Nordhavn 47 for Sale, Specs, Prices and Ocean Range

Twenty-two orders before anyone saw a Nordhavn 47

Nordhavn says it took 22 orders for the 47 sight unseen, which tells you how much trust the brand had earned by the early 2000s. Buyers were putting deposits on a design built around the lessons from the Nordhavn 40 circumnavigation, the earlier Nordhavn 46 and the bigger 57 and 62. Nordhavn went on to build 59 of them between 2002 and 2009 at its partner yard, South Coast Marine in Xiamen, China. The 47 was meant to be the boat that combined weeks of self-sufficient cruising with real offshore ability, at a size a couple could still handle.

Power and Motoryacht tested an early hull in 2003 at a price of about $860,000. Today, if you are searching for a Nordhavn 47 for sale, you will find that the best boats still ask much of that original number. Few trawlers hold value like this, and the reasons are on the spec sheet: 85,000 pounds of displacement, roughly 7,400 pounds of lead ballast, 1,470 gallons of diesel and a separate wing engine for backup.

Hull form, ballast and the numbers that matter

The 47 measures 47 feet 8 inches overall with a 43 foot 4 inch waterline and a 16 foot 1 inch beam. That waterline puts theoretical hull speed near 8.8 knots, and the boat's efficient band sits between 7 and 8 knots. Draft is listed by Nordhavn at 5 feet 11 inches, while Power and Motoryacht published 5 feet for its test boat, so measure the actual boat at half load if depth matters to your cruising grounds.

Construction uses fiberglass with vinylester resin, which resists osmotic blistering better than the orthophthalic polyester common in older trawlers. Internal lead ballast lowers the center of gravity and gives the boat a long, slow roll period that crew find far less tiring than the snappy motion of lighter hulls.

• Fuel 1,470 gallons, water 400 gallons
• Black water 120 gallons, gray water 110 gallons
• 24 volt DC system with a 510 amp hour house bank as delivered
• Generator options up to 16 kW

The Lugger main and the Yanmar wing

Early boats, including the 2003 test boat, carried a 174 hp Lugger LP668T inline six through a ZF gear at 3.96 to 1, swinging a 34 inch four-blade bronze propeller. Later boats listed a Lugger L1066T at 165 hp. Lugger engines are John Deere based, built by Northern Lights for long duty cycles at moderate loads, and they are a good match for a boat that may run 24 hours a day for a week.

The backup is a Yanmar wing engine (35 hp on the 2003 test boat, 40 hp on later boats) on its own V-drive, shaft and folding propeller. Yachting found it would push the boat at about 5 knots, enough to reach a harbor or hold a heading in weather. Power and Motoryacht's tester found the deep reduction gave enough low speed torque to make close quarters handling forgiving, and the turning circle tight for a heavy keel boat, aided by a Side Power bow thruster.

The engine room is insulated with two inch foam and is one of the quietest in its class. Standing headroom and good access to both sides of the main engine make routine service realistic for an owner operator.

Range at displacement speed

Nordhavn quotes a range of over 3,000 nautical miles for the 47, cruising efficiently at 8 to 9 knots, and Yachting repeated that figure. Neither the builder nor the 2003 Power and Motoryacht test published a fuel curve, so treat the number as a calm-water best case. Physics still applies: the hull's theoretical speed is near 8.8 knots, and slowing a knot or more below it stretches range far more than any tank upgrade. At 9 knots and above the range falls off quickly as the hull starts climbing its own bow wave.

That is enough for Hawaii from California, the Atlantic via Bermuda and the Azores, or a full season in British Columbia and Southeast Alaska without needing remote fuel docks. The type has built a solid reputation among long distance owners, which is reflected in how quickly well equipped boats sell.

Naiad fins and the motion offshore

The test boat carried Naiad stabilizers, which is typical for the model. The reviewer found them barely necessary on a calm test day, which says more about the weather than the boat. In a beam sea a heavily ballasted displacement hull without stabilizers will roll persistently, so treat the fins as essential equipment. Check actuator seals, the hydraulic pump and the control unit age on any boat you inspect, and ask when the system was last rebuilt.

For at anchor comfort, many owners add flopper stoppers or a paravane setup. A few have retrofitted zero speed fin systems, which work well but add cost and power demand.

Wheelhouse, saloon and two staterooms

The 47 has a true wheelhouse with a chart table and a pilothouse berth, so an off watch crew can sleep steps from the helm. That berth also counts as a third sleeping space when family visits. The saloon is finished in traditional teak with granite counters in the galley, and there is an office alcove, a feature that matters more now that many owners work remotely while cruising.

Below, the master stateroom and a guest stateroom each have access to a head with shower. Storage is excellent, as it should be on an 85,000 pound boat, and long term cruisers carry spares for nearly every critical system.

Great Loop and shallow water realities

Can you do the Great Loop on a Nordhavn 47? Yes, and some owners have, but the boat is not ideal for it. A draft in the 5 to 6 foot range limits anchorages in the Bahamas and on the Tenn-Tom, and air draft with the mast down has to fit beneath the Chicago railroad bridge, which allows just 19 feet 1 inch. The 47 is a better fit for the ICW, the Northeast and the Pacific Coast, where its weight and range are assets rather than burdens.

Nordhavn 47 or Nordhavn 475

Buyers often confuse the two. The 475 is a newer model based on the Nordhavn 43 hull, narrower at 14 feet 10 inches across, more modern in profile, 1,200 gallons of fuel and a single 180 hp John Deere 4045. The original 47 is beamier at 16 feet 1 inch, heavier, and carries more fuel and water. If you want the most volume and tankage for the money, the 47 wins. If you want a newer build and a more contemporary look, the 475 is the better choice.