Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Description of Envoy
Envoy is a "Nordhavn 46" - see www.nordhavn.com - ocean going heavy displacement pilot house motor vessel.
Four of these vessels have completed World circumnavigations and one is currently en route from the Med to NZ. Envoy crossed the Atlantic to the Med with her previous owners.
Other vital statistics are beam 15ft 5in, draft 5ft, displacement 62,000 lb, diesel capacity 1000 gal, fuel range about 3,000 NM, cruising speed around 7.5 kn.
Envoy was built in 1990 and underwent an extensive refit 2002 to 2004 when much equipment was renewed.
She is powered with a naturally aspirated, keel cooled, dry exhaust Lugger 143 hp diesel engine with a Yanmar 35 hp as spare wing engine. She has an 8 kw Northern Lights Genset and HRO Seafari 36 gph watermaker.
Stabilisation against rolling is achieved either using hydraulic stabilisers or by extending the paravanes and deploying the "birds" in the water. Stabilisation at anchor is achieved by deploying "flopper stoppers" from the paravanes.
Navigation equipment is very extensive including 2 x radars, 2 x independent auto pilots, several gps / plotter options, 2 x depth sounders including forward scanning, several VHF radios, SSB radio, Satphone, weatherfax.
Additional safety equipment includes life raft, sea anchor, EPIRB, night sights, closed circuit TV monitoring of engine room.
A 12 ft centre console RIB with 25 hp, 4-stroke Yamaha is stored on the boat deck.
The galley has a gas stove and oven, microwave, trash compactor and fridge/freezer.
Comfortable accomodation is found in 2 double staterooms each with its own head and shower while there is also a skippers berth in the pilot house.
There are 3 x aircon systems and customised insect screens throughout.
The Saloon has flat screen TV and a home entertainment system.
Other features are cockpit BBQ, clothes washer/dryer.
Envoy is also extensively equipped with misc equipment, tools, spares etc for safe long range cruising.

Monday, December 04, 2006

We leave NZ on 1/3/07 and Envoy (currently on the hard) will be re launched about 5/3.
Envoy will have been given a new epoxy gelcoat and antifoul.
We will have a few days of familiarisation from the previous owners Wayne & Pat and then spend a further couple of weeks getting used to Envoy, provisioning and seeing some of the sights of Rome before heading SE towards Sicily. We plan to spend a couple of weeks or so there during which time Amy will join us for Easter. Then we will head N along the Italian coast of the Ionian Sea and across to the W shores of Greece. In July some time we will head further E to Turkey for a few months of cruising the Turkish coast and adjacent Greek Islands.
Here is photo of "Envoy" in Ostia, Rome. The two poles are paravane arms for stabilisation