello Aurora:

I am enjoying your postings and pictures immensely.

Can you describe why Aurora has a two level engine room? Is it merely to make maintenance tasks easier or are there systems on both levels?

I know that Nordhavn has tried diesel-electric drives on a yacht before and it didn’t work as expected. Was diesel-electric ever a consideration for Aurora and will they be considered going forward with the 120 model?

Finally, do you know if you will have the opportunity to stop at Attu or Kiska to see some of the World War II artifacts?

Thanks

Jeff Leishman on board Aurora responds:

We designed the 120 with a split level engine room In order to maximize the available space. Maintenance on both levels is made very easy by being able to easily access all of the components at a very convenient level.
We never gave the idea of D.E. any thought and are not likely to entertain this type of system again on any Nordhavn. There is too much efficiency loss and complication to make this a viable option to a conventional drive system. We do not have the type of hotel load swings that you would find on a cruise ship where the actual propulsion power consumption is quite low compared to all the other power required to keep the ship running. I am sure there are those who will disagree with our conclusions but for now we will stick with what we know best.
Unfortunately we did not get a chance to see Attu or Kiska however we did get to see a lot of interesting history on both Adak and in Dutch Harbor.

A dumb question. How do you navigate through fog or low to zero visibility? And how do you guard against collisions in such conditions, whether submerged bodies or floating ?

Hi Anil,
This is a question that is often asked, and is likely the most stressful thing that comes to mind for a lot of people. Aurora is equipped with an array of expensive and sophisticated electronics which are very trust worthy in the hands of an experienced crew. We have dual radars which can identify the smallest of objects which may be in front or behind us as well as chart plotters that give an accurate position of the vessel in relation to any land masses. The radar has the ability to identify a moving target’s path and will compute the “closest point of approach” or CPA which tells us if we are on a collision course or we will safely pass each other. Once one becomes familiar with the use of this equipment the stress level falls way down. For underwater objects we rely on our charts which are generally very accurate in most parts of the world. If there is a semi submerged object, say a log or container then we do have forward facing sonar which should identify it. However most yachts do not have the sonar so unfortunately for the majority of cruisers you do rely on a bit of luck to keep you from hitting such and object. It is one of the risks we take.

First, I would like to thank all of you for allowing us to follow your journey. I almost hate for it to end. I have very much enjoyed reading the daily updates.

My question is about the pilothouse window. I noticed the window in the center of the pilothouse is one large pane of glass. It seems that is uncharacteristic of all other Nordhavns. Is the height of the pilothouse so high that there is less of a concern of being broken by a large wave?

Thanks again and safe travels.

Hi John,
The decision to eliminate the center mullion was made after running calculations to ensure that the structure was sufficient to allow for the larger glass to be used without putting too much stress on it. The calculations showed that this was a nonissue so we went ahead and did it. It is one of many things I really think worked. In fact we have now built 3 86’s and a 63 with similar window arrangements. The view is fantastic and it is a bit less FRP to maintain.

Have you resolved the fuel consumption from your monitoring of fuel consumption vs the MTU displays?

Have you revised your consumption at various RPMs?

I really enjoy reading your Blog Nd forum updates by crew.

Jim Leishman on board N120 Aurora resonds:
Hi Jay,

We are presently running at about 9 knots and are showing a consumption on each engine of 12 gph for a total of 24. This is based upon the MTU digital readouts which we understand to have an error tolerance of 10% to 15% according to MTU. We are showing an average consumption of generators of about 2 gallons per hour. Generator demand is less now as the air conditioning consumption is far less. I’m not sure why we were showing more earlier on in the trip. Maybe the engines were just breaking in or we could have been in conservative error. You tend to error on the safe side when so much is at stake.

Our conclusion is that we are consuming about 26 gph based upon hourly recordings of our day tank levels. We have gone back and looked at much longer time periods of consumption based upon fuel remaining and am comfortable with the accuracy.

The boat will run far faster and I suspect that the owners will probably run it upwards of 11 knots but since we are paying for the fuel we feel comfortable with the speed selected verses the time allowed.

I spoke with a friend a few days ago operating a vessel of similar size and displacement on a voyage from Tahiti to California. Their speed was running at 10.2 knots with a total consumption of 57 gph and I think our consumption would probably be similar if we wanted to get that speed. As I’m writing this I just ran our engines from 1,390 rpm up to 1,700 and our speed went from about 9.0 to about 10.4 but our consumption went from 12 per side to 24. That’s almost $100 per hour to get a little more than a knot per hour and about $2,400 at the end of the day to be about 30 miles further along. Not at my pay scale…

Thanks for posting the video of the storm that sent you for cover at Adak Island. Did you stop mostly for reasons of comfort or because slogging along would have created a fuel problem?

Hi Marilyn,
The only reason for putting into Adak was for comfort. We could have continued on to Dutch Harbor but there was no reason to beat ourselves or the boat up. We had plenty of full onboard. It has always been our philosophy to play things safe and if you find yourself in 50+ knots of wind and 12-15 foot seas on your beam with the likelihood of it deteriorating further you should always consider the safest option. In our case we had a beautiful safe anchorage less than 10 miles from us, we had been at sea for 3 weeks. This was a no brainer and to those who would second guess that decision, I suggest you put yourself in that position sometime. The safety of the crew and the vessel are always the number one concern no matter what the conditions.

Jim, I see you put saltwater all over your new boat.!! My question did the propellers come out of the water or did you experience any cavitation? Have a Safe rest of your trip. Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Yes we have taken spray when the sea and wind is up but no real heavy water aboard. We have soft bottom inflatables as temporary tenders on our bow and there is no way to really secure them like a permanent hard tender. They are a bad fit to the deck chocks which will take the permanent tenders and there are only glue on ring pads to tie to. I was worried if heavy water came board over our bow the small inflatables could break loose. So far no problem with just heavy spray.

Our propellers have never cavitated and the weather thus far has only been uncomfortable and never dangerous. Our diversion to Adak was only precautionary and to avoid any unnecessary stress on our new vessel and the 14 crew aboard. To continue on in building seas and fifty knot winds when shelter was so near – would not have been the prudent thing to do however the boat was riding easy and could have easily pressed on.

What species of wood is in the wheelhouse and how was it finished?

And thanks for the virtual cruise…was quite a journey thanks guys.

Hi Tom,
All of the main wood in the boat is African Cherry. There are inlays of other types of wood in the tables and on drawer fronts, etc. The wood is finished in a two part varnish with typically at least 7 coats. It is a Japanese product that I do not recall the name.

Hello Bob & Diane

I wanted to share with you a bit of history.
As you know Bob, I was part of the team the designed, developed and accepted the CP 140 “Aurora” Maritime Patrol aircraft from 1972 to 1980 and flew her operationally from Comox for four years. Ironically, during that time, I flew many missions from Adak in the early 80s (cold war stuff) and led many detachments from there, typically 2 – 3 weeks at a time. We would fly maximum effort and then to “relax” we would jog. The running trail was about 10 miles around the island. Because the weather could be so ferocious, and so sudden, we all had to have weather and survival briefings the first time there. There were “storm barrels” stationed about every mile along the route so that we could take shelter in the event of sudden weather and winds. I have actually seen an empty 50 gallon oil drum airborne and “float” across the tarmac between our parked airplanes. Ravens and Eagles so big you could ride them! It is an amazing place. Just think of the poor sods that were there in WWII, with minimum support, in tents! There is an excellent book about the WWI history of the Aleutians, fascinating. That stop was worth the journey by itself.

Welcome home

Finn

since passing the north island of japan have you encountered much traffic?

Hi Hank,

We are underway again for our final push into Vancouver and are now back in the Pacific. During our transit of the Bering Sea we saw very little traffic. Most of the boats we did see were fishing vessels of about 200-300 feet. Since leaving Dutch Harbor traffic has been very light as well.

I’ve been really enjoying the unprecedented coverage of this epic journey and of course, further kudos on an incredible yacht! I’m fascinated by all the systems on board and had a question regarding the vessel monitoring system. I’ve run yachts with both Intellisea and FT NavVision systems on board so am quite familiar with modern vessel monitoring systems and absolutely LOVE the ability to monitor so many systems from one easy to navigate screen. I was watching Paul Grover’s video from 8/08 describing the Böning system and noticed that, when he went to the engine screen, none of the onscreen gauges seemed to be populated with values: RPM, Engine Oil Pressure, etc. Obviously the video is a little grainy but other screens were readable so I was wondering if there was a small glitch in communication with the engine ECM’s or the values just hadn’t populated yet. Also, I noticed the “Inv” everywhere in the system. What does that mean? Is there some further programming yet to be done in the system during the final commissioning?Thanks to the crew for keeping us informed and continued safe travels.

Hi Mark,
The Boning system we are using is fantastic and gives us good information on everything but the engine status. This is due to a glitch that came up during its final commissioning at by the Boning folks where they discovered they had issues with their ability to communicate with the MTU’s. There was no time to fix it as we had to depart so they will come to the boat in Vancouver to do the final commissioning and fine tuning once we arrive.
Jeff

Hey! Congratulations on a beautiful yacht. I can see a check box on the chair in the wheelhouse. What can you operates at it?

Hi Lars,
Aurora has four Stidd helm chairs two in the wheel house and two in the enclosed fly bridge.
The main chair in each area is equipped with a remote auto pilot control which is what I think you are seeing.

She certainally is a beautiful boat and now you appear to have entered the Bering Sea the voyage is getting more gripping to follow.

I was wondering if you have stayed with the exhaust system as on the smaller Nordhavns – ie: dry exhaust up the mast so to speak?

Hi Gordon,

The exhaust system on the 120 is quite elaborate. It is like nothing we have ever done. Our original intent was to have a more conventional wet exhaust system similar to what we do on our 86. However during discussions with MTU and with Sound Down it was decided that the type of system we proposed may have a risk of creating too much back pressure due to the length of the run aft. We then asked the engineers at Sound Down to design and build us a system which would ensure we do not exceed the maximum allowable back pressure.
This resulted in the team designing an underwater exhaust which eliminated the need to run it all the way aft. The system is quite elaborate with a large by-bass for dockside and low speed maneuvering which eliminated the possibility of it bubbling and also eliminates any back pressure as there is no vacuum to take the exhaust away. We never considered a dry system for the 120 due to the heavy impact it would have on the interior spaces and also the required amount of keel cooling for these two big engines was far more than we were comfortable with.

Hi Ed,
I know some people routinely dump their used oil into the fuel and swear that it has no ill effects. However every time we have asked our engine suppliers if this is advisable, or even allowed, they tell us no it is not. For us that is enough to squelch any thought of doing such a thing.

Congratulations! A huge sense of accomplishment must be felt by all! For the PAE crew who could not be on board, I am with you…jealous!!

More of a comment than a question. Having done some delivery myself, what a learning experience for the owners to be on board and aware of every situation as it occurs during a delivery. Once they arrive in B.C., they will truly have a working understanding of all systems and performance of this wonderful investment.

Often times once we have handed the boat over to the new owners, the crew always says, “with they’d have been with us – they would understand their boat.”

Regardless of who actually does the maintenance, repair, and upkeep, the new owners are informed and knowledgeable.

Dutch Harbor for fuel? Or an excuse for some King Crab?!

Good question Michael,

Diane and I are learning by the day, we spend 8 hours a day 50% in the dark and 50% during the day standing watch. Most of that time is spent observing operation, traffic and weather and then reading and investigating every operational issue. An alarm deserves investigation, most of the time it is a door left open, low fuel tank indication, or something of a similar nature. Many different electronics on the bridge provide separate and distinct alarms. We are learning what piece of equipment gives what alarms.

One of our best purchase decisions is having a complete vessel monitoring systems by Boening. This system has two monitors in our flybridge, two monitors in our pilot house, one monitor in the captains quarters and one in the engine room. With these monitors we can visualize our fuel consumption, electrical loads, temperatures etc. If any reading is outside of a tolerance we have again another alarm.

I believe that by the time we dock Aurora in Vancouver we will understand all the technical/operational functions of the vessel.

From there, we will develop a comprehensive maintenance program. It is a labor of true pleasure for us. We are fortunate to have the technical writer of the manual onboard composing each chapter with us and we have direct input into the final product.

To answer your question a slightly different way, I don’t know if we could have done this better.

To answer your last question: “both fuel and crab”!

I have been following your progress each day and can hardly wait to read and see the pics/videos of the goings on of Aurora and the gang! Thanks for letting us enjoy your adventures from our arm chairs and computer screens!!

I really enjoyed seeing the picture of your server setup and am curious how you access the rear of the rack? Can you give us a detailed description of each piece in the rack top to bottom and give us some more details about your internet service and TV service such as the speed, package you are using, cost, capacity, coverage, etc?

Can you tell I am a techie?

David, we have received several questions our entertainment systems.

We have 3 networks on Aurora, “Navigation”, “Audio/Video” & “Communications’. Each of these systems are “separate” and “standalone” and can be connected should the requirement arise.

With the exception of Navigation, the Audio/Video & Communications systems are distributed both by WiFi (in a bridge configuration providing continuous single login) and hardwire to each accommodation area and social area on Aurora,

Each stateroom has access to Bell ExpressVu, Kaledescape, IPad, CCTV, Navigation maps, Sirius/XM audio, DVD, AM/FM. Our amplification by stateroom is by Bose and we have both V25 and V35 systems depending on the location.

We have 12 Samsung monitor/televisions of various sizes.

Our internet is from 48″ Seatel Sat, WIFI from shore and cable/telephone/cell connections to shore sources. On this cruise we have 1024 kbs down and 256 kbs up speeds with 36 CIR guaranteed for our telephone system connection. We are being transferred from sat provider to sat provider during our crossing of the ocean , no one provider has a single beam that will provide continuous service to us.

Our telephone system is a Panasonic IP phone system with 15 stations.

Our telephone service comes from Seatel Sat, Tellular cell and corded shore sources.

The rack is on a rail system and extends 36 inches out of the wall cabinet.

The area is specifically air conditioned for the cooling of the computer equipment.

We have separate racks for our navigation computers and Communications servers with redundancy on the pilothouse and fly bridge levels.

G’day all, I hope all of you are safe & well. Exciting times – you must be extremely proud of the mightiest Nordhavn built so far. Will we see a 150? It seems a logical progression . I read about you thinking of hanging up the old pen, you could not get a higher point in your career than now but who would replace you? Will you have a hand over ceremony in Canada?

Hi Terry,
Yes the 120 is a very satisfying achievement. As I stated in an earlier post this project is a result of a whole bunch of talent contributing to the final outcome of what is truly an incredibly nice boat in all respects. You never know what the future has in store but assuming we have a rising tide and continued success with all of our existing models a 150 would certainly not be a huge challenge. As for hanging up my pen, I have no intention of doing that anytime soon. I still have a lot of ideas and designs in my head that I hope to see come to fruition some day. Stay tuned.
I am sure the Bob and Diane will have a very nice christening ceremony with family and friends as soon as they have had a chance to decompress from this long voyage.

Enjoyed the full power video. How long does it take to get to full power? What speed did you achieve. Fuel consumption?

Curious as well if acceptance trial includes the exercise of full power ahead to emergency back? Always an interesting event on Naval ships.

Hi Donald

During our WOT runs we usually get right up to speed within less than a minute. We run for about 5-10 minutes and we are seeing about 13-14 knots thru the water.

As part of the ABS sea trials they do require us to do a “crash stop” maneuver. However the most stressful test is the full astern which is always a lot of fun with waves crashing into the transom.

I can tell you that I have been following the progress of the delivery of the 120.What a beautiful ship. On your vedeo of 7/29 it shows that you are traling two ropes off the aft end can you tell me what you are doing with them.

Thanks for all the nice videos
Soren

Hi Soren,
The two lines you see are our attempt to catch some fresh fish. So far we have caught two nice Mahi Mahi. Since the water has cooled off to the low 50s we have had no more luck. We may try again later but now our lines are in and we have to settle for what we have on board.

Thank you so much for giving us all the opportunity to share in this adventure!

One of the pictures posted today is taken from the upper rear deck facing forward looking at the rear of the mast. It looks like the mast has a pivot point at its base which might allow it to swing back and down. Is that the case? For bridge clearance, maintenance, both?

Thanks!

Mark Bonds

Hi Mark,

Yes, the mast is folding so that the owner can get the boat into his boat house. Having the ability to lower the mast does make cleaning and service very convenient.

Nordhavn Team, what a great adventure and great photos. Thanks for sharing with all of us. Question is other than keeping it open have you had to do anything else to keep the server rack cool?

Hi Todd,
The server room has its own A/C air handler which keeps things nice and cool. The only reason the door is off of the locker is because the server rack is not pushed back all the way into the locker. Once the electronics tech has had a chance to finish all of the various outstanding installations for the A/V system we will clean up the wiring in the A/V locker and re-install to door.

Hi Nordhavn Team. Congratulations on the construction of such a wonderful vessel! My question deals with the issue of complexity. Obviously the larger the build there is increase in the complexity. So, does this vessel require a full time mechanic?

There is no question that this is a large and complex vessel and requires a thorough understanding of the systems to safely operate it. The actual handling in terms of maneuvering and docking really presents no greater challenges that what you would find in a 60 foot vessel so the added expertise required centers around the many complex systems. A savvy owner can handle the engineering aboard but most will rely upon an engineer.

First of all thank you for sharing this journey! I know the Conconis have had several Nordhavns and tend to go it on their own but after seeing the engine room on the 120, which is both amazing and somewhat intimidating, will they be hiring a permanent crew? Have a great trip!

Mike

My understanding is that a crew will be hired by the Conconis. They have been reviewing resumes on this trip. I’m sure Bob is qualified to run this vessel but I think he’s looking at a more relaxed type of cruising with some professional help.

Quite an engine room, you can understand why an engineer is required on board. Is it air conditioned? I didn’t notice any batteries; are they located in another room or is a generator run all the time?

Yes, the engine is air-conditioned and very well ventilated. The AC would generally only be used during maintenance when propulsion engines are not running.

All batteries are located within the engine room except for the emergency electronics batteries which are located on the wheelhouse deck. This is a vessel that is dependent upon AC generators anytime it is away from the dock. Batteries are used for engine and generator starting, emergency lighting and navigation electronics.

Translation by Google Traslate.

Greetings to all members of the crew of the Nordhavn 120.
I have followed the steps in this spectacular ship virtually from the beginning.
It is a beautiful boat.My note for the ship on 10/10. In aluminío 11.
But since I saw the planes for the first time, I’ve always wondered why they separated from the cabins of the guests at both sides of the engine room is something I never understood.
It is a solution that I don’t like it, I think that the timing would have been much more harmonious with all cabins in the same area of the boat.

Good crossing and good sea.

Hi Andres’,
We considered having all the cabins forward of the engine room in early phases of the design. We could do that on future hulls if the buyer preferred. However, separating the guest cabin as we have done has several benefits which the owners found more attractive than having all the cabins forward. Having one stairwell serve all four guest cabins was a concern in that with the potential of 8 people being in this area there would inevitably be traffic flow problems. Having one foyer serve all 4 guest cabins also had limitations. By putting the two cabins aft it made it possible for the crew to utilize the forward area which also gave them easier access to the galley and wheel house via their own separate stairwells.
You can have it any way you like, as they say “there are two ways to skin a cat”.

With the owners aboard I would have expected those covers on the tables and chairs would be off.

That is a fabulous vessel!
Congratulations to everyone involved.
We hope to see it sometime.

Hi Jim,

We decided to keep the boat in cruising mode for the crossing. After all this is essentially a delivery trip. Bob and Diane are good with keeping the covers on and as we approach Vancouver we will unveil the boat so it shows well when we get there.

Being a seaman for more than 40 years, I find your trip amazing and highly interesting, i enjoy very much tracking your daily events through your site.

I noticed in two photos (1,13) that the throttles are not in the same position,can you comment on that?
Thanks,
Nahum

Hi Nahum,
You are very observant! The throttles are set in a synchronize mode so you only have to adjust the starboard one for both engines.

This is not good weather so why not pull into a little cove thingy and be safe for a while? Like this is not good, and if you guys make it home safe it will be because the good lord is watching out for you all. And I don’t like this at all. BAD VERY BAD

Hi Karla,
Thanks for your concern. The weather is really not that bad in fact it is very nice out today. Anyway the little cove thingies are kind of hard to find out here.

It looks like Aurora is outfitted with two small inflatables on the foredeck. Does she carry a larger dinghy elsewhere? Or maybe the the size of the dinghies isn’t obvious because of the huge scale of the mothership?

Hi Sam,

The two dinghies you see on the foredeck are just for this delivery. We didn’t ship the owner’s dinghies to the yard but we wanted a couple of inflatable’s in case we needed to get to shore somewhere and also for safety should an abandon ship situation arise. These will come off the boat and be shipped back to PAE

Hi guys,

It really is fascinating following your travels.

I have a couple of questions.

1) You mention the seas are building to 10 ft, perhaps it will be more by the time you respond to this. I would be interested to hear about the perceived comfort level on the 120 as compared say to the 86, 76, and N60’s. Are 10 ft seas even noticeable on the N120? Is sleeping an issue while at sea?

Jim Leishman on board N120 Aurora responds to this and the following questions:

So far we have been very comfortable. There is no substitute for tonnage and the 120 is more than double the weight of the 86. It makes a difference in the motion.

2) Based on your route planning you estimated >9000 nm range at less than 10 kn. You have been running at 8 kn but the overall range now being contemplated is closer to 6500-7500 nm. Are these numbers correct with your current readings (now 1 week in?) What explains the discrepancy in range initially proposed? Do you think you will stop in Dutch Harbor for fuel? Why not fuel up in Tokyo? Is customs clearance a hassle?

We have a discrepancy between the engine control fuel consumption and the readings of the Boening electronic quantity sensors. Our consumption according to MTU and Onan is about 18 gallons per hour at a little over 8 knots through the water. The Boening readouts indicate a consumption that may be as high as 23 gallons per hour. We have to use the most pessimistic indication we have for planning. At this stage using our average speed and the higher consumption I calculate we have over 4,000 gallons aboard as we pass Dutch Harbor. I hope to see improvements in speed and reduced consumptions. We’ll make a decision about a stop in Dutch later in the trip.

3) Why are Nordhavns sold with 400′ of anchor chain? Why not 500, or 550, or 650 feet? How much chain does Aurora have?

We have 400 feet on each anchor. More is always better but the weight becomes an issue.

4) Can you describe Aurora’s safety features for crossing the pacific including lift rafts, epirbs, back up communications, survival suits, safety drills, etc?

5) Why are hydraulics used extensively. I understand they are required for steering and stabilizers but why are windlasses and thrusters typically not specified as electric DC or AC?

6) What is the large white fiberglass tray around Aurora’s hot tub for? Is it a big drip tray so the HT can be used at sea? Seems almost like a waste of space but I suppose there is an important function for it.

7) Granted that Aurora is an amazing ship and the outcome of hard years of work it is spectacular. You have stated though, an important aspect to your “own bottom delivery” is to experience the boat for the purpose of future improvements. Have you yet found any optimizations large or small that you might plan to change on Aurora, future N120’s or other Nordhavn’s?

Yes of course – nothing of significance yet though. One of the benefits of having Jeff and I along with our engineers – Mike, Johnny, David and Joe onboard for this trip is that we will all learn more about the boats we build which goes towards constant improvement.

8) Would it be possible to begin to share interior photos, including the incredible huge windows? Is Aurora’s layout similar to the general arrangements on your website?

All the photos available are on our website.

10) Is Aurora equipped with forward looking sonar? Is this technology really that useful for identifying safe anchorages (which I would imagine would be all the more important with Aurora’s draft)

Yes, Aurora has a forward looking sonar. It does not appear to be of use in open water but could be very helpful in getting in and out of a tight anchorage.

Very much enjoying the progress of this beautiful boat, and looking forward to welcoming Bob and Diane and the Aurora home, into Canada’s Gulf Islands.

The photographs are stunning: who is the ‘staff photographer’ aboard and what camera?
Submit: Submit

Doug Harlow on board N120 Aurora responds:

Hi Conny,

Thank you for your comments. I have been taking the photos as well as shooting video and updating the website.

The camera equipment I have been using is as follows:

Canon 5D Mark III
GoPro Hero 2

Tokina 16-28mm F 2.8
Canon 50mm F 1.4
Canon 75-300mm F 4.5

The lens I use for 90% of the shots is the Tokina 16-28mm wide-angle. I absolutely love that lens.

I also have a Canon T3i as a back-up camera along with various other lenses.

Humidity has been a bit of a factor with lens fog. Also, the salt air tends to build on the camera and lens, so they have to be constantly cleaned. Other than that, its been a lot of fun shooting this boat. It’s always nice to have such great subject matter!

Thanks again Conny,
Doug

Has Bob indicated what size crew (and, what type crew) he’ll have after he takes possession of the boat? I’m curious how large a crew the boat will need.

Does the sea chest on the N120 indicate a change of thinking for Nordhavn? Will other models start appearing with a “through to the bottom” sea chest”

Hi Ken,

I’ll let Bob and Diane discuss their crew plans but will attempt to answer the second question.

The sea chest on the 120 is an incredible piece of work. All of the sea water plumbing on the boat is copper nickel as well as both of the sea chest tubes.
On this boat we have the room and the budget for such an elaborate system. On our smaller models it is difficult to find the room. One of the problems we have seen on the smaller models with sea chest is that the number and length of the hose runs can be an issue. The hoses eventually need to be replaced and this can be a difficult and costly process. With copper nickel piping it is there for the life of the boat. We also have the Cathelco system which eliminates much of the troublesome growth you can get in the piping. Mike described this in his blog yesterday. To do all copper nickel piping on a smaller model would be a huge expense and also slow our production line down. We do not have plans to incorporate such a system in anything but 120.

Jeff

With 14 people aboard the vessel right now does it feel like it could comfortably hold even more folks or you think 14 is just enough/too much? Are you able to find quiet spaces occasionally for some privacy?

I’ve been following the build of this boat since its inception and want to thank you so much for this blog! Helps with daydreaming! Safe travels!

Hi Kyle,
We were just discussing this last night and commenting on how easy it is to find a spot all to yourself if you so desire . For example I am sitting typing this in the sky lounge and have it all to myself. We technically have bunks for two more until the boat is full to capacity and I still feel that it can handle that many people without feeling crowded. However in normal situations 6 of those aboard would be crew and they have their own lounge area which is very comfortable with a 65 inch tv and Bose system so they would tend to keep to themselves if that’s what the owner wanted.

Jeff

Can you give us some seat of the pants stats on roll rate, how she handles big seas etc..?. She definitely is the queen of the fleet!

Thanks for sharing your journey and congrats to the new owners!

Hi Rich,
We have a neat device which is part of the boning vessel monitoring system which gives us a graphic display of the boat’s roll and pitch motions. We are currently running down swell (slightly quartering) in about 25-30 knots. The seas are between 6-8 feet with the occasional 10 footer. The roll indicator shows us generally keeping upright within about 1-3 degrees however when those occasion larger swell roll under we can see sometimes up to a 14-15 degree roll. The stabilizers are doing a great job but they just can’t anticipate when the boat will be upset so quickly by an odd wave. Even at 120 feet these kinds of seas will upset you every once in a while so things have to be stowed properly just as you would any other smaller vessel.

Hi my name is Chloe. I’m 12 years of age. My dad has been a fan of Nordhavn’s for lots of years and has been showing us your wonderful trip on Aurora. I love cooking and wonder what the chef Derek thinks about cooking at sea on Aurora and what he is planning to feed the crew on such a long journey?

Hello Chloe,

Thank you for the excellent and intriguing question. To be honest, we are eating rather normal food, similar to that which I frequently prepare at home or the restaurant I work at.

Breakfast includes a variety of daily made pastries, eggs, oatmeal, cereal, etc. Lunch generally consists of soup and salad, and dinner leftovers. A rotation of proteins including pork, beef, duck, shrimp, scallops, and fish. And recently, fresh fish caught while underway. It can be tricky at times cooking for thirteen, three times a day, but fortunately they all have big appetites and have fairly easy-to-please taste buds.

Thanks again for the question and following our travels.

As friends with Doug, we are watching your trip with excitement and look forward to hearing first hand accounts of the adventure. My question: What contingency do you have should the prop get entangled or fouled with with debris? Do you have a qualified diver on board? Praying for a safe and enjoyable voyage for all.

Jeff Leishman on board N120 Aurora responds:

Hi Sam,

In the unfortunate event that we do foul a prop we have a simple hooka system on board along with wet suits ,masks and pull saws to try to cut what ever may be around the prop. We have no real dive gear on board. Let’s hope we don’t need any of it

Jeff

Good to hear from you. Generally we just use the knob on the A/P to maneuver around any boats or flotsam. The shipping traffic is easy to negotiate since with the AIS system and ARPA we know well in advance if we should make a course adjustment. Aurora is very easy to hand steer although we have done very little with the wheel.
We would love to have had FLIR in some of those tighter fishing boat situations but the Chinese government would not allow us to bring the one the owner has into the country.

When do Bob & Dianne Conconi take possession of their boat. I assume PAE still has control until delivered to a home port. Just curious as to how this works with a “your own bottom” delivery. Any insight to the mechanics of this would be great. Costs, liabilities, stuff like that. Thank you. Bob

Hi Bob,
Great question.
We looked into the viability of putting the 120 on a ship and found that not only was the cost astronomical but the availability of ships calling on Xiamen was slim.
Running her on her own bottom pencils out economically and also gives us a great opportunity to experience the boat ourselves as the designers and builders. We will undoubtedly learn many valuable things during this voyage that would simply not be possible in any other situation. 4 weeks aboard will reveal things that we may miss doing simpler sea trials.
We will hand the boat over to Bob and Diane when we clear into Canada. Until then she is under our insurance and all liability is on us.

As you can imagine the condition outside are hot and muggy with temperatures in the 90s and humidity off the chart. The interior is air-conditioned with many zones and comfortable and dry. This is a chilled water system and is reverse cycle so as we progress north and the temperature drops, the system will transition from cooling to heating. For extreme cold conditions the system has electric heating elements so can continue to operate regardless of water temperature. Furthermore there is a diesel boiler that is interfaced with the system and can heat the circulating water to provide heat without excessive electric loads.
During late night watches Mr. Conconi has talked of his interest in transiting the Northwest Passage and he has a very capable vessel to do it in.

Great to follow the journey, which began in construction in what feels like a lifetime ago!

My question: Have there been any serious issues (engine, systems) that have come as a result of being out to sea for the first time that have required immediate and/or ingenious methods for resolution? I always love to hear how the bugs get worked out!

Hi Matt,
I’m happy to report that there have been virtually no mechanical glitches other the some very minor stuff. We’re getting a intermittent message on our engine displays that says Check Engine – diagnostic code unknown. It comes up on individually on both the port and starboard engine and then it disappears for hours. We’re not too concerned about this and will monitor it.
Our Auto Pilot occasionally shows a fault and disengages from the ships steering system. It’s a bit disconcerting but is easily reset without any loss of course. We’ll monitor it too and live with it without any deep trouble shooting unless the situation gets worse – at which time we would be forced to delve deeper into the settings to try to resolve things.
Other than the above mentioned items we’re 100%.

I’d enjoy seeing and hearing a bit about this vessel’s electronics; fire safety, systems monitoring, AIS, Radar, communications, etc.

Thanks and safe travels.

Bob Conconi onboard N120 Aurora responds:

The question is best answered by photos and short descriptions. The basic summary is that there is no electronics that have been left out in the design of Aurora. In almost all cases there is duplicate or triplicate installs of various components.

We have not yet used or configured our SSB radio, I have the manuals onboard but believe this might best wait for our return to PNW, We have an Iridium phone port but did not purchase the actual phone as we are using VOIP on our internet connection to the vessel. We are achieving 1024 downloads easily and have a committed info rate for the VOIP so with a small lag, we have excellent telephone conversations with friends at home.

We installed a Dopler speed log, it actually measures our speed through water (as opposed to GPS over ground). With the two separate measurements, we are acturately able to calculate the effect of current. Even out here in the ocean, we have experienced currents of up to 4 knots.

The second interesting calculation is with the radars and our sat compass. Combined with our autopilot we can accurately demonstrate the effect of current on our steering. We are crabbing sometimes up to 9 degrees to maintain our desired heading. This is possible by two separate headings displays in the top right portion of the Furuno 2127 radars.

We are using Nobeltec Time Zero software combined with NavNer 3D BB, we have 2 software installs of Nobeltec Time Zero at each navigation station and then 4 separate installs of the NN3D, 2 BB installs on each of the pilot house and fly bridge and then 12″ displays in the crew and kitchen quarters.

We rely heavily on the display of AIS information on our charting software and on our Furuno 2127 radars. We sometimes use the overlay that is possible within NN3D but often appreciate the simple display of targets ARPA and AIS on the radar screens.

We are using 19″ Furuno monitors, almost all monitors have secondary sources that they can display other than our principal use.

We have FarSounder foreword looking sonar but are not using it in the middle of the ocean, that monitor is best used at this moment as the secondary radar display,

Our vessel monitoring system is Boening (from Germany), it is very good, was probably designed for major vessels which we believe Aurora is. Contained as part of the system is 16 CCTV cameras, 12 contain PTZ and 4 are fixed focal length. The PTZ offer 360 degree viewing on a continuous basis, they are colour and displayable on any of the 6 Boening displays on the vessel.

Boening also calculates our fuel consumption, electricity usage and almost any consumption of energy on the vessel.

I could go on forever but believe Doug will be posting a few pictures of the system screens as we progress.Of note yesterday, we have a camera installed in the bulbous bow and yesterday we filmed using our camera in hand schools of dolphins going back and forth around our bulbous bow. Miles from anywhere and there is life out here.

Hope to share pictures in the near future.

As a “dreamer” (I hope for just three more years), I get “conflicted” over fiberglass bottoms in an ocean environment especially when there’s a chance of hitting something in the middle of nowhere. I see where some manufacturers use Kevlar to reinforce the bow and keel in the event of a collision or accidently grounding. The 120 is a big boy, but in the middle of ocean I doubt you want to run into a semi-submersed shipping container in the dark (or on a 47 for that matter). One the other hand, I have never read of a Nordhavn colliding with an object in the ocean and sinking. As a Lake Michigan boater I have to admit I never struck anything either that could sink our, “Playing Hooky”. However, Lake Michigan U.S. Coast Guard assets (and other local government assets) are measured in “tens of miles away” (Lake Michigan is only 118 miles at its widest point). Where a Nordhavn can go it’s a pretty big ocean out there and rescue assets can be days away (unless you use a Nordavn for strictly coastal cruising). Your comments (and have a safe and wonderful voyage).

Hi Marc,

Thank you for your question and I would be kidding if I suggested that we never worry about collisions with things floating in the ocean.

Our most immediate concern is the tiny fishing boats that are a constant nuisance during the night. The larger vessels are generally well lit and have AIS that clearly identifies them, their position and course and speed. AIS also warns us of their closest point of approach and it is easy to navigate clear of them. The tiny fishing boats on the other hand generally don’t even show proper running lights and are often sitting tending lines or nets. I think that much of the time at night the fisherman are sleeping. Running along the coast of China the water is often less than 100 feet deep and many of these small boats are anchored and if the sea is running they can be totally invisible on radar.

The Nordhavn hull in the stem and bulbous bow area is in excess of eight inches thick and heavily reinforced with structure and has divided and water tight bulkheads. Hitting a 30 foot frp fishing boat would not likely cause structural damage to our 400 ton vessel but it would likely spell the end to a fisherman’s career. As we have cleared the North end of Taiwan the fishing boats have all but vanished but we expect more along the Japanese Coast north of here.

Farther to the North East we do worry about debris in the water – some of which might be flotsam from the Japanese Tsunami. We worry most about floating lines and nets that could fowl our propellers. We do have diving gear, pull saws and have the ability to clear a fowl but hope our huge Spurs Line Cutters fitted to each shaft will prevent such fowls.

Jeff

John,We have an amazing chef on board who can make almost anything out of nothing. We were able to get a lot of great proteins in China, which we had room to freeze. The proteins alone added up to about 350 pounds. Starting a couple of weeks before the trip Derek and I began making spreadsheets for the number of people, days, and type of food to get. So far we have been on a rotation schedule of various types of pork, beef, and seafood, accompanied by starches and fresh vegetables. We also got plenty of canned foods, dry goods, nuts, grains and just about anything we could find in the Chinese market that would suit our needs.In China, they have a marketplace called the Metro, similar to a Costco (bulk shopping), which is what we have in the States. After getting information from locals on where to find the best food in large quantities, we found out the Metro was our best bet. Our translator contacted the manager of the Metro, and gave the manager our spread sheet with the amounts of foods needed. The Metro was able to order out food and deliver it to the boat for us. Although this took care of the proteins and some dairy, we still ended up making about seven Metro trips within two weeks. Very hard work for both Chef Derek and me, but we both gained a great amount of knowledge for out next provisioning mission.

Due to the typhoon and various other delays, we were stuck in China for a little over a week longer than we had planned. The only food that has been effected by that so far are the eggs. Other than that, we were able to get fresh milk the day before we left China. We have still been eating amazing food from Chef Derek everyday of the journey.

Thanks for the questions.

Bret Leishman

Beautiful ship..thank you for sharing your voyage…was wondering now that sea trials are over is there any testing done in open seas that could not be done before…Thank You

Hi Robert,

I responded in an earlier post that we did do extensive sea trials in Xiamen and also during our first leg to Hong Kong. We were able to test all the systems during those trials. However problems can take time to discover and only hours on the boat can reveal what those may be. So far we have had no issues with the exception of some minor leaks in the water maker supply water plumbing which have be corrected already.

Jeff

From pictures of two meals eaten on board they look rather meager. Who cooks and is there a menu planned?

Hi Marcia,

I can tell you there is no shortage of excellent food. Our chef has been preparing three great meals a day plus plenty of snacks in between. There is always a platter of cheese and cold cuts or fresh cookies and soup on the cook top for those on the late night watches. Dinners have been plated so it may look like slim pickings but there is always enough for seconds and thirds!

Jeff

Great to follow the journey, which began in construction in what feels like a lifetime ago!

My question: Have there been any serious issues (engine, systems) that have come as a result of being out to sea for the first time that have required immediate and/or ingenious methods for resolution? I always love to hear how the bugs get worked out!

Hi Matt,

So far we have been blessed with no serious issues. Actually none at all, however I hate to throw a jinx on us by even saying or writing it! We have an impressive amount of talent on board to deal with situations though and I am confident that we will be able to overcome whatever we encounter. As you know we did do extensive sea trials prior to leaving the factory in Xiamen as well as our shake down to Hong Kong. There were very few issues during those as well.

Jeff

Hi Mark,Yes we run 24/7 on autopilot. The boat has two A/P’s on board as well as two separate steering power packs which run the hydraulics independently of the other hydraulic systems on board. Essentially they are AC pumps (Jastrum) which are powered by any one of the three Onan gen sets.
We do not plan on changing the oil in any of the engines, generator or main, during the passage. We did full oil changes on all while we were in Hong Kong just prior to departure. We did check with MTU to confirm that it would be no problem on a passage such as this to do the oil changes once we arrive. That said we do have plenty of new oil in our new oil tank to accomplish a change should we decide to do so.
We are currently dragging two feathers and as I was writing this we hooked up to a beautiful Dorado which Chef Derek has already cleaned and is preparing to cook!

Jeff

is the instrument mast hinged so it can be lowered to clear bridges. if so is it hydraulic or geared.

The mast is hinged so the boat can be kept inside of a boat house. It is hydraulically operated and the winglets also rotate so that the domes remain in a horizontal position. It is an amazing bit of engineering and took many talented individuals to design and build it.
Having the ability to lower it also make cleaning and servicing much more convenient.

Jeff

It’s a great pleasure to be able to follow your delivery cruise of N120.

What type of stabilizer system are you using on the N120 and what are your experiences so far? Are your stabilizers always activated or are there conditions under which you don’t need them?

Greetings from Switzerland and best wishes for the remainder of your voyage!
Leif

Our stabilizer system is by ABT and we are using a four fin design. It became apparent early on that a two fin set up would result in the fins hanging down below the keel. By using the four fin configuration we are able to keep the fins inside the box so to speak so that they are less vulnerable to damage.
The system has worked perfectly so far and we have even experience the “at rest” system while we were anchored out in open road stead awaiting our final clearance from Xiamen.
Generally the fins are in active mode 24/7 there is no real benefit that results from turning them off and there is always some sort of sea running out here.

Thank You for this Blog!! I have been a Nordhavn fan for many years. My Question is about the log? how often do you log on this trip and how much information do you enter each time? Thank you again for taking us along with you on this trip. Jerry Mitchell

Hi Jerry,

We keep and hourly log going. The information includes lat./ long., speed over ground, sea state, course, wind speed and direction, engine room check, and quantity remaining in our day tank. There is a column for any relevant comments.
The engine room checks consist of a general look around, smell and listen as well as the use of a heat gun to monitor various equipment such as the exhaust components. We also do a steering room check during this inspection.

Jeff

We at ShowBoats magazine think it is so great that the owners are making this delivery trip and we have been sharing the news with our twitter followers. Personally, I think it is a shame that more women don’t get involved in running their yachts and standing watches. I see that Diane is on the watch schedule. It would be great to get a post from her about what it’s like to stand watch and why she (apparently) enjoys it.

I don’t particularly enjoy the part where I have to get up at 4am or go to bed at midnight but I do like sitting watch. I find it is the best time to experience navigating when you can’t see what is around you. At that point experience comes into effect. In the Taiwan Straits it was a challenge dodging the numerous freighters and fishing vessels. However if given the choice of cooking/ cleaning or standing watch the decision was easy.

As many others I’ve been following the “birth” of Aurora, sea trial and now maiden voyage.

And thank you for this blog which allows all of us to be CSAs on your passage (Cyber-Stow-Aways)

Is there a chance to get a few shots from the engine room?
I realize that being underway, this may not be the best/easiest time to do it…so no hurry!

Thanks

Doug Harlow on board N120 Aurora responds:

Thanks for the question Jacques.

We will begin shooting a full video of just the engineroom in the next few days. Shooting video and photos in the engineroom will be no problem, even while we are underway, since there is so much walk-around space.

We will have the video ready to go shortly.

Thank you,
Doug

Hi Buddy!Glad you asked about our fuel as it’s a neat system.Aboard Aurora we have about a 600 gallon day tank from which our engines and generators draw and return their fuel. From the 17,000 gallons of fuel stored within multiple tanks we transfer fuel to the day tank using a high speed centrifuge pump manufactured by Alpha Laval which cleans the fuel of any water or debris.

Thanks for your interest,

Jim

Bon Voyage! The Nack Family wishes you a safe journey across the Pacific. We look forward to all updates.

Thanks David and Leslie! We’re having a great time.

Jeff

Hi Jay,There are 14 people on board right now. (You can check out the crew page here.) We’re operating on two-hour shifts overnight and four-hour shifts during the day:00:00 – 02:00 – Jeff, Doug, David, Densel, Bret
02:00 – 04:00 – Paul, Mike, Joe
04:00 – 06:00 – Jim, Bob, Johnny, Diane, Ron
06:00 – 10:00 – Jeff, Doug, David, Densel, Bret
10:00 – 14:00 – Paul, Mike, Joe
14:00 – 18:00 – Jim, Bob, Johnny, Diane, Ron
18:00 – 20:00 – Jeff, Doug, David, Densel, Bret
20:00 – 22:00 – Paul, Mike, Joe
22:00 – 24:00 – Jim, Bob, Johnny, Diane, Ron

The 120 runs very quietly with the engines barely audible against the sounds of the air conditioning. It is very comfortable to watch tv or listen to music throughout the vessel.I have reported on fuel consumption on a separate post but it is a function of the speed selected.For example – to push the vessel at her maximum speed of about 13 to 14 knots consumes about 100 gallons per hour. To run at 7 knots can be done on about 8 gallons per hour. Our selected speed of about 8.5 knots will consume about 16 gallons per hour.Hopes this helps answer your questions.

Jim

Best regards,

Jeff

I have been following the 120 for so long now…It is such a thrill to see her on her way home…Beautiful boat…Have a safe trip and keep us informed pleased..

Hi Malcolm,

Thanks for your interest in our voyage. We are well underway now and all of us are getting the feel of the ship and settling into a daily routine of watch standing, eating great meals prepared by Chef Derek and my son Sous-chef Bret, reading and sleeping.

Bob and Diane have a great collection of movies on board which they have been enjoying ( something like 3000 movies). We all can watch movies from our staterooms as well.

So for now life is good aboard and we will try to keep posting info as we go.

Best regards,

Jeff

As your first yacht in the 100′ range, how happy are you with the result? By the photos provided, the excellent quality is evident. What difficulties did the shipyard encounter with the first model? What number of crew would be required with this model? I know that most of your yachts are designed to be run by a husband and wife team, which would not be possible with this model. I commend both PAE and Ta Shing on building another great Nordhavn and hope to one day have my own Nordhavn built, although less than 120′!

Hi John,

As the chief designer of the 120 I can tell you am very pleased with the results. However this project included many very talented individuals that made it what it is. I have to acknowledge just some of the outstanding team members ;
Trever Smith, project manager
Phil Arnold, head engineer
David Jen, on site engineer and current crew
Andrew Mund, outside engineering
Destry Darr, interior design
Johnny Ku, factory project manager
Dan Streech and Jim Leishman,
And especially Bob and Diane, the best owners we could have hoped for

Obviously there are many who I have not mentioned and will likely hear from and to all of you, my apologies, your contributions are appreciated very much. Which brings me to the builder, Tsai Wan who is the founder and owner of South Coast Marine in China. Tsai is a great partner and long time friend and is to be commended for building this magnificent yacht.
As far as challenges and difficulties encountered during the build, we had our share but nothing that was too much to overcome with the talented team we had working for us.
This boat will require a minimum of 4 qualified operators for the basic functions, Captain, a good engineer, a mate and a deck hand. So a good husband and wife team are capable of running the bait with the addition of an engineer and a deck hand.
Standing by to build you your perfect Nordhavn, just let us know when you are read!!

Best regards,

Jeff

Best regards,

Jeff

Can you share more blog entries. Those living vicariously as dreamers need more self-indulgence.

We’d love to know the thinking and reasoning behind N120’s every move and heart beat. For the sake of participating with you and learning with you, please post more blogs.

Also, will be making landfall in Vancouver proper? That is my neck of the woods and I’d love to photograph your entrance home!

Hi David,
Thank you so much for your inquiry. The guys are getting into their routine on board right now after their first full day at sea out of Hong Kong. You can count on more frequent and detailed blog reports very soon as well as some trip statistics. Stay tuned and thanks for joining us on this awesome journey!