30′ Nomad
After a morning of fishing Jerry Baum lowered the transom of his 30′ Nomad to water level with the push of a button and put his feet in the water while enjoying a sandwich. That is until two curious swans decided to give CH Marine’s newest creation or perhaps his turkey on rye a closer look forcing Baum to retreat back into the boat.
Built on Shelter Island the 30′ Nomad combines the classic style of the down east runabout with the quality custom build the New England boat yard has become known for.
Originally designed for an avid fly fisherman who wanted a more efficient casting platform along with an easier way to load his dinghy aboard the Nomad appropriately nicknamed the “tailgate” met both those needs.
Powered by a hydraulic arm the transom can open or close in 6 seconds and produces nothing more then a quiet hum, a hum that would be impossible to hear over the light chatter of guests or excited children.
“The two most common questions I’m asked at boat shows are won’t it sink and what is it used for,” says Peter Needham, President of CH Marine. “Well it won’t sink and there are a million uses for it.”
For those who plan on using the boat for as a launching point for adventure the time and effort used to load your favorite toys aboard has always been a necessary evil. The Nomad however can back into a slip with the transom lowered for the easier loading of anything from mopeds and bicycles to pets and wheelchairs.
“One of the things I like about it is when you’re sitting on the engine block seating the cushions fold up like a lounge chair so when you put the tailgate down it feels like you are on one of those forever pools,” said Needham.
The tailgate has been thoroughly tested to meet the demands of the owner including one unexpected test.
“We were at a boat show and I was giving a tour when I heard a loud bam! I turned around to find that a 6′ 2″ probably 250 pound man had jumped from the floating dock several feet above onto the tailgate to test it’s strength,” says Needham. “We were both glad to see that it met his specifications.”
With a top speed of nearly 40 MPH courtesy of twin 315 HP Yanmar diesels the Nomad allows owners to spend more of their time at their destinations and less time traveling.
“The other day I took some friends from Shelter Island to Block Island for lunch in 4-6 foot seas and it felt like the boat was riding on glass,” says owner John King. “After lunch we went back home, it took me 15 minutes to wash down and I was done. It’s the perfect day boat.”
The sleek shape and teak trim is the signature of CH Marine however color and nearly everything else can be custom built for the owner.
“We had a client come in with some color swatches from Home Depot and showed us what color he wanted the hull and we matched it,” said Needham.
Another client, an avid fly fisherman wanted a place to stow his top of the line 9′ reels to avoid transporting them to and from his home. CH Marine custom built 4 rod holders in the galley that ran through the cockpit combing to meet this need.
King wanted as much seating as possible so he could take his 3 daughters and his grandkids out for the day. With this in mind CH Marine built a custom wrap around seat in the back outfitted with several hidden coolers for soda and juice.
“I have more seating now on this 30′ boat then on a 38′ boat,” says King.
The Nomad that was originally only offered with a soft top is now available with a hard top that was debuted last month.
If time gets away from you and this day boat becomes a night boat the cabin is a more then capable location to recharge the batteries or spend the night. The Nomad comes equipped with a forward V berth, galley with hot and cold pressure sink, stove option, book locker and head.
When looking for a stylish day boat the 30′ Nomad comes with the quality to back it up…or down with the flip of a switch.
CH Marine, 631-749-0856; www.chmarineyachts.com
