Nordic Tugs Nordic Tug 34 (2014-)

Brief Summary

Trawler cruising requires a boat with the versatility to handle varying conditions, including shallow water and low bridges. We recently tested the new Nordic Tug 34 and came away convinced that a cruising couple could go a lot of places in this boat, and stay onboard for a long time. 

She’s easily managed and can be operated single-handed. Her systems are easily maintained and there is handy access to virtually all components is part of the design. As for how long she can go, our test results tell the tale.

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	34' 11" 10.6 m
Beam	11' 4" 3.5 m
Dry Weight	15,700 lbs. 7,121 kg
Tested Weight	17,705 lbs. 8,031 kg
Draft	3' 8" 1.19 m
Max Headroom	6' 7" 2 m
Bridge Clearance	10' 3.05 m
Fuel Capacity	205 gal. 776 L
Water Capacity	100 gal. 379 L
Total Weight	17,705 lbs. 8,031 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	6.0 sec.
Ratio	2.8:1
Props	24x16.5x4
Load	3 persons, 1/2 fuel, full water, 50 lbs of gear
Climate	73 deg., 34 humid.; wind: 0-5 mph; seas: 0-1

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x 260-hp Yanmar 6BY2
Std. Power	1 x 260-hp Volvo Penta D4

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The Layout

The layout of the Nordic Tug 34 tells a simple story of a cruising couple’s boat. A single stateroom and head forward of the raised pilothouse represent the only accommodations, but just like at home, guests are more than welcome to sleep on the convertible sofa, so long as they don’t get the idea that they can stay too long. The salon and galley areas are nestled in the vicinity just abaft the pilothouse and while minimalist in size, it makes for an intimate atmosphere with easily managed systems.

Additional gathering areas include the aft deck and upper “boat” deck. Certainly, fold-up deck chairs will play an important part of the formula for lounging about at the end of the day. But let’s take a look at her from an operator’s point of view.

Helm

The starboard side helm was well laid out with a stainless destroyer wheel mounted vertically. Two non-glare panels make up the functional aspects of the helm with a Raymarine hybrid touch display occupying front and center of the top panel. An autopilot was over to the starboard side of the display, the VHF radio to the portside. The lower panel consists of all of the rocker switches and four gauges including a multifunction gauge with selectable information, bow-thruster control and engine control.

The helm seat is a raised upholstered bench with a flip-down footrest and as it is mounted on a slider, there's easy handling from the seated and standing positions when using the seat as a leaning post.

Visibility

While visibility isn't a complete 360-degree, it’s certainly close. A center companionway to the salon just behind the raised pilothouse has a recessed area to allow for more headroom. Behind this area on deck is an ornamental exhaust stack that adds to the trawler-esque theme of the 34. This stack is the only thing that interrupts the visibility, but certainly not by much. Even looking through the salon provides an excellent view of the stern.

Mechanical Components

External

The 34 features rather narrow side decks but they are easily transitioned thanks to handrails located everywhere. Bow rails only run back to the forward half of the pilot house which allows for quick and easy passage out the side doors to the dock, part of what makes her so attractive as a single-handed operational boat.

The foredeck is recessed into raised toe rails. Ground tackle is manipulated through a chromed Lewmar windlass leading out to a stainless anchor roller mounted to the top of the bow. A chromed bit just behind the windlass secures the anchor rode and dock lines. Foot switches for the windlass are mounted to the starboard side caprail.

Internal

Accessing all the mechanical components of the Nordic Tug 34 couldn't be easier. A hatch in the aft deck allows easy access to the running gear and fuel tank. The tank is fitted with a sight gauge that serves as a backup to the mechanical gauge at the helm.

Engine Checks

As for accessing the main engine, again Nordic Tugs makes it an easy affair. Three hatches in the pilothouse deck lift to expose nearly the entire compartment, certainly the width of it. The three hatches are labeled for position and direction, and soundproofing keeps noise levels manageable. All sides of the engine are accessible so not only are daily checks painless, but so is maintenance. A hatch in the salon allows access to the reverse gear, shaft, and additional filters.

Performance

The Nordic Tug 34 has a length overall of 34'11" (10.6 m), a beam of 11'4" (3.5 m) and a draft of 3'8" (1.19 m). With an empty weight of 16,500 lbs., 100 gallons of fuel and three people onboard we had a test weight of 18,505 lbs. With a single 260-hp Yanmar 6BY2 turning a 24 x 16.5 x 4 prop we reached a top speed at 4150 rpm of 17.0 mph. At that speed, fuel burn was 13 gph giving us a range of 241 miles.

Best Cruise?

Cruise speed is another matter entirely. If we determine her hull speed in displacement mode, she reaches a maximum of 7.6 mph where the wavelength of her bow wave is equal to her waterline length. That speed was reached at 1750 rpm where we measured the fuel burn of only 1.05 gph giving her a range of 1,318 miles. One can only imagine Dr. Seuss saying "oh the places you'll go". Her fuel burn is linear producing a maximum range of 2768 miles at 3.8 mph reducing exponentially to the 241 mile range at full throttle. Being a trawler, this is basically a "set the throttle based on how far you want to go" type of boat. The choice is up to the individual operator. 

Handling Characteristics

Underway the Nordic Tug 34 has a feeling of symbiosis with the water, both the hull and the water coming together in a partnership that both seem to benefit from. Such is the pleasurable experience of operating such a stately craft. The 260-hp engine is smooth and quiet, but most of the credit for the handling has to go to Nordic Tugs' design team. She has a fine entry, which gives her the ideal distance economy and adds to the quiet ride. She has a full-length keel, which keeps her tracking straight and true, and with a protective heavy-duty stainless skeg under the prop, soft groundings will not be cause for undue alarm.

Strong Hull

Going through wakes produced a slight roll moment, but her hard chines diffuse repeat rolling. In a hard grounding, watertight bulkheads further minimize catastrophic events. But with her encapsulated stringers and infusion molded hull I’d have a hard time believing that even running onto rocks would impede this strong hull. Suffice it to say we won’t be testing that opinion. In turns she tends to remain relatively flat but aggressive turns have her leaning to the outside of the turn.

Docks and Pilings Are Friends

With a single-engine boat, even one with a bow thruster, maneuvering around the dock can be something that requires a bit of skill. Certainly, when there is any current or wind interfering with a direct shot into a slip the boat is going to come up against either a piling or a dock. Most often, this is a necessity that is used in order to get the boat into position. Any single-engine captain worth his salt knows how to use a piling to his advantage.

Twin Rub Rails

Nordic Tug is more than aware of this and even builds its boats to accommodate this simple fact of life. There are not one, but two rub rails that are integrally molded into the hull and fitted with stainless steel. The design of these rub rails is such that they are perfectly aligned with each other, and will come against a vertical object such as a piling, at the same time. In other words, let the 34 take a hit against the piling, she's designed to take it. This mindset is part of the 10-year hull warranty.

Observations

For many people, the “Made in America” statement is enough to entice brand loyalty, but we need to dig a little deeper than that, and the deeper we looked, the more we liked what we found. She is solidly built from the keel up and I saw no shortcuts or minimum-sized gear. This boat is well-built with quality components. 

Nordic Tug is definitely among the top builders of trawlers in or out of this country and it's certainly among the most recognizable with its timeless design. The fact that the company has a 27-year history of building quality boats is no small accomplishment. Each hull comes with a 10-year warranty and the builder sea trials every hull before delivery so the customer gets a boat with any new-launch kinks effectively dealt with.