Price and equipment lists shown above are from Jan-1980 - Courtesy of Max Wade Averitt.

See “Boatwatch - Master guide to sailboats of the world “ by Max Wade Averitt - it is an excellent resource for identification of manufacturers, specs, hull profiles and layouts.  He has numerous other books published including a similar version that is dedicated to power boats as well.   .

Damian is not only good with the elbow grease, he’s a good student and observer of how to enjoy your days on the water. The following comments are some that he’s sent me about his boat that might help give other interested sailors something more to think about when considering the N-16.

Lake sailing in these boats are great, however I have noticed that there seems to be different set-ups for these boats. One owner who used my sail layout for his boat said that the Genoa was way to big, so you have to be careful when selecting the sails and ensure you do all the measurements before you order. I have a set of brand new sails and I have noticed that when sitting next to a MacGregor 26 ft boat while the wind was nil that I was still able to move while he sat dead in the water. The 925 pounds displacement is a definite advantage in light winds and you can point them very close to the wind and they will sail great.

With the movement of the traveler and being able to allow the boom to extend a long way out you can either wing the boom and Genoa with the wind behind you or you can pull her right in without spilling any wind and still sail very well. Like all boats I have found that she favours one side more for sailing than the other, but that is common and I have not yet had the time to check the balance.. I am at the moment considering trying out a asymmetrical spinnaker for when the winds are very light.  I figure using the Genoa lines I can hook up a good sized kite and hopefully make her a little more exciting under sail. I have not found the boat to drift at all and she will go where you point her. One thing to remember when testing these boats out is that you will have little or no steering until you actually get the boom out to the side. Then you have a positive feel on the tiller, it is a eerie feeling until you get used to it. I have sailed my Nordica in light and heavy winds and I must admit all in all she is very very fast. While sailing up against a MacGregor 26 ft in heavy winds they had their main reefed in and were running a storm jib, while I was still running my full main with no reefs and my Genoa, (I figured I did not need a #2 however it is on my list to buy now as I am sure I would of got more speed out of her). I was 1.5 times faster, to the point where I was getting way ahead of the MacGregor then turning back circling her then moving out ahead again.

These boats are definitely a good “Bang for the Buck” depending on how you set them up..... In lake sailing I have taken off my 4.5 envirude and placed an electric engine on there and find with the small 36lb thrust I can still get out and about without a problem. A very good option if you enjoy serenity or if you are on lake where no powerboats are allowed. If I had the choice... would I buy another one? This is a good question to pose to any owner and I would have to say YES. I can sail her on my own or I can comfortably take out 2 or three others and still have a great time, she is easy to pull behind a car or SUV, she can be rigged (if set-up properly) in under 5-10 mins, is great for retrieving on and off the trailer. It’s great for taking right up onto the shore, takes on big waves and swells without hobby horsing too much, has a ton of storage and generally is an all rounder, the shape is one where you hate her or love her, but guys with bigger more expensive boats learn to respect you as you fly past them eating a sandwich with one hand steering with another.

All this from a guy who also told me that he enjoyed sailing with the rails in the water so much, he was going to look for a bigger lake the next time. Thanks Damian for the great user feedback...     LM!

It’s time to address a subject that some keen observers keep reminding me about when I add a photo of what most would consider to be a Nordica-16..... in fact it’s not always right - you may have been sailing in your Danica-16 instead and I’m guessing that some of you didn’t actually know it! There’s no penalty for ignorance, just for not being interested in changing that condition!

Seems that one of the early N-16 owners was a fellow by the name of Peter Hann. He bought one but after sailing for some time felt tht there was some changes he would rather see. So he built the molds from a Nordica hull but increased the size slightly and took some steps to make it more buoyant but adding more foam in the internal lockers. (I never knew why some N-16 readers had questions about the foam in the lockers and others didn’t know anything about it) Anyway, according to the builder, you could fill the boat with water and it would still be buoyant.

The ballast used was “nail clippings” (not those you’re thinking of but pcs of nails clipped off from a local Nail Factory!) The name came from his heritage of being Danish and because he felt the roots of this design were based on those Danish rowboats used so much in fishing. Some of the boats drew just a bit more water but the interior also gave a bit more headroom and made the available space a little more comfortable. There are supposed to be only 25 hulls built (between 1978 and 1982) and none of them have the typical HIN numbers in the hull. Quite a lot have the round ports - mostly due to a lucky find at an auction that turned out to be extremely useful if you’re building boats. He built a few with a galley, sink, stove and storage.

Now that you know some of these details, go look again at the boat sitting in your driveway and see what you have. There’s good reason to believe that the necessary paperwork would be the right reference but I would go a few steps further regardless of what your title says - If you’re in doubt, send me a photo and we’ll offer it to the people who know best - the other readers that know more about the history. My thanks to Cap’n Light and more recently to Cap’n Holman for reminding me that we should try to make sure the ships Captain knows what’s keeping them afloat!

Here’s a couple of photos of a true blue (npi) N-16 and her owner who still gets a lot of enjoyment out of a decision he made over 25 years ago. He bought “Shuvee” at the Newport R.I. Boat show in 1976 and has sailed and kept her in excellent shape all this time. Bob has also claimed the honor of having the “smallest boat moored in Newport Harbor” and from the looks of the photo, he’s getting about the same tan he would acquire on a Santa Cruz 52!  He uses a 2.7 hp outboard to motor out of the harbor and a small bilge pump with an automatic switch in the cockpit plus a motorcycle battery to keep her dry when he’s not there. The pump and battery is located under the grate and stays out of the way when he’s sailing. Several items have been replaced or rebuilt over the years, and she probably gets more personalized attention than the boat in the background! Congratulations Bob on making a wise purchase and for taking the time to keep her in great shape for all these years.

“The succulent DUCK” is now back in the water - after being ashore for 12+ years. She’s also FOR SALE... check the user ads section!

All trimmed and painted to Bristol condition.

Here’s an interesting story from an N-16 sailer who not only gives us a glimpse into the sailing adventure he and his friend endured, but in the last page gives all of us something larger to think about. When people write or suggest that these are “safe, solid and secure sailing vessels, they’re not lying to us... but they will not (and were never intended to) save our bacon from poor judgement by being someplace we shouldn’t when we really shouldn’t! Common sense should prevail and above all else, Gerry demonstrates another aspect of sailing that can really be of help to all of us. When you come back from an easy day of sailing or from a hair raising experience that you’ve lived to tell about, take a few moments or as long as it takes and analyze with your crew what went right that day and what didn’t go as planned. Study your lessons first and then learn from them. You’ll improve your sailing skills and the judgement that’s required to make the best choices for the best conditions.        Thanks Gerry..

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Gerry Bauder keeps Sadie Eves moored in MississippiLake, west of Ottawa, along with a powerboat and a canoe.  He has trailered her to LakeOntario at Kingston, Wellington, and Waupoos for various mini cruises and crews frequently with friends on the Ottawa River.  The idea for the trip described above came after reading several articles and books on the subject of cruising in small sailboats.  Sadie was his maternal grandmother's nickname and Eves was her maiden name.  As a child, and before they had TV, she entertained him on winter evenings with stories of her father and uncles sailing the work boats from Kingston and the Islands back and forth to the USA around the turn of the century.  Don currently trailer-sails a MacGregor Venture 22 out of CedarBeach on the north-west shore of Lake Erie.

Keith sent a relly nice series of photos from what looks like a near perfect day of sailing with friends. He sails his 1978, N-16 in the Madison Wisconsin area and is enjoying some of the labors of the previous owner who spent over 5 years in refurbishing the boat to “like new” condition. The cap’n and crew looks like they’re all having a great day. Thanks Keith.

Want to see a really cool looking boat rounding the horn.. or maybe just the outer marker....! Here’s a couple of nice shots of Cap’n Gilbert enjoying his summer regatta. He said the boat made a great impression with the people on shore!  

Don’t miss one of the newest “links” added (on the links page) for the “Yahoo based Nordica 16 Group” - There was also an article recently in the “Small Craft Advisor Magazine” about the N-16’s. There’s probably a few who will read that article and get excited thinking there’s some new boat out for all of us.... but it’s just a new boat for them!

For some good reference information on rigging (including some nice photo details) your N-16’s and a whole batch of photos, try this [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nordica16/] There’s always something new to learn and every source you find only adds to your reference base. There’s a link on the N-20 page for that group as well. Enjoy both!!!