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Boat Review Date: 11 April 2026
Author: Dans Boat Life
Overview
I spent two full days aboard the Nordhavn N68 with the goal of putting myself in your shoes and running the boat for the weekend. From full start-up procedure to docking, anchoring, tender deployment and cruising, we did it. So, prepare yourself for a long weekend of viewing, as this was not designed to be rushed. Instead, we wanted to give those of you who are in the market for a Nordhavn as realistic an experience as possible to hopefully save you time before you get on the plane and test one for yourself. As a brand, this is the trawler yacht many of us immediately think of when we imagine a trawler. As a design, the N68 is a life-changing vessel that could literally take you anywhere you can dream of. This actual model is one on my vision board – let me know if it makes it on yours after watching this?
More Information
About the Author: Dan Jones is a retired boat salesman of 20 years who is creating real world independent boat tests for his YouTube Channel, Dans Boat Life. He has personally sold and delivered over 450 power and sailing boats and has 30 years’ experience with yacht racing, cruising sailing and power boats of all types. Dan has trained hundreds of owners on the operation of their new boats and is a specialist in coaching new boat owners on how to confidently park their boat in a marina berth.
Review Summary: NordHavn N68
The Nordhavn N68 is one of those boats that demands a change of mindset before you even step aboard, and this sea trial makes that abundantly clear. Filmed on Queensland's Gold Coast with presenter Dan Jones and his mate Blaine, it puts the long-range trawler through its paces from dead ship startup all the way to open ocean performance testing, and the result is a comprehensive, honest look at what life with this vessel would actually be like.
Startup and systems
The boat runs on a 24V and 240V dual electrical system with an isolation transformer that accepts US 110V/60Hz power, a thoughtful touch for anyone cruising internationally. The centrepiece is a John Deere 425hp main engine paired with a wing engine that drives a dedicated hydraulic PTO, powering the thrusters and stabilisers during manoeuvring. Dan and Blaine work through the startup methodically but logically, targeting around 75°C on the main engine before leaving the dock. There are two generators onboard (27kW and an 11kW) though the main engine's twin 175-amp alternators can run most systems without them.
Departing the dock
Leaving the berth is a two-person job, at least until you're very familiar with the boat. With no rudder control at the wing stations, Blaine (taking the helm at the wing station) centred the rudder first and relied entirely on the bow and stern thrusters for directional control. Those thrusters (38hp hydraulic units, 12 inches in diameter) proved impressively capable; although Dan and Blaine did use walkie-talkies to coordinate line-handling and thruster input to ensure the departure went smoothly. The key reminder: a boat of this weight carries significant inertia, so everything happens at a measured pace. Plan accordingly: don't test-park a boat like this in a marina for the first time. Get out in open water, understand how she responds, and only bring her into a berth once you're confident in her turning circles and manoeuvring behaviour.
Anchoring
Dan and Blaine found a spot in around 6–8 metres of water, laid out chain at roughly 3:1 scope, and set the hook without drama. A couple of larger powerboats passing on the plane barely registered a roll; a testament to the hull's mass and stability as this was without active stabilisation running.
Tender deployment
The N68 uses a CT2500 steel-head Davit system with a dedicated independent electric-hydraulic pack. Deploying the aluminium Quintrex 430 Escape tender is a process that takes some practice and ideally two or three people for the first few attempts, but the system itself is well-engineered. Once in the water, the tender is simply drifted back to midships on the line and boarded from there. A nice detail: the headache ball stows neatly away between uses, reducing unnecessary wear on the Spectra lifting line.
Paravane stabilisers
Perhaps the most visually striking feature is the paravane system; a pair of weighted aluminium fish deployed on poles off either beam. When extended, they effectively triple the boat's beam, providing exceptional at-rest stability without drawing any generator power. In anything from flat water to moderate offshore swell, with larger powerboats passing at speed nearby, the boat barely moves.
Ocean performance and fuel consumption
In a metre-plus southeasterly swell with 15–20 knots of wind, results were consistent and telling:
- 1,000 RPM: 5.5 knots, ~11 L/hr
- 1,200 RPM: 6.6–6.8 knots, ~19.5 L/hr
- 1,400 RPM: ~8 knots, 29–30 L/hr
- 1,600 RPM: 8.9 knots, ~45 L/hr
- 1,900 RPM (flat out): 9.8 knots, 85–87 L/hr
The sweet spot sits comfortably around 7 knots, and that efficiency, combined with large fuel tanks across port, starboard, and forward storage, explains the owner's GPS track that Dan and Blaine examine during the trip, showing passages to New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, and Tasmania.
Seakeeping and comfort
The boat's displacement hull and considerable weight (a minimum of 1.9 inches of fibreglass below the waterline, with the keel reaching 3.7 inches) deliver a seakeeping experience that genuinely surprises. Dan drives her manually into the swell, across it, and downwind, and the motion throughout is described as comfortable and relaxed. Active fin stabilisers (two 12 sq ft fins) add to this when underway. Inside the pilothouse, conversation between Dan and Blaine is easy at all tested speeds, and engine noise remains minimal throughout.
Verdict
The Nord Haven N68 is not a boat for everyone, and it knows it. It rewards patience, deliberate seamanship, and a long-horizon view of where you want to go. For those buyers, it offers world-class range, genuine stability, thoughtfully engineered systems, and the kind of motion comfort that makes extended offshore passages genuinely enjoyable rather than merely survivable. As Dan notes, three competent people can run it with ease; two can manage it in the right conditions. It's the sort of boat you'd be proud to own for decades, and based on the owner's track record that Dan and Blaine pore over on the chartplotter, one that will take you to places you've only ever dreamed of.
