The Nordhavn's serious, capable look on the outside is carried through on the inside with a layout designed to provide both comfort and safety at sea. This is no floating condo that is best left at the dock when the weather turns bad. Instead, every detail, from properly positioned handrails to heavy-duty door hasps and locks, is carefully designed for safety at sea. To begin with, all windows are extra heavy, tempered glass, and all window and door frames are built to withstand boarding seas. Optional storm shutters can be installed on the main saloon windows in preparation for severe weather conditions. Non-skid steps with night lighting add a nice touch, and rounded corners on furniture and cabinets show extra thought. The 46's center of attraction is the wheelhouse, which has a real sense of purpose about it. Located where sea motion is minimized, its wrap-around windows and angled equipment console provide excellent visibility for driving the boat. This is the command center of the ship, with all engine controls, electrical panels, navigation gear and communications equipment installed in logical, easy-to-use fashion. Behind the helm, a raised settee with a table provides the perfect spot to keep watch and catch a bite to eat while underway. For those overnight passages, there's a watch berth above the settee, which also serves as an extra berth in port. Standing at the helm, looking out across the bow in rising seas, and knowing the trustworthiness of her diesel engine, the captain is assured that he has the power to go just about anywhere in this well-found ship.

But making the captain happy is only part of the Nordhavn's job, as the P.A.E. design team well understands. The comfort of the crew is just as important if life aboard is to be a happy, shared experience. Refined using valuable input from owners, the Nordhavn's interior is at the same time luxurious and functional. Starting with the galley, she provides the conveniences of a home kitchen. There's ample room to equip her with a separate refrigerator and freezer, a trash compactor, gas or electric stove top, oven and microwave oven. With generous counter space and an optional pass-through to the wheelhouse, preparing and serving meals, even while at sea, is an easy, enjoyable task. The location of the galley also allows the chef to enjoy the views and join the festivities in the main saloon. Here, a number of different arrangements are available, but the saloon typically features an L-shaped settee, dining/cocktail table, an entertainment center and one or two comfortable reading chairs. The settee becomes an extra berth, and some owners choose an arrangement that provides a convertible double. The center of attraction shifts from the wheelhouse to the saloon once this ship reaches port, and the large, opening cabin windows and aft facing cockpit door give the area a wonderful feeling of spaciousness and openness. The protected cockpit extends the living area to the outdoors, where there's room for two chairs and a small cocktail table. This is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while grilling the catch of the day on the barbecue.

Going below and forward, the Nordhavn 46 is available in either of two basic layouts. Plan "A" has the owner's stateroom with private head midships and a guest cabin with head forward. The advantage to this layout is that the owner's berth is located where there is minimum motion while at sea. Plan "B" locates the owner's stateroom and head forward and features a double-sized island berth. The guest stateroom with twin berths and an adjacent head is located midships and typically includes a full-sized writing desk. The advantages to this layout are that the owner's stateroom gets the best ventilation at anchor, and the guest stateroom can function as a den or office when guests are not aboard. Either layout has room for the installation of a washer/dryer, which has become a very popular option with today's cruising couples.

Overall, the Nordhavn's interior strikes a fine balance between luxury and functionality. For pure aesthetics, the craftsmanship and beautiful teak woodwork are without par and showcase the highest level of skilled labor. The finest materials are used throughout, including mar-resistant countertops, teak and spruce cabin soles, tough, resilient tile floors and the very finest hardware and fixtures. Doors, hatches and windows fit perfectly; the teak is beautifully finished in satin varnish; tables are securely mounted with proper backing plates; light switches are conveniently located; ceiling liners are attractive and easy to clean; and lockers are lighted inside and lined with cedar wood. The closer one looks, the more one finds a keen attention to detail and appreciation for what works at sea. In fact, the best part of all this beauty is that it is as functional as it is attractive. When a Nordhavn 46 arrives in port after a long voyage, it doesn't take forever to get her interior shipshape for new arrivals and guests. Throughout the voyage, everything is already where it needs to be, traffic patterns make sense, guests have their privacy, the bright heads are easy to clean, the galley is well organized with room for plenty of extra supplies, and the engine room encourages regular maintenance checks. Arriving on a Nordhavn 46 is definitely a different experience. Having been treated to the luxury of such a well-designed, dependable passagemaker, the captain and crew are rested, relaxed and ready for their next adventure.