Nearly 30 Nordhavns have signed on for an Alaskan Rendezvous geared to take place next summer. The owner-organized event, which is going by the official title of Nordhavns2Alaska – or N2AK – is set to have small clusters of Nordhavns leaving various locations on the west coast and some departing solo from other parts of the world, with one large meet-up occurring in Petersburg, Alaska mid-July.
The rally is the largest since Pacific Asian Enterprises (PAE) organized and led the 2004 Nordhavn Atlantic Rally (NAR) where 15 Nordhavns (plus three other brand yachts) traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Europe. Unlike the NAR, however, boats participating in the N2AK will depart in small groups from places like San Diego and Seattle, while others will set out singly from Africa, Australia and the Caribbean.
The three-day event will commence July 8-10 at the Sons of Norway hall, a historic building in the small town of Petersburg, which is known as “Little Norway.”
While PAE has committed financial assistance and vice president Jim Leishman is slated to give a keynote speech, the N2AK is being completely owner-driven. In fact, the goal of the organizing committee has been to limit outside resources and support. Many of the event’s planned featured speakers will be Nordhavn owners themselves who have particular in-depth knowledge on things like cruising Alaska or tips for fishing the area. There are also plans for a “progressive” boat tour where owners discuss favorite features of their individual boats. Owners will also be tapped to perform jobs such as breakfast cook, clean-up, greeter, set-up and break-down of various events at the Sons of Norway hall. “It’s our desire that…needed event workers will be via volunteers from within our group,” said head organizer James Frantz, a Nordhavn 52 owner. “The venue will be more fun if everyone participates and contributes. We know experts are among us (whether) to lead us in discussion or fry up eggs and sausages.”
Frantz said the organizing committee hopes to have most of the details finalized in the coming weeks. However, there is still time – and room – for any Nordhavn owner wishing to join the N2AK rally. Contact jamesbfrantz@gmail.com for additional information.
