Nordic Tug 32 Buyer's Guide, From the 1985 Original to the 32 Plus

The boat that carried Nordic Tugs for twenty years

Look through any list of Nordic Tug 32 for sale ads, especially in Washington State, and you are looking at the model that made Nordic Tugs a real company. After the 26 proved the pleasure tug idea, the Burlington builder saw demand for something bigger, and production efficiencies favored a larger boat. The 32 arrived in 1985. By 1989 it accounted for half of Nordic's sales, and by 1994 the figure approached 90 percent, according to company president Jim Cress in a 2002 Sea magazine test.

Like every Nordic of that era, it rides on a Lynn Senour hull: flat aft, with a fine entry, hard chines and a long, deep keel that protects the propeller and rudder. Early 32s were relatively slow, but later versions with more power run comfortably in the mid teens while still cruising efficiently at displacement speed.

Cress joked that by 2001 Nordic was building the 17th annual version of the 1985 Nordic Tug 32. That frankness explains the 32 Plus, a re-engineered version that is the best used buy for many owners today.

The original boat, with A, B and C layouts

Nordic's 2000 specification describes the original: 32 ft 2 in overall, an 11 ft beam, 3 ft 6 in draft and about 13,000 to 13,500 lb, with 200 gallons of fuel, 100 of water in two tanks and a 30 gallon waste tank built into the keel. Standard power was a 220 hp Cummins 6BT 5.9 Diamond series diesel on a Hurth 2:1 gear with a four blade 24 x 20 prop, and a 270 hp 6BTA was the upgrade. A 4 hp bow thruster, forced-air hot water heating and a 6 ft 8 in pilothouse headroom were standard.

The pilothouse seats three with a full-width overhead instrument console and sliding doors on both sides. Aft and down, the saloon has a settee that converts to a double, and the galley sat forward in plan A. Plan B moved the galley and a small settee to port with a split pilothouse settee, and plan C added a sliding pilot berth. Forward is a double berth cabin and a head with a shower. Options included a 30 inch hull extension, swim platform, saloon roof sundeck, generator, diesel furnace and air conditioning.

Bridge clearance is about 10 ft, which makes the 32 popular with canal and Great Loop cruisers who need to slip under fixed bridges.

The 32 Plus moved the engine 18 inches aft

Around 2002 Nordic launched the 32 Plus. The trick was moving the engine and engine room bulkhead back 18 inches, which freed space for an island berth forward, a larger head with a separate stall shower and a hanging locker. A new helm console got a single lever Morse electronic control with mechanical backup, the galley gained an under-counter refrigerator and freezer, engine hatches grew, and a boarding platform extended the hull and waterline. Sea magazine listed 34 ft 7 in, an 11 ft beam, 3 ft 9 in draft and 16,000 lb.

Nordic also scrapped most of its option list and sold the 32 Plus in two packages. The Cold Climate version had an Espar diesel heater, defroster and propane Force 10 stove. The All Climate version had a generator, air conditioning and electric range. Standard power rose to a 270 hp Cummins B Series, with a Reverso oil change system, fire suppression, Lofrans windlass and VacuFlush head included.

• Cold Climate 32 Plus: $243,100 list in 2002, diesel heat and propane cooking
• All Climate 32 Plus: $260,400 list in 2002, generator, air conditioning and electric range
• Both: island berth, stall shower, 270 hp Cummins, electronic single lever control

19.7 knots flat out, 7.6 knots on a whisper

Sea magazine's test of the 32 Plus, with five aboard and full fuel and water in the tricky currents of Puget Sound, recorded a top speed of 19.7 knots, an economical fast cruise of 15 knots at 2,200 rpm and a 17 knot cruise at 2,400 rpm, the maximum Cummins recommended for sustained pleasure use. At 1,000 rpm the boat made about 7.6 knots at 4.44 miles per gallon, giving a theoretical range of 888 miles to empty. Sound at cruise measured 70 dB.

For model year 2007 Nordic switched to a 280 hp Volvo Penta D6. Soundings reported early sea trials showing an 18 knot top speed and 2 to 2.5 gph at 8 knots. By 2011 the spec sheet showed a 270 hp Cummins QSD, 205 gallons of fuel and a range of about 500 nautical miles at 8 knots.

Which engine era to buy

The mechanical Cummins 6BT and 6BTA boats are simple and widely understood by Northwest mechanics, though by now many have high hours or have been repowered. The 32 Plus with its Cummins B Series is the sweet spot for many buyers, combining the improved layout with a proven engine. The 2007 and later Volvo D6 and Cummins QSD boats are electronic, quieter and cleaner, and command the highest prices, but parts and diagnostics require dealer support.

Whatever the era, check the cutless bearing, shaft seal and rudder for wear. The full keel protects the running gear, but a long life in tidal waters takes its toll.

Why so many 32s are for sale in Washington

Nordic built the 32 in Burlington, north of Seattle, and Northwest dealers such as SkipperCress Yacht Sales in Anacortes were long part of its sales network, which helps explain why so many used boats are in Puget Sound and British Columbia. That is why searches for a Nordic Tug 32 for sale in Washington are so common. East Coast boats exist, often Great Loop veterans, and their prices can be higher simply because of scarcity.

We estimate 2026 prices from about $70,000 for a tired 1980s boat to around $230,000 for a late, well-equipped boat. Annual running costs of roughly $9,000 to $20,000 cover a 35 ft slip, insurance, a haul, engine service and canvas.

What replaced the Nordic Tug 32

Nordic's 2012 company history says the 32, 37 and 52 evolved into the Nordic Tug 34, 39 and 54, with integrated transom platforms and fresh interiors. The 2011 spec sheet for the 32 already listed 34 ft 11 in overall with the anchor roller, an 11 ft 4 in beam and 3 ft 8 in draft, so the step to the 34 was an evolution rather than a clean sheet. Buyers comparing a late 32 with an early 34 should focus on equipment and condition as much as the badge.