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Boats with layout similar to Mikelson Nomad

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by luvtocruise, Apr 29, 2021.

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  1. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
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    74
    Location:
    Texas
    I have been all over the internet looking at boats —Catamarans to trawlers to Motor Yachts and Sport fish.
    I was showing the wife some of the boats I really like and she saw the Nomad— Instantly she said it looks to check all of her boxes.]
    There just aren’t any of them used for sale for us to see.
    Are there any other boats with this kind of layout? Anything spring to mind?
    Any issues with the Nomads, or this type of boat cruising in the Caribbean?
  2. MYTraveler

    MYTraveler Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2014
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    PNW
    I have a Nomad and have taken it up and down the west coast of US, Mexico and Canada. Nomads are semi-custom, so the layouts vary tremendously. I was hull 15 and I think they are up to about 21 now. I haven't seen many of the boats that came after mine, but have seen most (possibly all) that came before. Most have galley up, some have galley in the "salon", none have galley down. Some have a day head off the mezzanine deck (a step up from the cockpit, at the rear of the boat. Some have a 3' stretch, which increases the fuel capacity to 2300 gallons (but even with 2000, at 8 knots you go a long way). Wesmar stabilizers are standard. Most have a mid-ship master with a separate entrance from the salon. Some share an entrance with the forward staterooms, but that messes up the configuration -- you loose the full beam head / shower and the bed is sideways instead of fore-aft. Most have bunks in the mid-ship stateroom and a queen in the forward VIP stateroom. The owner's stateroom has a king (we went with an eastern king, rather than a California king for the extra width). There are also two crew berths accessible from the cockpit -- though some owners replace one or both of these berths with work benches, etc.

    My favorite layout features are:
    1. Portuguese Bridge -- available on plenty of boats. Nomads have wing stations at the sides of the PB, which is great for docking, etc.
    2. Engine Room -- great headroom, well laid out and great access to both sides of the engines.
    3. Cockpit -- quite large, like a big sportfisher.
    4. Integral swim platform -- ie, the hull extends all the way aft, and the area between the transom and back of hull are port and starboard fish holds. I have one of mine plumbed with an ice maker, and use the other to bleed out fish. This makes a great place from which to land, or even fight, fish.
    5. Flybridge -- Optional, and many of the Nomads don't have one. It is a really nice and large flybridge, so well worth the cost.
    6. Tower -- The geometry of my tower looks funny (though I think it looks better than the towers I have seen on other Nomads), but it is a really great place from which to drive the boat while hunting for fish.
    7. Day head -- my wife really likes the idea that no one needs to traipse through the boat with scales, blood and fish guts.

    Overall:
    IMO, Mikelsons are well thought out and well built. On Nomads, the hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline (ie, no coring), and we have had no issues with the boat (we took delivery 10 years ago). I will say that Mikelson disappointed me in the commissioning. There were little things that needed to be fixed and they did a half assed job. For example, there were a few imperfections in the interior woodwork, which they filled with non-matching wood putty -- it has a red tint. I never fixed it and now every time I see it I reminded of my irritation. Similarly, there is a shower box in the day head, cut into the fiberglass. Unfortunately, the cut it in about 1" too low, so in the up position, the toilet seat hits the showerbox (which protrudes about 1/2" from the fiberglass behind it). Mikelson's solution was to install a bungy cord to keep the toilet seat up. Very tacky. Finally (actually, I have a few more exmples, but I will leave it at this), my teak deck isn't sloped to drain properly. Mikelson said there was nothing they could do, though they fixed the molds for future boats.
  3. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Texas
    Thanks— I lusted after the La Sirena when she was for sale— and I keep coming back to these boats now that we are serious— the mezzanine deck with the built in benches like a catamaran my wife likes so much. Huge range with all the fuel, King in master — real glass below the waterline, and the coring isn’t balsa either where they use it is my understanding. Cummins power, stand-up engine room — the videos say simple systems. Big tender — I also want the fly bridge — no tower though we could stop at the hard-top. So are there any other boats besides nomads that have this layout and all of these amenities? It seems to be a very social boat, built for fishing and entertaining and cruising. And— do you know anyone selling?
  4. MYTraveler

    MYTraveler Member

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    I don't know of any boat quite like the Nomad and I don't know of anyone selling. My next choice would be to have a Nordlund made.
  5. LuvBigBoats

    LuvBigBoats Member

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    Feb 9, 2016
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    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Have you contacted Mikelson? When I texted them several months ago they had a couple pocket listings, out of my price range.
  6. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

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    Called yesterday — told them where I was and what I wanted— they said they would get back to me— ask what I wanted to spend— which is in line for what the last 2 boats sold for plus a little— so I guess we will see. Honestly my vibe was that they didnt care that I called and were busy. That’s the boat business though — when its a sellers market they dont have time for you unless your ready to go right now and standing in front off them- -when its a buyers market though... — man the calls come out of the wood work and they cant spend enough time with you. We will see — coming to S FLa in a couple of weeks for 3-4 days to crawl all over a bunch of boats and see if anything lights the fire. I have found with expensive toys its better to walk so I have time-
    Thanks
  7. LuvBigBoats

    LuvBigBoats Member

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    Location:
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    I'm feeling the same way. Thinking of flying out soon from SoCal. Ridiculous what's been going on but I'm sensing a little bit of softening.

    I just sold my 43 Mikelson SF a couple months ago after owning for 6 years and thought their support was good. They helped when they could.
  8. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

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    Location:
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    I looked at the 43 online — its a nice boat after a buddy got super close on a new one last year— but the fly over and take ownership or whatever it was at the factory around COVID killed the deal. He said they were a good group of people. So IDK — I may have just caught the person I spoke with at a super busy time.
    Are you looking for a Nomad as well?
    I want one— I dont need one — one will pop up and if its a decent deal I will buy it— But it has to be a decent deal on a nice boat— I am not gonna get any dumber about this— buying a boat isn’t a great idea anyway if you look at the checks you gotta write. Thats why I have already told the warden — you keep the books— I dont want to know what I am spending— it would just depress the hell out of me.
  9. LuvBigBoats

    LuvBigBoats Member

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    I was thinking if I could get one in my price range (around $1mm) then maybe, but the ones they had at the time were around $1.6 as I recall. They had one cheaper but it didn't have a real flybridge.

    I'm looking for a motor yacht, not necessarily one purpose built for fishing like the Nomad, but the Nomad is a great boat for cruising also.
  10. MYTraveler

    MYTraveler Member

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    I am surprised that wasn't negotiable. When I ordered my boat, Mikelson's stock contract said buyer has to inspect before it leaves the factory and Mikelson is not responsible for any deviations from specs not brought to its attention before it leaves the factory. But, they readily agreed that I didn't need to fly over and even if I did, they would still be responsible for delivery of a boat that complied with the contract specs.
  11. Joe Smith

    Joe Smith New Member

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    Nov 24, 2020
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    Location:
    West Coast
    I just purchased a 50' Mikelson after making an offer on a Nomad. Inventory is thin so I opted for an off-market boat in great condition, but they are great boats and hands on owners. You may want to look at their 57' or they have a 75' that is half way through construction that someone is going to make a great deal on. Good luck.
  12. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

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    Thats what I was told— Subsequently he had another boat built in Florida and has taken delivery— we are taking in to Bimini in June is the plan— completely different kind of boat though— when I spoke to him about the fly over back then — he said everyone was nice but he made it sound like it was almost mandatory to take ownership over there?
    Not sure— wasn’t my deal.
  13. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

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    Thanks— I am gonna give them a call this week- the 75 is much bigger than we are looking for - I am thinking the best size for me will be 54-63 range — I am going to look at the 61 in Florida end of next week — not sure what the story on that boat is— I think it has been for sale for a while and with the 3412’s its gonna be thirsty so range is prob pretty small. But it checks almost all the other boxes for us. I am gonna ask them about it as well— see if its the same hull with a different deck and layout and much more power—
  14. Fenderapache

    Fenderapache New Member

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    Old thread but wondering what happened? I’m looking at a Nomad but also have spoken to Outer Reef, Grand Banks and Fleming. Each will customize one of their boats to add live wells, in-deck kill boxes, Eskimo ice machine, shorter cockpit overhang, mezzanine seating, outriggers and extra fuel. For a cost of course. But, those are incredibly well made boats (especially the Fleming) with layouts, fit, finish and helms that I like better than the Nomad. I do, however, like the Nomad quite a bit. Will mostly be used for; cruising, fishing, diving and basically island hopping.
  15. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

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    I bought a Westbay Sonship 58/63 as a placeholder, but we love the boat so its not a placeholder anymore. Its not as fishy, but it gets the job done for the ideas we have. From all appearances its very well built as well.
  16. Fenderapache

    Fenderapache New Member

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    I have not looked at that. But, will add to the list along with the ones I mentioned. I really like the Fleming 58 in addition to the Nomad. But, it needs some customization.