Bellingham, Washington, November 16, 2009 – Norstar Yachts, Inc., a long time custom boat builder in the Pacific Northwest announces the completion and delivery of its first sailing yacht. The first boat is a 40-ft offshore performance cruising yacht with a proven heritage. The Norstar 40 was previously built in Bellingham as the Nordic 40.
The Norstar 40 will be followed by her bigger sisters, the Norstar 44 and the raised salon / center cockpit Norstar 46RS.
The first Norstar 40, christened Sea Escape, was recently delivered to her owners Carl & Karol Weston, of Bellingham. Her public debut will be at the Seattle Boats Afloat show, January 29 through February 6, 2010. She is currently available to be seen at her berth in Bellingham.
The Norstar 40 provides an ideal combination of luxurious accommodation, solid safe performance and head turning good looks. The accommodation features luxurious hand rubbed paneling with finely detailed teak trim. The teak and holly cabin sole and yellow cedar hull ceiling strips are traditional features of quality yacht construction carried forward in the execution of this modern design. The joiner work details, the laminated trims, the solid teak framing and proper joint design are examples of “top-drawer” execution. Locker interiors are finished as if they were always exposed to view. Two interior arrangements are offered, the classic Nordic 40 interior and the Norstar Special Edition.
The Norstar 40 has a proven efficient shape. Her high-aspect-ratio skeg together with her large rudder gives her superb steering and exceptional tracking. Most of her Nordic sailing yacht predecessors have made substantial offshore and trans-oceanic passages and several have completed circumnavigations. Her owners have also enjoyed success in offshore racing.
The Norstar 40 is a textbook example of how to make a sailing yacht deck efficient, safe and beautiful. Everything required for a yacht under sail has been evaluated, engineered and provided. You can see it in the molded bosses and recesses for hardware, hatches and ventilation. With all lines running aft she can be easily handled and sailed by two persons from the cockpit. A good sailor will have no trouble single-handing. Everywhere on deck that a foot might step will find a non-slip surface. The non-skid provides a pleasing contrast with the fiberglass gelcoat and it is easily cleaned and equally as effective when wet or dry.
As is true with its line of power boats, the Norstar sailing yachts are built to a standard - a standard that is absolutely the best. Nordic sail boats were described, in a March 2009 Cruising World article titled Nordic 40:The Belle of Bellingham, and written by a long time Nordic owner, “When these boats were built nobody in the United States was building a better boat”. Norstar is reclaiming that lofty status.
Norstar is a special kind of yacht builder, having a staff and crew of widely experienced and exceptionally competent people. Headed by Gary Nordtvedt, both he and many of the crew have spent their entire working lives building boats. Each Norstar is specially built specifically for her initial owner and many owners have returned to order a second and even a third Norstar.
Norstar, founded in 1995 by Gary Nordtvedt, is also the builder of semi-custom power boats in addition to its line of sailing yachts. The Nordtvedt family boasts a two generation, seven decades-long history of quality yacht and US Navy craft construction. Gary and Steve Nordtvedt trace their early education as boat builders to the 1960s at United Boatbuilders, Inc. (later Uniflite) a company founded by their father, Arthur Nordtvedt.
For additional information, please contact Steven Nordtvedt at Norstar Yachts, Inc. Telephone (360) 223-2399, or by email at sales@norstaryachts.com Website: www.norstaryachts.com
