Our Boat

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Our boat is a year 2006 Nordhavn 43, hull number 18. This is an amazing boat, built by the wonderful people at Pacific Asian Enterprises (PAE), also known as Nordhavn. First thing, this is not a sailboat. It is a long range (thousands of miles) powerboat to hold about 2 to 4 people comfortably for long voyages. This class of boat is usually called a “passagemaker” which means it can handle the world’s great passages, such as crossing the Atlantic or Pacific. More generically it can be called a “trawler.”

Some quick facts:

  • 43 feet long (45 including anchor).
  • 14 feet 10 inches wide.
  • 54,540 pounds at full load of water and fuel (that is very heavy/stout for a boat this size).
  • 2 staterooms (boatspeak for bedrooms).
  • 2 heads (boatspeak for 2 toilets, 2 showers).
  • Luxuries include: 120 volt power, full air conditioning/heat, washer/dryer (combo unit), watermaker (turns seawater into fresh water), trash compactor, 2 refrigerators, and 1 deep freezer.
  • About 3000 nautical mile range on one load of diesel fuel.
  • ~5 to 7 knot cruising speed (6 knot average, ~2.7 nm/usgal, ~2.1 usgal/hour).
  • 1250 gallons of fuel.
  • 300 gallons of water.
  • 105hp diesel main engine.
  • 29hp diesel “wing” engine aka emergency engine

Overall it is like a tiny 2 bedroom, 3 story apartment with all the comforts of a land based home. The living room (in boatspeak called salon) is mid level, the pilothouse is top level, and the staterooms and engine room are the lower level. Here are the generic drawings (select image for larger version):

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43 Layout
43 Pilothouse

We have spent time with many of the people at PAE before we signed our contract in June 2004 to build this boat. We can truly say they have an honest passion for their product, and care deeply about their customers. So much so, that we truly believe we can trust our lives to their expertise. For example, our outstanding sales person was Jeff Merrill. There have been many inspirational people for our boat.

Check out the official web site for the Nordhavn 43 to get more drawings, pictures, and information.

The Kosmos Tour post has more pictures and video. Also look at Boat Technical posts for all kinds of boat info.

While the 43 is a production boat, it has many choices and options. Here are some of the major and cosmetic decisions that may interest you:

  • Lugger LP668D Lugger main engine (naturally aspirated, as opposed to turbo).
  • Yanmar wing engine and propulsion system.
  • White hull with dark red water line stripe and smoke stack stripe.
  • No-flybridge.
  • American Bow Thruster (ABT) TRAC active fin stabilizers.
  • Paravane stabilizers.
  • Port saloon settee replaced with cabinet and drawers.
  • 8kw generator (See 8kw Generator Choice post).
  • Surell (solid suface) counter tops.
  • Washer/Dryer (combo unit).
  • 400 gallon per day AC water maker (Village Marine Squirt 400).
  • 160 gallon per day DC water maker (Village Marine Stowaway 160).

Here is our list of Purchase Options.

Also we have built-in electronics onboard for navigation, safety, and communication.

  • Radar (x2): Furuno 1944C (6kw, 4 foot open array) radar and chart plotter, NavNet2 version. Furuno 1744 (4kw closed array), networked with Furuno Ethernet hub
  • Furuno GP32 GPS (x2)
  • Furuno GP39 GPS
  • Simrad AP26 autopilot system (AC40 computer, RP300 pump) (x2)
  • Furuno BBFF1 depth sounder
  • Icom 602 VHF/hailer
  • Icom 802 SSB
  • Icom MA-500TR Class B AIS Transceiver
  • Iridium Go!
  • Starlink RV
  • EPIRB with GPS

And some additional safety items:

  • Winslow Offshore Rescue Maxi-4 (6 person liferaft, includes watermaker and EPRIB)
  • Galerider Drogue (42×48 inches)
  • 400 feet of line nylon deployment rode for Para anchor or drogue
  • Fortress 55 anchor (big stern anchor, or secondary anchor to our 105 pound Mantus M2)
  • Danforth High Tensile 20lbs (stern anchor)
  • 50 feet of G4 HT chain attached to 150 5/8 three braided nylon (stern line or secondary anchor rode)
  • Water tight floating “ditch bags” loaded with flares, first aid, and misc. survival and safety goodies

Our tenders:

  • “Kosmopolitan” Gig Harbor Navigator (10 foot sailing/rowing/power hard shell) (new tender coming in Dec 2023, stay tuned)
  • “Achilles Tender” Achilles 10.4 LSI (10.4 foot all inflatable hypalon)
  • Torqeedo Travel 503 Electric motor

Other goodies:

  • Solar on Pilothouse 200 watt x2
    • Solar on Boat deck 170 watt x4 (snaps on deck with dinghy is deployed)
    • Victronix MPPT 100/50 x2
  • Batter Monitor Victronix BMV 712
  • AirBreeze Wind Generator
  • 50 amp Mastervolt multi-phase, multi-voltage battery charger
  • Bauer Jr. Air Compressor (110v) for filling SCUBA tanks (3200 psi)
  • 4 brackets for holding SCUBA tanks in lazarette
  • Boat theater system: In mid stateroom a 50 inch screen that pulls down in front of head sliding door with 1080p projector at head of the bed on shelf with 5.1 Denon surround sound system (Orb shielded speakers, and 12 inch subwoofer). While reclining on the bed the viewing angle and distance are superb with great acoustics tuned just for this space. Also Denon is dual zone that powers two Orb speakers in pilot house.
  • HMC system 4 pillow top mattresses in mid stateroom and forward stateroom
  • Spectra line in winches and boom mounted line controls and extra boom connection points to make it easier to raise and lower dinghy
  • 95% mesh window covers and snaps on all windows, gray canvas hatch covers for the 3 hatches
  • Two dock boxes mounted on boat deck for storage, included one vented box for gasoline storage
  • Weaver removable swivel chocks for mounting the dinghy

Previous

  • Honda 2hp Motor
  • Hobi Mirage Sport Kayaks (x2)
  • Parachute Anchor (18 foot)
  • 26 inch LCD screen secured on port salon shelf
  • Solaire Infrared BBQ
  • Folding bike (x2)
  • Nissan 6hp 4-stroke
  • Iridium Satellite Phone with Applied Satellite Docking Station
  • Two 125 watt solar panels
  • Solar charge controller (Blue Sky Energy 2000E)
  • Belkin wireless USB hub to allow wireless sat phone connection and MaxSea dongle connection/sharing
  • 88lbs Delta anchor
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9 thoughts on “Our Boat

  1. I was wonding how many hours you have on the main engine and generator?

    Thanks very much
    Larry

  2. Hi Christi,

    I have been reading your blog/book in which you mention that there were only 3 companies that manufactured true passagemaking boats. One is obviously Nordhavn. Can you give me the names of the other two?

    I have really been enjoying reading your blog. What a wonderful adventure you two had. Go ahead and defy the world by raising your child on Kosmos. We have read about other people who have done so.

  3. Hi, love the books have you any idea when book 3 will be published ?

    What a wonderful life you have

  4. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the books! It will be a while before Part 3 comes out. I’ve started it, but I have a long way to go on it still. Between taking care of the baby and our elderly parents, I just don’t have time to write. However, I am hoping to have the Calculating Cruising Costs Workbook done this year. It was almost done when Keith was born and since there is so little left to do on that book, I am hoping I can get it finished up and published soon.

  5. Hi great read!
    i am just wondering, what would you do different in regards to your boat build, based on new technology and being on the boat for the times you have, different options?

    thanks
    chris

  6. So sorry for the delayed response! I thought Eric responded and he thought I’d responded! Eric says he needs some time to put together a thoughtful answer. Lately, life has been about brightest burning fires and we haven’t been able to focus much on things that aren’t affecting us here and now. The craziness is starting to ease and he’ll to get back to you eventually, though!

  7. Hello,

    I see you are having a lot of fun with your vessel, would you be interested in the near future of selling her? I have a interested party and there are no 43′ on the market on the west coast.

    Thank you,

  8. Thank you for your interest in Kosmos. We are still hoping to do extensive cruising aboard Kosmos in the future, so we are not interested in selling at this time.

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