Nordhavn 51Cruising boat for adventurers with more cabins

Ralf Marquard

 · 23.05.2024

The Nordhavn 51 is powered by two John Deere diesel engines
Photo: Doug Harlow/Nordhavn
Nordhavn is part of Pacific Asian Enterprises and is known for its seaworthy boats. The crews travel all over the world on these yachts.

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The latest model is the Nordavn 51, modelled on its sister N41. The latter is a boat that is very popular with owners. However, customer demand for more cabins and a flybridge called for a larger boat - the result is the N51.

For rough use

She is a so-called passagemaker, designed for rough use on the world's oceans. The hull is solid, the motorisation with two proven diesel engines is reliable. An exemplary diesel filter and cooling water system also contribute to this. To ensure that the fuel supply does not run out so quickly, 5498 litres of diesel can be bunkered.

When sailing the Baunmmer 01 with James Leishman, son of Nordhavn co-founder Jim Leishman, it was shown that the latest model easily reaches 11 knots and achieves an average speed of 9 knots over a passage of 600 nautical miles. The yacht is also said to be particularly quiet and there are hardly any vibrations.

Nordhavn 51 planned down to the smallest detail

The boat is planned and built down to the smallest detail. For example, the shipyard mentions the cleats, windscreen wipers, swivel chairs in the saloon, crockery in the galley and mattresses. The guest cabin can be converted from a double bed into two single beds.


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The Nordhavn 51 has a total of two sleeping cabins and a separate sleeping area behind the wheelhouse seating group. Comfortable bathrooms are of course also available. The saloon and galley form a single unit. Below deck is the sheltered driving position behind a solid windscreen.

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Those who prefer to cruise in the open air will find their place on the flybridge, which guarantees a superb view. To the aft is a platform on which the dinghy is moored. It can be easily lowered into the water using a loading crane.


Technical data

  • Type: Nordhavn 51
  • CE category: A
  • Longer about everything: 15,47 m
  • Width: 4,78 m
  • Diesel tank: 5489 l
  • Water tank: 1325 l
  • Faecal tank: 322 l
  • Motorisation: 2x John Deere 4045AFM85 M1
  • Shipyard: Nordhavn

Ralf Marquard

Ralf Marquard

Deputy Editor in Chief BOOTE

Ralf Marquard discovered his enthusiasm for boating on the tranquil Aller, first with inflatable boats and later with a 6-meter cabin cruiser. His electrical engineering studies at HAW Hamburg took him from the southern Heidekreis (Lower Saxony) to the Hanseatic city. Ralf Marquard has been working for the BOOTE editorial team since 1997, where he trained as a test editor. He tests both small inflatable boats and larger yachts. His personal boat is a 4.50 meter long, self-built wooden boat with a 50 hp outboard motor. In 2007, he was appointed deputy editor-in-chief at BOOTE.

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