We named our boat, Meraki, which is a Greek word meaning the love, creativity, and passion you put into something; the act of leaving a piece of yourself in your work. She is a Nordhavn 41. And though it sounds like a Scandinavian boat, our Nordhavn (Norwegian for North Harbor) was actually built in Turkey.

Ship building is a 600 year old tradition in Turkey. The first shipyard was established in 1390. By the 16th century Turkish shipyards were already largest in the world. Traditional shipbuilding skills combined with modern techniques and education has enabled the Turkish shipbuilding industry to develop into an internationally known trademark. Our boat is solidly built, designed and outfitted by people who have actually crossed oceans and are based in southern California.

The N41 has twin, 74-hp Kubota, mechanically-injected turbo-charged diesels marinized by Beta Marine in the U.K. These are simple, bullet-proof tractor and genset engines. The fact that the 41’s are mechanical (as opposed to electronic) means that, with an uncomplicated set of tools, repairs can be done by the average Joe (or Tom) in the midst of the open sea where chances of getting parts and service are pretty much nonexistent. And yes, these are certainly not the most environmentally responsible engines on the planet, but the Kubota’s are certainly efficient and are rated tier 3 - meaning very clean running engines. The boats top speed is 9 knots but if you throttle back to 6 knots, the reported burn is just 1.6 GPH with a colossal 3,383 nautical mile range. Sure, currents and weather are not factored into this data, but even so—the 41’s power-plant clearly has ocean-crossing potential.

When purchasing an N41 you have the choice of one or two staterooms. We opted for the two-cabin design so that we can entertain friends and family (that means you!). The boat has one bathroom (head) and a small galley, dining and sitting areas.

It carries our dingy and eventually a few toys, and it is entirely self-sufficient.

Specifications:

LOA: 41ft. 4in.

Beam: 13ft. 11in.

Draft: 4ft. 6in.

Displacement: 43,300 lbs.

Fuel: 900 gal.

Water: 300 gal.

Power: 2x 74-hp

Betamarine 85T Kubota

Top speed: 9.1 knots

There’s a great video tour here:

https://www.passagemaker.com/cruiser-reviews/n41-sea-trial-review