FT. LAUDERDALE PREVIEW

What’s new at FLIBS Brian K. Lind

FLIBS PREVIEW

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest boat show in North America, will kick off its 59th year a few days after this issue hits newsstands. For those who are missing out or for those of you who are already en route, here is a preview of a few of the new models, new tech, and other news that is being unveiled at the 2018 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.

THE BOATS

Three New Nordhavns Nordhavn is known for innovating and improving on their existing products to bring the best cruising boats to market. This year is no different as three new models are scheduled to debut in Fort Lauderdale.

Nordhavn 59 Coastal Pilot Motoryacht Edition: The Motoryacht edition is a significant change to the Coastal Pilot introduced in mid-2016. The original 59 CP was Nordhavn’s first venture away from full displacement boats into semidisplacement hull forms. The original CP featured a cockpit that was perfect for storing kayaks, SUPs, and dinghies. The new Motoryacht version eliminates the cockpit and expands the interior living space, allowing for a larger saloon, galley, and creates space for a stand up engine room all the way aft to the stern.

Nordhavn 475: This new yacht fits in the midsize range for Nordhavn, offering something in a 50-foot range while maintaining pricing similar to the Nordhavn 43. Based on the 43 hull, the N475 not only presents a much different look from her predecessor thanks to a completely new deck and flybridge, she also provides more room throughout the interior and exterior of the boat. And she continues to offer the economy and manageability of a mid-size boat. The 475 gains room over the 43 with a two foot expansion in the saloon, engine room, and lazarette.

Nordhavn 80: This new model is designed to bridge the gap between the N76 and the N86 and N96 designs. The 80 will provide all of the passagemaking capabilities that Nordhavn is